Self Care During Covid-19

On March 17^th 2021, coincidentally my 41^st birthday, we will have officially survived one year of adapting our lives to a pandemic World. For the most part, Miamians have remained steadfast in this fight. At least I can say this with personal assurance, since I am still living under strict “isolation” conditions. Why? Simply put, in South Florida the vulnerable population is still patiently waiting their turn for a vaccine. Although this last Friday some vaccination centers such as Broward Health and Publix have started vaccinating those in the vulnerable population, some are still behind. You can find out more about these locations in this article

That said, it feels as though an entire year has gone by with myself and immediate family frozen in time. I’d imagine it’s a feeling many in the vulnerable population are experiencing. Seldomly do we get out but when we do we ALWAYS marvel in how comfortable people are interacting as if the pandemic no longer existed. I joke about it now, but my family and I look like a game of Tetris trying to slide between people without needless exposure and debate whether or not a second mask really is necessary.

The only way we have been able to survive is to find joy in the small things and to focus on self-care. I wish I could share with you tips on staying fit or the like, but for me self-care during Covid-19 pandemic life means I will adapt to doing everything on my own. That’s a tall order considering I suffer from chronic fatigue. In fact, one of the ways I was able to advance the business aspects of Choice MD was to allow myself to take Fridays off. To accomplish this, I had to increase my overall workload both days and nights, as I also assisted my little one with virtual school and needed to accomplish daily tasks around the house.

Self-care during Covid-19 started to look a lot like implementing practices that would make my life easier. I could sit here and tell you to eat healthy because it really is important and I try to follow that advice whenever possible. The truth is, chronic fatigue makes every decision for me and when I have energy I usually opt to prepare healthy meals. Remember to always make enough for leftovers. On days you can’t invest energy in cooking, chose a grocery store with a frozen food section you love. Mine happens to be Trader Joe’s and I am ecstatic to hear that one will be opening up in Coral Gables soon. I love Trader Joe’s and they’re frozen food selection is amazing.

Do you see what I am getting at? Self-care looks different for the disabled population, but then again pretty much every other aspect of our lives differs, so why not revel in our uniqueness?

Lastly and possibly the most important tip for self care during Covid-19 is to find ways to adapt so that you can still participate. I’ve too often felt the emptiness of not being able to participate in games with friends, since sitting on the sidelines and cheering can only take you so far. Find activities you can do with friends and family and when conditions permit, don’t feel bad about it being your turn to enjoy. Case in point, I have a hard time outdoors in weather above ~78 degrees, so I watch the weather like a hawk waiting for my opportunity to go outdoors and get some vitamin D. So, a few weekends ago when the weather in Miami dipped into the low 70s, we went to Shark Valley to bike and enjoy the natural surroundings. The experience filled my heart, well at least for a time. In fact, we had such a great time that we went back on Sunday too.

In short, take advantage of every opportunity you have to be happy - even if it means implementing some time for self care - because you’re worth it!