Rest and Realization
Over a week ago, I hurt myself in the probably one of the most embarrassing ways possible — I hit myself in the head with my car door in the Target parking lot. I felt like throwing up but I went about the rest of my day as usual and spent the night out with friends. It wasn’t until the next day that I truly started to feel the effects of what I had done to myself. As the bruising and protruding vein in my foreheads fade, I hope I am able to remember these lessons. It’s okay to not only take time for yourself but it’s also okay to take your time on some things. Other people also understand.
On Tuesday (three days after the accident), I finally caved and went to the notoriously horrible medical center on my college campus for an official diagnosis. My assumption was correct, I had a minor concussion. The only treatment prescribed to me by my doctor included resting and not drinking. The former would prove to be much harder than I expected.
I am, for the most part, a patient person. I can wait until my actual birthday to open presents and I have never shaken a present on Christmas morning before opening it. I love good surprises and I am willing to wait to find out. This patience also applies to many other facets of my life such as waiting for nail polish to dry and for my Amazon packages to arrive. Despite considering myself to be “a patient person”, the rest and patience required for me to heal are essentially completely new to me.
I am incredibly organized and enjoy making a daily to-do list and getting each item done. I also enjoy being ahead on tasks so that I can have more time enjoy other things I like such as reading or volunteering for my town’s ‘zine library. Because of my injury, this is not as feasible as it was just a few weeks ago. I was forced to shorten my list and accept that I was unable to get things done. I quickly forgot that people will understand if I can’t make an event or accomplish something they have asked of me because I was injured and required more rest than usual.
The rest I now need has taught me to slow down and realize that sometimes it’s okay to take a few days to get things done or that it’s okay to turn things in the day they are due instead of two days before. I have also learned to better listen to my body and accept that I need to go home and lie down between classes or in the middle of the meeting when I am dizzy and my head is pounding. Other people understand that I am not in my usual state and won’t be concussed forever.
by Hannah Nobbe
Originally published at obviweretheladies.com on October 7, 2016.
