This is me . . .

. . . all propped up in bed, having had my first full night's sleep in days and feeling well on the way to recovery! Without getting too far ahead of myself, I'm happy to report that many of my symptoms have subsided and my energy levels are on the up, so I'm feeling excited to be on the road to normality and good health.

Just wanted to share a few things that have helped my husband and I through this time.

> Staying level headed. It's VERY easy to panic in the midst of uncertainty, let alone a global pandemic. To watch my husband so suddenly become ill with a potentially life-threatening virus, fearing for the health of my children, worrying about others we've come into contact with, is overwhelmingly scary and A LOT to process. To then begin having symptoms myself was unbelievable. I had gone from making flippant, light-hearted comments in jest, to genuinely sobbing in the middle of the night. It has taken courage, deep breaths and mentally shutting down, to manage a level of calm.

> Clocking out of negativity. Fortunately I'm getting pretty good at learning to practice the art of distancing myself from things (and people) that cause me distress or feelings of negativity. In every hardship, it becomes clear who and what is most important. The people in our life, the things we value, the habits we adopt, the lifestyle we choose - evaluation of these can be forced on us during difficult times. Choosing to focus on the positives that far outweigh the negatives is key.

> Vitamin C. Freshly squeezed lemon, a dollop of honey and hot water. This wee combo is our go-to bevy when we're under the weather. I can't taste or smell it at the moment, but the sweetness, the heat and the tang is such a fabulous natural remedy for sore throats, mucus, low immunity, dehydration and general internal goodness. I've been knocking back a few a day.

> Accepting help. It's difficult for most women, I think, to actually be comfortable with accepting assistance with things to do with your health and family. Perhaps it's part of our makeup that we want to be capable and in control of doing everything all by ourselves. But now more than ever, I have had to fall back and acknowledge and accept that help is available and needed.

My thanks to our gorgeous friends, family members and wonderful neighbours, for the constant phone calls and messages to just check in, for delivering groceries, sending care packages, dropping off treats and gifts. We are surrounded by love and we couldn't feel more supported. 💕