Rest

Final Fortnight, Day 11

Today my function was clouded by migraine, probably triggered by gluten and sugar. Had a hankering for my secret recipe chocolate chip cookies with hazelnuts, so I jumped off the GF wagon for a bit, and I’m paying for it. I’ve been taking care of myself and making lists, so I can spend the weekend getting ready.

I’m prepping for laying low next week. Hunkering down. Staying in the house and staying safe. Oregon is one of the states in which “militia” (armed bands of white supremacists) has threatened election-related violence, so I’ll be hanging at home this week, watching what happens.

When I was in labor with my daughter, I started contractions at midnight, called my sister so she could start her 6 hour drive to be at my side when my daughter was born, and then slept on and off on the couch. A contraction would hit, I’d wake up, breathe through it, then doze off. My daughter was born around 9 a.m. with very little laborious fanfare.

After we started getting news of her possible diagnosis and the need for her to be airlifted to a specialized NICU, I was grateful that I’d been able to get so much rest while she was in the process of arriving. My son’s delivery four years earlier had been harder, with lots of walking and ice chips and waiting between dilation stages. But this time, I’d been granted the opportunity for sleep, and once we started down the “Congratulations! You have a child with a disability!” path, I needed all the rest I could get, and then some.

This election, we have the chance to prepare for a challenging post-labor period. We can rest, make arrangements, take care of ourselves and make sure our loved ones are cared for. We have the gift of foresight borne from hindsight, so we’d be wise to use it. Pack some calming treats near your couch, binge the Mandalorian, limit your phone banking shifts, and sleep as much as possible.

The time after the election is bound to be challenging, but we have no idea how quite yet. We’re going to have work to do, action to take, people to protect. Take care of yourself. Nap. Drink a lot of water. Breathe. There’s a contraction coming.