If my experience last week is any example, I was strongly reminded that illness does not go on a holiday during the holidays – and when things go awry, it’s important to seek the right help, even if it interferes with holiday plans.

Monday, I felt fine. Monday evening, my right eye felt funny. By Tuesday  morning, sitting at my computer, I knew there was something wrong. My right eye did not “feel right,” but I was loathe to call my doctor much less drop everything and go in for an appointment. I knew that she would fit me in, which might mean a long wait in a crowded waiting room, and dreaded thinking of how disruptive it all would be. But as the eye worsened, I realized it didn’t matter that I was deep in Christmas preparations, deadlines, and soon-to-be holiday fun.  At all times of the year, eyesight is precious, so I picked up the phone and made the call.

How glad I am that I did! Getting treatment early is, I found out, extremely important with viruses like shingles. Without making that call, the problem would have only worsened, and could have had even more horrible consequences if I’d have ignored it. Oh, yes, the whole experience was frightfully disruptive. But it could have been much worse.

It’s difficult to acknowledge or admit to an illness during the holidays. I know people who drag themselves around, to shop, to work, to socialize, and who are hacking and wheezing and feverish. Perhaps they don’t realize that they can spread their “cheer” to others, or perhaps they care more for thinking their doing what they “should” during the holidays, instead of taking care of health.

Besides those folks, there are, I know, those of us with chronic illnesses and pain who risk aggravating them (or exposing themselves to infections) because they don’t want to “miss out” on once-a-year events.

How easy it would be if we could schedule in our flares, infections, and aggravated pain! Sweep them all away until a more “convenient” time, or at least until after the last Christmas ornament has been stowed away.

But, life, especially with chronic illness and pain, just doesn’t work like that.

Yes, the reminder I got this year was hard-learned, but important, and the outcome not as bad as it could have been.

Lesson learned, Lord! Thank you!

Blessings for the day,

Maureen