Taking Care of Yourself in a Family Crisis

Last week, I left work unexpectedly to visit my dad in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the hospital.  My father was hospitalized after a fall on Sunday, May 30th.  On Wednesday, he took a turn for the worse and ended up in the ICU.  I grabbed a few clothes and left right away.  It was a long, four hour drive to the hospital.  Once we finally arrived, I didn't want to leave Dad's side.  After many hours, I was hungry and the cafeteria was closed, so I went to the vending machine.  I opted for a bag of peanuts.  I love organic, raw nuts.  Actually, raw organic almonds are my favorite.  Over the weekend, I ate multiple snacks from the vending machine.  I also helped myself to cookies and bars that were sent over from caring friends.  By the time I was heading back to Fargo, I didn't feel so good.  I was amazed that after five days of mediocre nutrition, I truly felt bloated and lethargic.

Over the past seven months, I've lost 45 pounds.  Now, I'm going to fight to maintain weight loss. I'll be visiting my dad in the ICU over the weekend, but I'll pack some organic pumpkin seeds and organic apricots. I'm also adding yoga to my weekly fitness routine.  Hopefully, I'll be even healthier when my dad gets out of the ICU.