Self Care

Self care is big business, from fancy smelly candles to retreats that cost thousands of dollars. The self care options seem endless for people who don't identify as disabled, but it gets difficult when you have M.E.

My M.E. comes with a lot of symptoms that make traditional self care difficult. I'm sensitive to certain smells, as well as sounds, brightness, and extreme temperatures. I don't have the energy for walks outdoors, or getting in and out of a bathtub. Making my favourite meal is also taxing. Obviously most exercise is bad for me.

There are a lot of things I have difficulty doing now, but I try to focus on positives. I usually have 2 or 3 cats on my lap, which is wonderful. I rewatch favourite movies and TV. Since I've already seen them, it doesn't take as much energy to follow plots. When in doubt I play Bob's Burgers in the background, or do a LotR marathon.

I also do my boring self care, like taking my medications daily and staying hydrated. Thanks to a gift from my parents I now have a cleaner who comes weekly, which is a huge relief. Starting next week I'm getting a meal delivery service so I can eat healthy without really having to think about it. I try to do stretching and some yoga daily to keep my muscles activated. When I'm feeling ok I go with Daniel when he goes to do errands, even if I stay in the car while he runs in to the shops. It's nice to get out of the house when I can.

Really, I think that self care with M.E. comes down to just surviving and finding something good in each day. Like the meme says, it ain't much but it's honest work.