Health: Lessons from Alone
@carol_mcclain
We take our health for granted. We smoke or drink (or in my case, overdose on chocolate). Maybe we abhor exercise or refuse to get a vaccine because–hey–that’s for old people and scaredy-cats. (And I have a right to chose what to do with my body–that’s another blog).
Two weeks ago, my husband and I had breakthrough cases of COVID (not an excuse for you to skip the vaccination because people get the yuck anyway). Had I not had the vaccine, I’m sure I’d have been in the hospital as I’m still struggling to recover.
What did I lose when I lost my health?
- Time writing. With a brain not functioning, sitting at a computer or holding a pen was more than I could handle.
- Time on my glass. With end-of-year craft shows coming, my inventory is down.
- Time with my friends. Isolated, only my self-absorbed attention dominated my life. It wasn’t pretty.
- Time in church. I could watch online, but it’s not the same as being in a community.
- My best friend’s funeral. This was the hardest. She, too, had breakthrough COVID. With an immune disorder, the disease killed her. Being sick myself, I couldn’t go. It was heartrending for me to not find closure.
Life still had to go on here. I had to:
- feed my goats
- feed my husband
- feed my self-pity
- clean our messes
- try to meet my obligations to my co-op and my critique partner because these things were only going to backlog me.
Guess what’s one of the top reasons people give up the chance to win $500,000 on Alone?
If you read my title, you’ve got the answer.
In the competition Alone, sometimes, health experts force contestants to leave. The competitors are so sick, they don’t realize the danger they’re in.
Most times, though, they realize, money isn’t going to help them if they damage their lungs, lose the use of the fingers and toes. If they die.
Especially if they die.
Take care of yourself.
- Get vaccinated against COVID and the flu.
- Stop unhealthy habits. Get help to stop.
- Exercise. It doesn’t have to be tedious. Fish, walk, pull weeds, yoga, window shop in malls (I think they still exist).
- Eat healthily.
You matter. Life is short. Even if you make it to my age, it’s short. Love every minute. Cherish the time.
Shameless self-promotion
Cherish the moment. It’s the theme of Borrowed Lives, a book you won’t regret reading.
3 Comments
Leave a Reply to Peggy Lovelace Ellis Cancel reply
Author Carol McClain
Carol, may I offer a different perspective on the COVID vaccine? The side effects of the three I know about are heart disease, strokes, and blood clots. For at least four generations of both sides of my family, grandparents, parents, my generation, and the next, those three problems have been the cause of the primary debilitating illness and death in our family. Both parents and two of my brothers have died as a result of strokes. Another of a massive heart attack. The other two have died from aneurysms. I’ve had two TIAs. In the next generation, one niece has a greatly enlarged heart, and another one had a massive heart attack while in her 40s. Three nephews have had stents inserted around blood clots. I truly believe the vaccines are a bigger hazard to my health than the virus would be. Nevertheless, I mask, distance, and stay out of crowds insofar as possible.
I totally understand, but you do what you should. You still watch out for other people. Too many people are indifferent. Too many believe conspiracy theories.
If people don’t want to be vaccinated, then they need to act as you do. We all need to prefer others before ourselves.
Thanks for understanding!