I read somewhere that it’s important to get dressed, to the shoes, every day.  I think we all wish for a day to spend in our jammies watching movies and reading books, but there’s something to be said for getting dressed.

When I telecommute for work, I always get dressed. I may not get “dressed for work,” but I shower and put on clean clothes comfortable to wear around the house.  Even on a sick day, I’m going to shower and get dressed. It’s no differenet in the hospital for me.  Otherwise, I feel like it leads me to a depressing mood.

I’m here for 5 days to get a treatment. I’m not post-surgery (I have different rules for that, jammies are a must for post-surgery). I’m up in a chair and at a make-shift table doing things. Visiting with people, reading email, writing, browsing the web, whatever. But I need to be up, showered and dressed. It makes me feel less sick. Because….

I’m not sick. This is the point the nurses are very much trying to make. I am not sick. Goodness know we have endured enough tests and scans and examinations to determine that I am not sick. I do, however, have a THING, the cancer, the kumquat of ick, that is trying to do damage to me.  We took out the kumquat, now we are mounting a massive defense against any invaders hiding out.  The defense doesn’t always feel good, but I need to remember that I’m not sick.  So I get up, I shower, I get dressed, I avoid the hospital bed unless I need to nap or lie down. The window shades are open and the door to the hall is open.  I need to feel open for business.

I may not be let’s-go-shopping dressed, but I’m clean and presentable…not too sick looking. Which brings me back to the hair. What’s left of it has to go.  Going to the buzz cut was very, very good.  But even with the military look, it’s still falling out. I’m all patchy now and it adds to the I-look-sick issue I have. We have located a clipper to borrow, and I’m ready to make it go away. Not sure how the hospital would feel about us doing that in the room, but it’s happening as soon as I can.

So, today, I urge everyone, get dressed! Even if you plan a day indoors (If you’re in Boise, that might make sense given the look of the sky), get dressed and be ready for anything to happen. Because, if you’re dressed, you can take advantage of whatever ‘anything’ pops up.