Boy has it been a hectic couple of weeks for this writer. Not only have I been working hard at editing Moribund, but I have also been trying to help complete house renovations. It was all going quite smoothly, until hubby hurt himself, and now things are even more hectic than they were before. Thankfully he is on the mend, but it is a slow process. The hardest thing with injuries to yourself or a loved ones, is dealing with the aftermath.
At first everyone is pumped up on adrenaline, making sure the injured person is okay, getting them settled at home and trying to figure out a new routine that accommodates the injured person as well as the kids. Then the dust settles and they are on the mend, and that adrenaline everyone had been relying on starts to dissipate. This, I'll be honest, is the hardest phase for me. The adrenaline has left and now my once extremely active husband is sequestered to the bed and couch, with only small walks around the garden. The lack of activity or ability to do the things he was able to prior to the incident are taking their toll on him mentally. For me the sleepless nights with the two kids and hubby have weakened my mental resistance, and have left me feeling extremely drained and to some degree vulnerable. So here we all are trying our best to stay afloat, trying to stay positive, when it would be so easy to just give in and wallow in the misery of cloudy days, cranky children, pain filled days and sleepless nights. Fighting off that nasty thing called depression.
I could go into the topic of depression, but I feel that this really isn't the time. I may at some other point in time cover this topic, but not today. Instead, I am going to focus on what I need to do to avoid falling back into depression, and how I intend to help my husband steer clear of it too. So here's my list for what I really should be doing or what I've already started doing:
1. I really should start exercising again. Even if it's only going on short strolls with the kids.
2. Get hubby out in the fresh air. Get him strolling around the garden for short periods of time. (Already started on this.)
3.Get better sleep. (I have been trying to go to bed early again to make up for the lack of sleep during the night.)
4. Be grateful that nothing more serious happened. (Understanding how close my husband came to seriously injuring himself would usually see me having nightmares for weeks, but I've chosen to look at it in the sense that this was a lesson learned and that he is going to be okay.)
5. Keep hubby's mind active. Easier said than done. Normally I'd get him a book to read, but he doesn't enjoy reading. Tried a puzzle magazine and accidentally got the wrong one. I will need to get a new one for him.
6.Take time to myself. (Still working on this.)
7. Enjoy the time we are able to spend together as a family and as a couple, even if he is injured.
8. Surround myself with some positive quotes and reading material.
9. Get back into reading material other than my own book. After editing all day, and wanting to keep my head clear during the process I have avoided reading books within the genre I am writing. I allowed myself to read my genre in between editing stints only. I've also slacked of since having my kids, 9 times out of 10 I am so exhausted when I get into be in the evening I cant even see straight. But I miss reading, I miss the adventures I used to go on. So more reading is needed.
I think this list will keep me going for now. Of course I will amend it as I go along, but at least I have something to follow. So here's to finding a balance that will see us through this moment in time.
