When Your Body is Telling You Something, You Might Have to Listen

So many things have been going on in my life outside of the internet.  I try to make time and balance work and real-life but sometimes I'm just too stubborn to put things on hold.

As you know, my husband was recently hit by a car.  He's ok, but I tried to balance time in catching up with blogging and taking care of him and the kids.  Trying to be a superwoman is just stupid.  In doing all of that I neglected the pain that I was in because I didn't think it was that important.  Come to find out, I was wrong.

On Friday I was taken to the ER because I had a painful lump in my breast.  Yes its my own fault for letting it get that far, but I think I was just afraid of what the results might be.  It ended up being an infection which was non-cancerous, but because the infection had spread throughout my left breast I required surgery to have it removed.  The surgery went well and I returned home yesterday.  I will try and get some needed rest, but I wanted to share this with you for many reasons.

I'm noticing that blogging has become so competitive that WE will do anything, even put our own selves on hold just to try and outblog or outwrite someone else.  That has never been my method.  Although with the abundance of new bloggers coming to the plate it does seem hard to keep up.   

Thanks for all the text messages and emails that were sent while I was in the hospital.  Lol, Alan congrats on your N95 8GB!  And Debi.... thanks for all the joyful phone calls!

While blogging is a full-time thing for me, I now know that no story, post, or new device is more important that my health.  Hope all others take note.

Darla

Comments

[p@sco]

I really hope you are ok now Darla! As you wrote, nothing is more important than a Life. I'm sure you're going to come back soon as our Mobile Diva, just like some weeks ago...
A little kiss from Italy... ;)

[Patrick McGauley]

Darla, I wish you and your family well and want you to know me and my friends have great admiration for you.

[Whatleydude]

Darla,

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Don't worry about the competition. Let them worry about you.
;)

Also - Glad to hear you're on the mend. I missed your Jaikus while I was in SF last week and was shocked to read all about it on my return.

Big love,

[Avinash Rathod]

Get well soon Darla.

[Carl Fares]

i can't agree more with ya on the health and the blogging subject !
Wishing ya a speedy recovery and come back to blog more

[Tommi Vilkamo]

Oh... Sad to hear, didn't know about this until now. I wish you and your family well. As you said, it's not worth sacrifying yourself and your life for "keeping up" and "outblogging" others.

[C. Enrique Ortiz]

Darla, I just learned about this... We are here to support you... Debi has set up a Facebook group... again, we are here to support you. Hope all get well quick!

ceo

[IliasK]

Thank God you are ok! I have to admit that I got worried since you haven^t updated your blog for a week now. I wish for the best full recovery!
Get the proper rest and come back when you will feel strong enough!

We want our Mobile Diva to be healthy first!

Your Greek Fan,
Ilias

[Stefan Constantinescu]

Get better! Don't worry about the internet, there are more important things in life, it will always be here when you come back to it.

[Baby Girl]

I'm glad to hear that you're okay. Get some rest and take care of the family.

I'm sure everyone will agree that we like to read quality, not content. You are the Nokia queen - all hail Darla!

[carlo]

Sorry to hear this, but glad to see you're responding with your usual joie de vivre!

[Ordxpres - Maciek]

Darla,

It's almost transparent when you care for someone and start neglecting your own health. You don't even realize it. I'm still in Poland caring for my mom. For two weeks I was getting up 5-6 times a night helping my mom turn, drink, move a pillow and in the morning when the nurse was coming to help she started telling me that I have to look out for myself too. I did not even realize but my head was spinning from time to time. As my mom is on morphine now (cancer is spreading) I just want to care for her more than I do for myself but as my friend said this to me many times (we're both in the airlines industry)... Put on your oxygen mask before you help those next to you. It does no good to the ones that need help from us if we are not capable of providing that help. So honey, put on your mask first as I have put mine on so we can be strong for others. YOU will get a HUGE kiss from me next time I'll see you to thank God that you are OK.

Maciek

[Chris]

Sorry to hear that times are tough Darla, get well soon!

[Dee]

Hi Darla,

Hope your getting some much needed rest. Like others have mentioned, don't worry others for now. You have a lot of very loyal readers and friends that will follow you no matter what changes take place. I visit other blog as well and thats because all of you have different views about each topic.

