On Being Tired

At first, we made Aliyah and I thought I was so tired because of jetlag, too much to take care of, and anxiety.

Then, my husband went to America for a couple of weeks, and I stayed in Israel with the kids. I thought I was tired because it was a lot to do all by myself, and I wasn't sleeping well at night while he was away.

Then, I started having awful asthma attacks, but I was still in my Toshav Chozer waiting period to get back on Kupat Cholim ("returning citizens" - not new immigrants - sometimes have to wait 6 months to get back on a gov't sponsored health plan. Circumstances vary by individual) and my traveler's insurance plan wouldn't cover my asthma, so it wasn't being managed well. So I thought I was tired because I couldn't breathe.

That went on for about 8 months, even after I got onto Kupat Cholim. It took a while to get it under control. Once I could breathe again, we were getting ready to move to a different town. I thought I was tired because of all the work involved in moving.

Then we made a Bar Mitzvah right after the chagim. I thought I was tired because it's a lot of work to try to pull of a frugal Bar Mitzvah celebration, and we had lots of guests from overseas rotating through our house.

Then, life got back to normal, whatever that means, and I thought I was tired just because it's a lot of work to homeschool 4 kids and do everything that seems to fall on me.

Then I got shingles, and I thought I was tired because I was sick for a month.

But now, that's over. And my doctor sent me for bloodwork. And now we know, I'm tired because I have low iron and my thyroid isn't working right.

Now, I have to muster up the energy to go back to the doctor. But I am so tired...