The Lament of Women Who Just Need to Be Held
There are too many of us — partnered and single — who are running on empty
I feel like I just had Covid for a second time. I know I didn’t have it — I’ve spent the last 20 days hunkered down at my mother’s home, where she, my brother and I didn’t go anywhere or see anyone during our pandemic winter hideaway.
Yet when I pulled into my garage, I felt almost as ill as I had been with Covid. The headache that had been blooming during the course of that morning became unbearable. When I got out of the car, I could barely walk into the house because every step inspired a wave of nausea that had my knees buckling. And I was suddenly so tired, I didn’t think I’d make it to my bed fast enough.
Somehow, I made it to bed, where I remained for the next 18 hours.
That was the furthest thing from my plans that day.
I was supposed to do the laundry, unpack my bags, make dinner, do the dishes, write six pieces of copy for my client, write a new piece for my own work, go to the grocery store, do 20 minutes of yoga, and tidy up.
As I laid there in bed, not able to accomplish any of that, or even get up the energy to rummage through the fridge for a ginger ale that might make me feel better, I felt my shoulders…
