I was recently sick….really sick.
I don’t know about you, but when I get sick, I feel pulled in different directions. I want to take care of myself…need to take care of myself, but I also have a son to take care of and work to get done. It can be challenging to just focus on doing nothing and just being.
My sickness, as it does many times, started off slowly. I woke up just feeling a little off. Then, as the day went on, I felt worse, and still managed to get things done.
The next day, my throat hurt even more, as the day progressed so did my illness. The following day, I had a telehealth call, because I knew by this point I had strep, and was prescribed antibiotics.
By the third day, with a fever, I was incapacitated on the couch in our media room…not moving all day. Thankfully, I had the best nurse, Nurse B, my 10 year-old-son, to take care of me.
Barely able to focus, I posted on Facebook how sick I was and the outpouring support and love came in.
My nice neighbor, brought us vegetable soup that she made, which was also the best veggie soup I’ve ever had. It also was just what I needed to feel a little better.
My sister surprised us with homemade chicken noodle soup, and a friend sent us money for Uber Eats.
More people offered Uber Eats, to pick things up for us, and come over and help.
At first, all of this thoughtfulness and kindness of helping was a bit overwhelming. I wasn’t anticipating people offering to help, especially so much, when I posted about how sick I was. I wasn’t even sure how to reply.
I was in so much pain and felt helpless that day yet was hesitant to accept the help, even the soup from my neighbor.
Yet I wanted to accept it.
After going back and forth with should I or shouldn’t I, I accepted the help with a lot of gratefulness.
Thinking we have to do everything ourselves has been ingrained in us. You feel you have to be the strong one, the independent one, the one who can do everything even when you’re sick. The one who juggles all the balls in the air, seamlessly. The one who has it all together and under control, even when you don’t.
I’m here to share…You don’t have to do everything alone. You have a support team to help you. Sometimes, they just don’t know how to do it or what you need. So let them know.
Say Yes to asking for help. When someone offers to help, thankfully accept it.
People want to help. You just have to ask for it.
Days after I was feeling better, people were still offering to help.
Put your pride and ego aside (they are overrated), and let others know you need and want help. After all, when they help you, it allows them to feel needed and wanted, and we all want to feel needed and wanted. So, you’re doing them a favor 
It’s not weakness to ask for help. It’s strength to know when you need it, because we all need it. And quite frankly, it makes life a whole lot easier to have help.
You don’t have to do it alone. In fact, you shouldn’t do it alone.
We got you. We’re here for you.
Let us help you. How can we help?
