Enough of my whining, I need to be more grateful

NikkiSEL round cutout.png

This morning, around 4:30am, I was having a full-own pity party for myself, which for me consisted of eating a ham and cheese sandwich in the dark so I could take my meds. Halfway through my “lunch,” I realized I was getting on my own damn nerves! 

Yes, I’ve been in intense pain for nearly three weeks, AND I AM SO OVER IT! But with everything going on in the world, I am doing okay. I’m doing better than most. I don’t have the coronavirus (or at least I don’t think I do). All of my friends seem healthy (if not slightly crazy). I have a roof over my head, food in the fridge, medication on the counter, money in the bank, and people who care enough about me to call, text, and tweet to make sure I haven’t slipped into a coma. Even Teddy, the dog who can never have too much pampering, has figured out how to take care of himself AND will let me share his pillow when mine falls on the floor.

So while I can’t do all the things I’m used to doing the past few weeks (or do them as fast as I used to do them), I am very thankful.

I’m grateful and miss my physical therapy team, who spent two years working with me so I could sit, stand and walk with not nearly as much pain. I’m thankful for my doctors, who used every therapy and treatment in their toolkit to help me feel better.

I am grateful for my clients and partners who told me kindly and firmly to “sit your ass down and stop trying to do everything.” Anyone who has ever worked with me knows how I HATE not performing at my best. It makes me feel guilty and like I’m dropping the ball, so I appreciate the fact that people realize that when I finally say I have to take a time out that I really do need a time out. Ain’t nobody trying to drag my bloated blogger behind out of this apartment, not after indulging in all of these quarantine snacks! 😂

I’m thankful for the kind souls in my Zoom meetings who are ignoring the frozen bag of edamame that’s peeking out the back of my shirt. I know you see it, you know I know you see it and I appreciate that you aren’t asking too many questions about it or why I’m wearing a sweatshirt with dogs doing yoga during a business call and a turban because I can’t raise my right arm to comb my hair. I think we both realize I am trying my best under the circumstances. God bless you for that.

I’m super thankful for the Physician’s Assistant (my darling CH) who checks in on me via video chat every few days and gets those prescriptions in asap when she can tell I’m white-knuckling it to within an inch of my sarcastic life. Between her, Grubb’s Southeast, and Anacostia Organics, these small business owners are pretty much the center of my entire universe. I am so very thankful for them. When I think I can’t take it anymore, they pop-up and do something above and beyond the call of duty, like depositing my medications in a homemade balcony basket.

And last but not least, I want to thank Mayor Muriel Bowser and her entire team. With everything she has going on, I’m not sure she remembers me from a can of paint but I appreciate all she is doing and sacrificing right now so DC residents can be safe. I don’t feel like on top of everything else; DC isn’t going to make it. Not only do I know the District is going to make it, I know we are going to come back better than before because not only is Ms. Bowser on the job, but she is NOT 👏🏾 taking 👏🏾 any 👏🏾 mess! Mayor Bowser is the mom we all need right now, telling us to stay in the house, stop acting the fool and keep washing our hands, AND she does it with her hair laid AT ALL TIMES! My Mayor is a competent, confident, black woman, so as it takes one to know one, I know we are going to be alright!

So let’s be thankful, let’s be appreciative, and for goodness sakes, let’s get Teddy Riley an iPhone! Jeez!