I’ve had a sinus infection for about 5 months now. It started in November as mild congestion in the mornings and evenings. I saw my doctor about it in December, and she diagnosed it as a sinus infection, but it was mild enough at that point that we chose to treat it naturally, with nasal spray and steaming techniques. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough, and at the end of February I had an awful week when I was exhausted with a clogged nose, drippy throat and painful stomachache. My doctor put me on a course of antibiotics (milder ones, as I’m still nursing) and that helped for awhile. A few weeks later, though, it was all back. I went on a second course of different antibiotics. That helped too, for awhile. But last week, a few days after I finished the pills, I started getting congested and tired again. A lot more tired, in fact. It’s been a tough week, as I’ve been fatigued, and Edwin has a cold. It’s a lot harder to keep a sick kid happy and distracted when you’re not healthy and too exhausted to do anything fun. Today I’m going to see an ENT to see if something else can be done.

In the meantime, I’ve found it very difficult to keep up with my healthy habits, especially my “moderator” habits. In general, I’m a disciplined person, and after instilling and committing to a healthy habit, I don’t have too much trouble maintaining it. But when I’m sick, everything goes out the window. All I want are sweets and carbs. I can’t override these cravings with self-control, because I’m too tired to exert it, and I’m not even able to distract myself from them, as I don’t have the energy for more involved hobbies and end up relying on TV and magazines. I know I need to eat healthy and rest, because that will help me get better faster. But physical sickness makes me mentally weak, and I can’t stick to those habits.

I also know that I’m not helping myself by trying to stick to other habits while I’m sick. I still try to meet my writing goals, even though I should use any available time to take naps. I still try to meet my exercise goals (though I maintain that’s not a bad thing, since I switch from Step class and weights to walking and yoga, and I think fresh air is good for me). I still try to stick to my cleaning schedule, even though I find vacuuming exhausting, and it wouldn’t kill us to live with a little extra clutter for a few more days. What I should do is let go of those other habits, and focus on resting and eating well. But I love my writing and exercise habits. I don’t love napping or going to bed early, and when I’m sick I don’t love eating well. So I feel like I’m constantly doing battle with myself.

Usually, when I write a “question”-style post, I have an answer for you. But today, I don’t. Do you have an answer for me? What do you do when you’re sick?