Hang in there - I know it can't be easy to be in this situation, but I think it's very important to just take a few days or weeks to heal. Never mind what the 'norm' is for everyone else in terms of healing (or the so-called average), because those ideas are for people who can take the anti-inflammatories, and for right now, you can't take them - so naturally, your healing process is going to take a wee bit longer. Don't push yourself! I know you just want to get up and get on with things, and get it all "over with", but it's extremely important to just take some time out to heal and rest.
It's not necessary to keep pushing yourself and keep trying to rush through this.
I don't know if it helps at all, but sometimes I've felt like it wasn't "ok" to feel my own feelings or cry, because I was terrified that it wouldn't stop, that I'd cry and cry and cry - that I'd somehow be enveloped or swamped by the depths of my feelings. I can't help but wonder if there's a similar kind of feeling going on there for you too? Not about crying or feeling emotions, necessarily - but is it possible that being a health care professional, that you are not all that comfortable with being 'under the weather' for even just a short while?
I just wanted to say that if you allow it (whatever pain you're experiencing) to happen - things will change and improve a lot faster than if you try to push past things and pretend it's not happening. Pain changes and pain ends. Much better to take to your bed for a few days than try to push on through it all. It's ok to be 'under the weather' for a few days, ask for some TLC, and ask people to get you a cup of tea and the paper, while you rest up. I promise, you will heal a whole lot faster this way than if you try to rush yourself back to normal before you've had a chance to acknowledge and heal what's "going on", so to speak.
Give yourself some space, some TLC - and remember, it is truly ok (and safe) to feel what you're feeling. In fact, by doing this, I truly believe you will speed up the healing process.
I am so glad that you took the day 'off' and that you had a good GP (doctor) to sort of hold your hand and explain that it's normal for you to take a bit longer to heal due to not being able to take anti-inflammatories.
Do you feel better, having taken that day off? Take another few of those, please! Nuture yourself, and take good care of yourself. There's no rush. It will be ok - just because you take some time to heal does not mean you're going to end up feeling ill for a long time or anything. Healing isn't about denying what's going on, and it isn't trying to push yourself to hurry up and get better before you've even had a chance to acknowledge (emotionally and physically) what's happening. It's a good idea to turn a little bit inward, and extend some of that fabulous,caring spirit of yours toward yourself. By doing this, you'll truly heal and you'll also speed up the process, instead of getting in the way of it.
Sending over tea, some homemade chicken soup (with turmeric in it, a natural anti-inflammatory), a pile of slightly dated (being as it's 10pm here now) Sunday papers to read while you loll around in your room. Sleep in tomorrow morning, and someone here at YLF will bring you a breakfast tray. Take Monday (and Tuesday and Wednesday) off too please! If you do that, then you'll be in better shape for Thursday - 4th of July, which could be kind of fun.
What do you think? Take Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday OFF. By YLF order. If you feel like puttering around and enjoying some festivities on Thursday, then that's great. Take Friday off too, plus the weekend as well. I bet this will have you feeling a thousand percent better by next Monday (no, not tomorrow, but next Monday).
Take care, and feel better soon.
