Emergen-C for Our Marriage

If we're being honest, it is not a new fact that life includes doing things we don't want to do 'for your own good' as we were probably all told at some point or another.

Adults often tell children 'for your own good' as a way to explain or give purpose and reason without great detail. Obviously learning is a process, and we can't explain everything to children all at once. I don't even know an adult who can understand everything at once! When children are told to eat their vegetables, a not uncommon question is 'why?' and of course the answer is usually 'for your own good'. Now some vary their response with creativity. I can remember an aunt who had be convinced carrots would make my eyes gorgeous! All I had to do was eat lots of them! I can remember my mom telling my brother he had to eat more so he could be 'strong'.

When a 'why' question comes along again and again even after a couple of 'for your own good' responses and maybe even creative answers like 'so you can jump high on the trampoline', adults usually succumb to a collection of words used even more than 'for your own good'. Yes, you guessed it: 'Because I told you so'. Now, as a child this was definitely not a favorite response to hear. I especially never liked this response to my questions because I usually had to work up a lot of nerve to question an adult. After taking that courageous step, I wanted answers. I enjoy reason. I desire strong, purposeful plans and results. 'Because I told you so' sounds like a 'cop-out'. There just isn't enough substance. I didn't like it as a child, and I'm learning I really don't like it as an adult.

I've had some health battles recently... not the 'life-threatening' kind. None of my health battles yet have been life or death situations, and I pray for you if you or a loved one is fighting such a battle. I actually do not like the term 'life-threatening' as it is often used in our society to define life or death situations. If something disrupts our life, is it not indeed life-threatening? I mean a doctor or nurse may not tell you directly that eating doughnuts every morning for breakfast with sugared coffee followed by a basket of your favorite fried foods and sodas with lunch and finished by a dinner that may be semi-healthy foods but is at least three portion sizes too large is going to kill you, but... well, folks, I hate to be the one to tell you: It is definitely life threatening. No you may not die on the spot. Yes, it may take years to see the side effects, and although those choices may not have an immediate impact believe me, the impact is there.

Even those unhealthy choices that don't literally kill us, they disrupt our lives. There are all kinds of situations that threaten our life as we know it. Going forward in sensitivity I will share these challenges as 'life-disruptive'.

My life-disruptive issues involve poly-cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), anemia, chronic fatigue, and insomnia. These challenges are not life-threatening, but they do threaten life as I know it. Actually, I've been in the battle long enough to say my life has truly been disrupted. I'm sick at least once a month. Let me define this particular 'sick' as a bad headache or a migraine, nausea, loss of appetite, loss of voice, usually a slight cough and throat irritation, and always, always accompanied with extreme fatigue. This almost always happens just before menstruation (sorry if that's TMI)... so to me it is obviously related to my female plumbing. 

So, back to the doing things we don't want to do... Today involved taking an Emergen-C packet (as I have every day this week) because my husband is convinced it will help me feel better as well as eating an apple for lunch even though I wanted to hurl even more after every bite... (Sidenote: I take a pro-biotic daily and drink lots of water - EVERY day! I usually take a multi-vitamin as well and sometimes an extra iron or calcium supplement - but never all that at once especially during the weeks where I can barely eat a thing because hello?!?!! upset stomach! Too much drugs!!)

So as I sit here drinking my magic potion (Emergen-C strawberry kiwi) for the fourth time this week... I laugh... although I really want to cry... With every tip of the glass I remind myself this is what my husband asked me to do... and with every swallow I think 'why?!'... in my head I hear a collection of voices say 'for your own good' and I truly do wish it was for my own good. After months of this process, I know it doesn't help me health wise. It is not for my own good.... but it does pacify my husband.

It may not be for my own good, but it is for our own good as a couple...

(...or that's what I tell myself as I take the last gulp....it's the worse ya'll SO GRAINY!! BBLLLUUUCCCCKKKK!!!!)

Well, the deed is done... until tomorrow.

EmergenC - I do it for our marriage...

because sometimes it really isn't about 'your own good' but about demonstrating obedience as a form of love... 

P.S. I still wish this 'Magic Potion' worked...