The Gathering Basket: November Edition

In recovery mode

For Your Soul

Brain Dump after being sick

Everyone needs clean sheets. It's been over a month of fever and sweat, and cold weather is on its way; it snowed, so maybe it's flannel. Definitely extra blankets, and the snow gear needs to be fitted; I think everyone has boots, but do we have enough pairs of gloves? I already mailed in my ballot, but I still need to pay attention to the election. Man, I cannot wait for it to be over. Chocolate cake for Lucy’s birthday. Did I order her present? Right, it’s under my bed, and that pile of books needs to be returned to the library. Next week are parent-teacher conferences, with three middle school teachers per two students. I finished the fifth-grade teachers. Should I stop by the band room? There are doctor appointments coming up, and I need to make sure there is ice melt for when it gets frigid. Oh and the pumpkins need to be brought inside, the bikes put away, the shovels ready. And somebody needs a lightbulb.
~Caitlin Mallery

I had pneumonia this last month, so I am playing catch-up with life. I hope everyone has had a good start to November.

For Your Eyes

Reading and watching TV are different when I'm sick. I like quiet and dark, which are hard to come by when you have four children. And then fever dreams create strange images that flit across your eyelids. It reminds me of contemporary art, which often baffles me with its colors, dispositions, and other features.

Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

For Your Ears

Spotify sometimes reminds me of songs that I like, and they come along when I need them.

For Your Taste Buds

This is the season of comfort foods. Now, eating as a coping mechanism is not healthy, but providing a balanced diet of comfort food and other necessary healthy foods. I personally have never dealt with an eating disorder, but I hope that those who do can find a healthy balance in the stressful season of elections and holidays ahead.

For Your Nose

Photo by Ioann-Mark Kuznietsov on Unsplash

The use of scents in healing is known as aromatherapy, and it has been around for centuries, although distillation into essential oils seems like a recent product of MLMs (multi-level marketing). The hospital where I work offers various essential oil diffusers to mask disinfectants, body odors, and other hospital smells.

During my month of illness, I used the menthol-scented Vicks vapor rub and filled my baths with lavender-scented Epsom salts. The pungent aromas of lemon-ginger tea and chicken stock are almost placebo-like, given their propensity to be used during seasons of illness. Do you have scents that you particularly associate with being ill?

For Your Body

As my children are not likely to stop bringing home germs, I know that frontloading my immune system will be important for a while. I stock my cupboard with vitamin C drink mixes, vitamin D, and probiotics in case I end up needing another round of antibiotics. And, of course, Mucinex, Robitussin, Tylenol, etc, day and night options, adult and child dosages. Plus, cough drops, eye drops, tissues, and an assortment of teas. What a wonder it is to have these things available for the inevitable occurrence of illness.