Monday, November 26, 2012

Can A Mom Really Put Herself First?




A week ago, I found myself in the ER suffering from abdominal pain that seemed to get worse by the minute.  The tests ran by the ER doctor showed nothing of a life-threatening nature, but the reason for the pain remained unexplained.  As I was on the mend, a common refrain from those around me was to put myself first.  Sensible advice, but one thought crossed my mind - can a Mom ever really put herself first?  Can I put myself first when meeting deadlines are approaching and I'm the one solely responsible for getting the work done?  Can I put myself first when lunches need to be packed, homework needs to be done, teacher conferences need to be attended?  Dinner still needs to be made, floors swept, toilets cleaned and the cat who can't seem to grasp the concept of a litter box still needs to be cleaned up after.  Even when I'm sick, my children still need an attentive mother, my husband still needs a dependable wife and my aging mother sill needs a daughter to juggle her various medical appointments.  So, how is a Mom supposed to put herself first exactly?

*After following up with my primary care physician, an ultrasound revealed the source of the pain to be a particularly troublesome ovarian cyst.  So, thankfully nothing serious!

Mary Ellen
    

6 comments:

  1. Glad to know you are doing well! Thank you for the wedding wishes and I hope you are able to find some "me time" especially during the holidays when things seem to get a bit crazy. Even if it is few minutes...the kids will be ok and your husband can step in!

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  2. I'm sorry to hear you're not feeling well, and you did sound a bit stressed in your post. I pray that you can get some rest through the "craziness," and that the Lord will provide you with comfort.

    Though wives and mothers do have much responsibility in the home, we have to remember that sometimes, we become ill, sick, or weak and can't "do it all." It's during these times that we do our best for our family with sincere love in our hearts.

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  3. long-time lurker (lol) first time commenter :) I enjoy your posts and various comments on other blogs!!

    Anyways, I hope you are recovering well and I'm sure your kiddies and the hubby wouldn't mind doing what they can for themselves and for YOU while you are are getting better.

    Whenever my mom or dad fell ill, it made my siblings and I realize just how much my parents did for us everyday and we stopped taking them for granted. I'm sure your kids will realize the same thing :)

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  4. I'm glad that they discover the source of your pain. I do hope that the pain ends very soon.

    It's so important to take some time out for yourself. I usually can spend some time lounging, on the weekends, while the hubby and son do some cleaning.

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  5. Cyst are very painful. I hope that you are resting even for a few days until the pain subsides a bit. It is so hard to do all that you have on your plate to do when not feeling well. Best wishes to you Mary Ellen, you are doing a wonderful job!

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  6. @Chandra - Thank you!

    @Ordinary Housewife - I've definitely been feeling "blessed but stressed" lately!

    @shesthedifferencemaker - Thank you!

    @BerryMorins - Thanks Rona! I'm definitely going to work harder at carving out some time for myself.

    @prairieharmony - Thank you for the well wishes!

    Mary Ellen

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