Self-care is more than bubble baths and candles

In September, I had a health crisis.  I hadn’t been taking care of myself and it caught up to me.  I ended up needing to spend four days in the hospital.  I knew something was wrong with me.  I hadn’t felt like myself in months, but I kept ignoring it and hoping it would eventually go away on its own.  I didn’t have time to be sick, as I was taking care of my mother, who was also ill.  The sickness didn’t care.  I got to the point in late August where I couldn’t even eat.  Anytime I would eat or even drink, I would vomit.  I saw a doctor via telemedicine, but their diagnosis was probably wrong, and the medicine didn’t help.   The limitations of telemedicine were exposed.

I hadn’t been to the doctor in a while (even when a person could easily walk into a doctor’s office).  I also completely forgot to see a specialist that was recommended the last time I saw a doctor.  I’m not good at taking vitamins or supplements.  All of that neglect (plus, I’m sure that the stress I was under was not helping) piled up very dramatically leading to a call to 911, an ambulance ride and the aforementioned hospital stay.  This was likely preventable if I had just taken care of myself.  A candle and a bath might soothe my nerves, but I still have to take care of my physical health.

So, here’s some tips on what I learned.

1. Don’t neglect going to the doctor.  If you’re healthy, maintain that with check-ups.  If you have chronic health issues, be sure to schedule appointments as frequently as recommended.
2. Take notes during doctor’s appointments, so that you will not forget any important information.
3. Remember to take all pills, vitamins and supplements that are needed, even if you have to set an alarm on your phone or tablet to remind you.
4. If you’re feeling sick and not getting better, please see a health professional as soon as possible.

I really want to prevent everyone from going through what I went through, which was awful.  Self-care is more than what you would see in a pretty Instagram post.  It is taking care of both mental and physical health.

Question: Do you practice self-care and what do you think the definition of self-care is?