At Christmas I got Covid followed by Paxlovid rebound. Round two was rough.
And then came tonsillitis as in my doctor’s words “with tonsils like yours
it’s sort of expected” which meant a round of antibiotics and finally,
Prednisone to clear up the laryngitis all that left me with. Winter really
needs to be over. I’m wearing a mask in crowded places again and can’t wait for
open window season and some fresh air to blow away these germs.

But, as nasty as all that is, I am a fan of Prednisone. I like to call it
Vitamin P. The first few days on a steroid I could fight a bear. No really, I
could. And then there’s the beauty of all that inflammation being gone. Nothing
hurts for once. Sure, I cry intermittently and have the jitters, but I can get
so much done! Inevitably it ends with the last dose (today) and I’ll be back to
normal. But it showed me that I need to seriously look at my health to be sure
I can get to feeling this good when not high on Vitamin P.

Having energy is a game-changer even for writing which doesn’t take a lot of
physical effort. Being able to get the house in order gets my mind in order.
When I sit down to write, I can’t have laundry, dishes, and a dirty floor
crowded into my thoughts. Sometimes writing feels like a leisure activity I
shouldn’t indulge in with a messy house. A lie, but my brain is great at
telling me whoppers.

Working a full-time day job means I have nights and weekends to fit my life
into. Like any mom, I negotiate my hours with the competing needs of my family
on an almost daily basis. Being in good health makes all that easier. It’s like
a cheat code. Being on Vitamin P this last week was a real wake up call. I
hadn’t realized how used to being in pain and tired out I was. That’s gotta
change. Not just so I can finally finish this book. Being well translates into being
more present in my own life.

Here’s to January finally being over, February bringing health, and Spring
in striking distance. Open windows and fresh air ahead.