A woman walks into Moffitt Cancer Center and leaves with

an MRI-directed, ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy scar and internal “clip”

AND her first dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.

How is she feeling?

The answer is, well, emotional.

I hesitate to share this one, folks.

'Cause I'm not looking for sympathy

on the biopsy-worthy (hopefully benign) mass

or

congrats on the vaccine (though I couldn't be more surprised and grateful I was on the receiving end of one).

Seriously, thank the good Lord.

And, really, I'm not in the mood for any Judgy McJudgers to comment on how all of this is just "so obviously attention-seeking" [insert their eye roll here].

Here's why I'm sharing my story...

Because the health of my nuclear, immediate and extended family (and, my friends, too) is about all I have thought about since March 2020 and, now, well, I'm making sure my health is a priority also, AND I WANT YOU TO DO THE SAME.

When you become a parent, it's too easy to unintentionally (and, heck, even intentionally) neglect your physical and emotional well-being because you're so laser-focused on the humans you birthed and less on the human you are, and occasionally, but not always, more focused on the one you're married to, too.

It's challenging to find time to fit in appointments between work and family life.

It's a struggle to prioritize important well-checks because why use a "sick day" (or Heaven-forbid -- a vacation day), have to hire a babysitter or miss your child's event when you're not even ill.

It just sometimes seems

time-consuming,

time-wasting,

and

entirely unproductive keeping an eye on yourself.

I mean, YOU, you're a machine.

NOTHING CAN BREAK YOU.

NOTHING CAN TAKE YOU DOWN.

That's until it does. Or doesn't. But how will you ensure you are in the absolute best possible position to tackle any less than favorable health condition that comes your way if you lack the knowledge of what's going on with you or what should or shouldn't be happening at your age.

There are a million and one reasons you could rattle off as to why you

haven't seen your primary care doctor,

had that new mole checked out,

figured out why you snore so loud,

discussed with your primary why it is you pee when you laugh,

tackled the possibilities for why you are frequently fatigued

or sought the accolades from some impressive medical guru who just might tell you

that you are the picture of good health and doing everything right.

Your reasons suck.

They aren't reasons at all.

They are excuses.

And I know that because I used to rapid-fire spew them whenever the talk of my health and staying on top of it came up.

So make that appointment and don't cancel it.

Miss work. If the kids have to skip school that day, so be it.

Enlist help if you must and forget the stank notion that asking for a hand makes you weak.

And then declare:

I love you, so I'm taking care of me.

I love me, so I'm taking care of me.

And there's not a single selfish thing about that.