Like you, the pandemic has taught me many lessons. The primary one -- it’s time to stop being so hard on myself and instead start focusing on my overall health and wellness.
Prior to the pandemic, like many women, I spent the better part of my adult life worrying about my body image.
Is society to blame? A little.
Am I to blame? You bet.
I worried about the lack of curves in some places on my body — and too many curves in others. I stressed about dimples on my thighs and veins on my legs. I would fret about my tummy not being flat enough, but my chest being too flat. I was anxious about maintaining society’s version of an “ideal weight.”
Was I focused on overall health and wellness? No.
Mind you. Never was I unhealthy. I was just programmed to compare myself to others. To judge myself. I focused too much on appearances and cultural expectations. I equated overextending myself with proving my worth. Placing my own health and wellness last.
Unfortunately, placing yourself last is quite common for women. According to a CDC study shared by The 19th News:
- “Breast and cervical cancer screening tests declined by 87% and 84%, respectively, in April 2020 compared with the previous five-year averages.
- Breast cancer screenings were down 84% for Latinas, and 98% for Native American women.
- Cervical cancer screenings dropped 82% for Black women, and 92% for Asian American and Pacific Islander women.
- Last August, The 19th reported that women’s wellness visits — where mammograms often happen — had fallen by as much as 86% during initial COVID-19 lockdowns.”
Many women were unable to obtain their screenings due to a lack of access or because they were too busy taking care of other family members, lacked childcare or elder care assistance. I am one of the lucky ones and was able to keep my annual medical appointments.
In May 2021, I was scheduled for a routine mammogram and ultrasound. I went feeling the best I had in years because the pandemic had afforded me the time to focus on my well-being, and I was slowly changing my mindset about myself. So, this new-found outlook made the subsequent call to come back for a needle biopsy an even greater shock. I could not believe what I was hearing. In that moment, all the worries I had held onto for decades about my figure and my appearance came rushing back to me. I had wasted a chunk of my adult life wishing my body were different and now all I cared about was staying healthy. I wanted my body to be exactly as it was. What a gift that realization was!
A second call came, and I was told the irregularity would require a surgical biopsy. The good news is the lump turned out to be benign.
I write this very personal blog to say this to you, my fellow NYSUT women:
- Get screened yearly.
- Do not miss routine appointments.
- Stop judging yourself and your body.
- Focus on physical and mental well-being and reclaiming balance in your life.
Summer is the perfect time for educators to schedule appointments and prioritize physical and mental health and well-being.
Learn from my mistakes and embrace your body now, do not wait for a scare to snap you into it. Take charge of your health.
Remember, you survived a pandemic, and you are strong! However, if you still need a nudge to prioritize yourself, look no further than your fellow NYSUT women who are here to remind you.
In sisterhood, solidarity, and strength,
Jolene
