Hydration

A few decades ago, I learned about SUMC. It wasn’t because of a happy thing that I walked into the doors, for the first time. I was attending a funeral.

The love being shared struck me, and I wanted to return. I learned a bit, then a bit more, and I became a member.

One of those little things I learned stuck in a little fuzzy spot, after I thought, “not me”. It was pretty basic: John Wesley drank water, a significant amount of water, as a part of the start to his day.

I had animals to feed, children to keep an eye on, etc. My intention to follow his example faded.

Then, a few years ago, I started getting a tingly feeling in my left foot as I got out of bed in the morning. I told my doctor during a routine checkup. She didn’t seem too concerned, just said we’d keep an eye on it, and may have given me a plan of action; I don’t recall.

Six months later, I had another routine visit and mentioned tingly stuff to the nurse practitioner, who made a note. Life happened, and six months later I reported the continuance to the doctor.

I remember she got a look on her face which I hadn’t seen before. She stressed that she wasn’t very concerned, but thought a check with another doctor might be a good idea.

The doctor was a specialist, which didn’t faze me much, until I walked through the door, reading the word oncology as I did. I had a flash of panic, and then focused on the word hematology that I had been told about.

Turned out, I needed to drink more water. Just like I’d already been told, in a few ways!

Since then, I have grumbled and also accepted the reality that drinking water does stop my foot from getting tingly while I sleep. And, another thing that happened caused me to wonder… for the first time in three repeated quicker-than-usual colonoscopies, I didn’t need to have polyps removed.

I’m not going to pretend to enjoy frequent bathroom breaks. I am quite sure that while I’d be more content not to be awakened by the (bathroom) light, I AM better off that way, because of that very basic need for water.

I am hopeful that I will put that experience into more parts of my life. And, I hope my being slow at putting knowledge into effort is putting a little light on basic needs we all share.

-Cindi Bockweg