Hopefully you and your family can recover without any further delays.

[Cj]

Zomg you never told me ! Hope you're feeling better now Darla :) I dunno if it means anything ,but in my books you're always gonna be no1 Mobile Diva :)

[Jaro]

Take good care of yourself and your family at the first place, Darla. You have lots of loyal readers who will stick with you even if you don't update that often.

[Talal]

Allah Bless u dear wid a;; prayers n best wishes

[Talal]

Allah Bless u dear wid all prayers n best wishes

[Imran Ali]

Hey Darla - I hope you're both feeling better, emotionally and physically after your op. I'll drop in a prayer for you :)

[aiglesias]

I read in your blog you have been wrong, I hope you better soon, health comes first if you can help with something to send.
Toni Kisses

[Roland Tanglao]

yes, health is priority #1, sending healing thoughts your way!

[mobilejones]

For your readers, everyone can go and join the Facebook Cause we've started for the McNeil Family. Please join and when the Paypal info is sorted you can help in a very direct and substantial way. All monies go directly to the McNeil family.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18853113048

[Rita Khoury]

I would've taken a flight to the US to kick you in the butt if that lump turned out to be a malignant disease! I was doing an internship in the oncology department in the hospital a couple of weeks ago and everytime I saw a patient who neglected him/herself, I was filled with anger... Health is nothing to be underestimated, no matter WHAT the reason. You learned it hard but I think you learned it well.
Now that's off my chest, thank God you're OK and your husband too. Take good care of yourself and rest a couple of days. We know our beloved detective will be back stronger than ever ;)
Oh and the new site design is nice :) good job there (y)

[Steve Litchfield]

Hey, Darla, take some time out and get yourself back to 100%, please!

Yes, the S60 blogosphere does seem very competitive these days. I only try to be first when it's a really HUGE story 8-)))

[zadosha]

Sometimes God's wakeup calls seem a little harsh to us, but they are affective! You and your family are in my prayers. God Bless!

[Nick Richards]

Sorry to hear this, we're such fragile creatures, glad the doctors helped arrest the problem, I hope you recover well!

Thank you for your blogging contributions, they are interesting and useful to me!

Nick

[Reda]

Hope you get well soon Darla... I think you've got your priorities right now @-)--

[SimonD]

Darla, thanks for all the blogging you have done... A*!! Great to hear you are ok.... loads of love and thanks from the Wet and Windy UK!

[shackk]

very good to hear that everything should be ok for you. scary how true some of the things you stated and it sometimes takes something major to bring you back down to earth so to speak. so from me and amy hope you get well soon and all the best to you and your fam!

[phanthomas]

All the best and i wish you a speedy recovery..
I know exactly what it means to "compete" about news for your blog.

Just get one thing back to your mind at least once a month: What is it all good for if you lose yourself over it? You're doing everything here for free, although the expectations are steadily rising. Time to cool that down by taking a break of at least a week per month with minimum publishings. It helps. Believe me. I did ;)

But it has an advantage too - you get back to biz fully loaded with eagerness and new ideas. Something your users will also profit from. And last but not least - as you can see it helps conserving your health ;)

Take care,
phanthomas from www.symbian60.mobi

[Bazza]

Can always count on some drama from our favorite Diva. :)

We are all with you, near and far, stranger and friend.

Keep well and God bless. xoxo

[Kevin C. Tofel]

Rest up and get well, Darla. Your advice is spot-on as well: my first year of nearly full-time blogging was coupled with my full-time job. Between the two I was working one job or the other (or both at the same time) for 90+ hours a week. Eight months of that grind, seven days a week, yielded a 15% weight loss that I couldn't afford, poor eating habits and plenty of missed time with family and friends. Take care of yourself!

[Dimilaz]

Darla,
Your own health should be always a priority. Get well!

[Geeky Acorn]

Hope you're feeling better soon Darla. Your health is way more important. Take care.

[Sharif M.]

Darla,
I hope you the best of health. Speedy recovery for you and your husband. My prayers for you.
yours
Sharif

[Omar]

I was really shocked when I read about this Darla. I really wish you the best, and hope you can go through this with all the strenght you have shown this far.

Your fan from Peru.

[dani2xll]

Hope your recovery is going well. And yes always put your heath first!!! Take Care. d@ni.