A Grandparents Health...You Owe It To Everyone

So, you are getting custody of your grandchildren, one thing I must ask, NO, YOU must ask yourself, is how is your health? Are you healthy enough to raise them until they are grown? I do not just mean physically healthy, I mean mentally and financially healthy. These all work together.

Today, I want to concentrate on your physical/mental health and hopefully shed some light on why both need to be paid attention to and one works in correlation with the other.

I have always been mentally fit and occasionally I would have a bout of short-term depression, but nothing to worry about. Then, an avalanche of problems decided to rain down on our family and we were hit with one thing after another. During this time, I had lots of 'knee-time,' and praying constantly, rebuking the devil, but it kept coming.

Soon, I found myself in a counselors office where I could off load some of my burdens and being to refocus back on myself. I was placed on FMLA, ordered to take a nap everyday, do not watch the news and focus on healing your brain.

In no time at all, I was mentally clear and ready to return to work.

If you are struggling with mental problems, depression, etc. please, before you take on your grandchildren, seek help, it will take a few weeks or months, but it will be for the betterment of everyone involved.

What about your physical health? Are you healthy? Do you eat healthy? Do you take regular 'me time,' for yourself? I was! When we lived in Arizona, I belonged to the gym, exercised regularly, ate better, got my nails done, an occasional pedicure, my hair done and a monthly massage, regular check-up with the dentist and mammograms. I took good care of my health and my family.

Now? After having my first surgery, it dawned on me...I am not just over weight, I can't blame breaking my leg and having a cane for almost 2 years, I have quit taking care of me due to financial constraints and the area I live & I am now OBESE!

Call it what you want...fluffy, big and beautiful, Rubenesque, etc. The real fact here is I am grossly overweight and I have no one to blame but myself. Where I once weighed 150 pounds only 4 years ago, I now weigh 235 pounds and that is not only obese, it puts me in a high risk category for heart attack and other problems.

I was embarrassed in the hospital that I was so heavy, I didn't want a sponge bath because I didn't want anyone to see my legs and stomach & when they tried moving me from one bed to another and kind of bounced me...deep down I know it was because I am so heavy.

I need to take care of myself, I need to lose weight and somehow I need to realize that no matter how bad or how good things are, I need to allow time for myself. I want to join the local YMCA for the pool and Yoga, however, while my husband can afford over $300 per month for his cigarette habit, I can never seem to budget $60 a month to go to the Y.

Instead of eating healthy baked and grilled foods (chicken, fish, etc.), we eat fried foods because that is what my husband wants. I am also a sweet freak (cookies, candy, ice cream, sodas, etc.)and while I try eating healthy, it seems all I need to take is one bite of a cookie and I can't stop.
I am an overeater!

My being heavy is probably the huge reason my back hurt so much, all this extra weight and my stitches coming apart? That I am sure can be blamed for being over weight.

As a grandparent, I need to ensure I break this cycle and start to lose weight. I have decided to try a Weight Watchers meeting and a T.O.P.S. meeting and join so I can begin to change my attitude about food. If I am over weight, it isn't healthy for any of us.

Currently I eat and pick at food all night. Starting today, I want to stop eating after 7:00PM when possible. I want to increase my water intake. I want to walk further each week than I did the week prior. I can't exercise at this time due to my fusion, but I am sure I will go through physical therapy before this is over.

I also plan to do something for me...a pedicure. Since surgery, I have not been able to trim or paint my toenails and while my husband is so wonderful at helping me bathe, changing my dressings, he has to draw a line in the sand somewhere. When I recieve my last paycheck, I am getting a pedicure.

I am going to fight the cravings for sweets and substitute as many whole grains, fruits and veggies as I can and I am going to STOP making excuses for my heaviness. I must take control of myself now or I may not be around for my grandchildren.

I have 2 teeth that need caps, I can't afford the $700+ to repair each one, but I can work at saving the money and then getting my teeth done.

How can we as custodial grandparents take care of our grandchildren if we aren't taking care of ourselves? Why do we settle for the bottom of the heap when it comes to taking care of ourselves?

It is sad to think we will spend money on our grandchildrens extra-curricular activities and yet, we won't get a filling, we will forego our yearly physical, our 6 month dental cleanings, our mammograms, colonoscopies, dinners out with a friend, vacations, etc.

We need to take care of out bodies because we owe it not only to our families, but to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who lives within each of us through the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19 states: 'Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.'

The message we send to others when we don't take care of ourselves, is one that states we are not important, we do not matter, we do not care!

I challenge all grandparents raising their grandchildren to take today and make one resolution to get yourself back on track to better health, because YOU are Worthy and YOU DO DESERVE IT.' If you don't think you can make a commitment and stick with it, find someone that will hold you accountable for your actions.

Today, I commit to eat nothing after 7:00 each evening!

May God Bless all grandparents raising their grandchildren, you are the solid rock these children depend on.