How To Care For Self When Caring For Others

Today was a little different from my usual busy Tuesdays. My youngest had a follow-up appointment with a nephrologist. I didn’t expect anything out of the ordinary, but our usual doctor retired, and we had to see a new specialist. The appointment was at the children’s hospital, which is over an hour away. I typically plan for about two hours of travel each way, plus an hour for the appointment itself. It ends up being a full day.

We’re incredibly fortunate to live in an area where we have access to not one, but two children’s hospitals within a 90-minute drive. Over the years, we’ve never faced major issues with our kids, and for that, we feel truly blessed.

This morning, I dropped the other three kids off at school, with plans for my husband to pick them up later. Our appointment wasn’t until 1:40 PM, so I knew I wouldn’t be home in time. I decided to take advantage of the time and nap for about an hour, as I’ve been running on empty lately. It’s a reminder that I’ve been burning the candle at both ends for so long that I’ve finally run out of steam.

I chose to keep my youngest’s speech therapy and occupational therapy appointments as well, deciding to head out directly after those. The trip to the hospital was uneventful, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the parking lot construction had made enough progress to make parking easier.

The appointment went smoothly, and I’m always grateful for those visits that don’t involve any unexpected hospital stays. We’ve had our share of appointments where we ended up being admitted, so uneventful visits are a welcome change.

After the appointment, we stopped by the gift shop. My son wandered off to explore on his own and found a playdough set that caught his interest. He rarely asks for things, so I decided to get it for him. I never expected him to enjoy playdough because of his sensory issues, but today he surprised me.

The trip home was just as smooth, and I arrived to dinner already prepared in the crockpot. I’m so glad I prepped freezer meals. We had beef stew, and cleanup was a breeze—just the crockpot and the bowls we ate from. After such a long day, the quick cleanup was a huge relief.

I decided to leave all the household tasks for tomorrow. Sometimes, rest has to come first, and the house can wait.

I hope you’re all making self-care a priority. If you’re caring for others, it’s essential to take care of yourself, too. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

You can check out my other self care strategies here.