During my time as an “active Patient” one of the most significant lessons I have learned is how to listen to my body. Our bodies are always talking to us, sick or well, they always communicate, it’s just that when we are feeling well we have an easier time ignoring them. When I have felt sick, no energy, pain, etc, most times it’s not an option for me to ignore the messages from my body. As I began to work my way back to a more active lifestyle after my first Transplant I maintained a focus on listening to my body and it helped me avoid many of the inevitable symptoms of ignoring the messages. I would suggest to you that the majority of health problems could be negated or dramatically reduced in significance if we were all a little better at listening to our bodies. Believe me when I say that “if you ignore your health long enough, it will go away”.
Having gone through the transition from Patient to Professional once before, I have some experience this time out. And in the past month I have definitely been getting more mentally active professionally, some call it work, but as I have said it is really a combination of play and therapy for me as I love it so much. This time I am definitely returning to some of my professional duties much quicker than last time, and that is directly related to my health as I’m feeling far better than expected right now.
Imagine a scale, two sides, one side represents the Patient in me and on the other side there is the Professional. The past many months that scale has been heavily weighted on the Patient side, many times the Professional side was taken off the scale all together. But as I get more active and feel better the scales start to move a little and the Professional side of my life starts to occupy a little more of my time. The key here is finding the right balance according to how I’m feeling and so far I’ve found a pretty good balance.
Last week I started to develop this flu, so in response to that I adjusted the bar and switched my focus tipping the scale back toward the Patient side. I spent 5 days doing very little, next to no activity, lots of resting in hopes of avoiding a big Challenge with the flu and the always possible hospital visits and admission. So after about 5 days I planned to resume a little activity, the flu hadn’t gone away entirely but through the whole time I had never felt particularly bad at all. This morning I got up to start my day, I had a meeting at 11, and then was going to a lunch for 12:30. Nothing too stressing. Up a little earlier than usual, in the shower a lot earlier than usual, and while I was shaving I started to cough a little, same as I had done for the past week. Except this time there was a little bit of blood, hadn’t coughed up anything for a week but this morning I coughed up a little blood. The scale was quickly adjusted back to Patient, no panic, nothing to get worried about, but I was certainly going to listen to my body.
Talked with my Doc, made an impromptu visit to the hospital, which lead to an impromptu visit with another Doc to further check what’s happening in my lungs. Current plan is to see the Respiratory Specialist again on Monday, same rules apply as always, anything funny straight to the ER, but for now the Doc seems content to ride it out a little. Yesterday’s x-ray looks fine and I’m sure I’ll hear if anything shows up in today’s blood work.
Ironic how the first day that I actually attempt to get active that my body guides me against it. As I have learned, Murphy’s Law applies 10 fold when you are a Patient. Not a bad thing, as it gives me an opportunity to practice listening to my body. Have you ever ignored your body? More to the point are you ignoring it right now? I will always remind you that we create our own experience and our health is a great example of that, so for your sake and those who depend on you, don’t ignore your body!
Always…
Live Life. Love Life.
Geoff
