Dear 2 Rules Readers, Friends, and Followers:
As you know, we make a big deal about self-care here. It’s so important to our work as writers and teachers, but also to being ourselves, and being able to be the best versions of us that we can. And a number of weeks back, some things happened that left me in need of a little more space and time to take care of my own mental health, which meant that I took a break from writing the Sunday Summary, although I had every intention of returning to it as soon as I felt ready.
Soon after that, I was just not feeling so well and Adam pushed me to take a week off from writing my regular Monday piece for that week and just rest. Usually I fight that kind of suggestion but for some reason, I didn’t. I took the suggestion seriously and rested. And it’s a good thing I did because over the course of a week I continued to feel worse, eventually ending up at the emergency room where I was admitted to the hospital. I’m still there although I’m doing much better. I still have a way to go before I’m “all better” but I’m getting there.
I’m so grateful that I was encouraged to take the time to take care of myself both physically and emotionally. Not only that, but as I recover, I’m supported and encouraged to take the time I need and not to rush too quickly back to doing everything. There are so many stories I still have to tell and poems to write. And of course this hospital stay has provided plenty of new things for me to share about being disabled and about learning to be disabled. I’m going to keep writing these stories and keep telling them. Writing the stories is good for me as I convalesce, and because those stories are ones I hope that people want to read, too.
It’s going to take some time before I’m back at full strength, and I don’t think anyone is looking forward to getting there more than I am. I will tell stories along the way when I can, too. Being able to do that is going to be an important part of my recovery. As I’m working my way back, I hope you might consider taking stock of your own self-care needs and resources. I know I’m doing just that–collecting my self-care resources and trying to more carefully assess my needs. I’m grateful for the support I’ve gotten from my friends and family and our 2 Rules community as I recover.
Thanks for reading, and for being a part of the 2 Rules community. You’ve all helped me to keep looking forward as I work towards my own recovery.
-Erika
P.S. Don’t forget to check out the piece I have in the new issue of Bi Women’s Quarterly–”From Passing to Passing on Lessons” and enjoy the original essay Why We Need to “Flaunt” It, too.
Erika Grumet, MSW
Erika Grumet, MSW (she/her or they/them) was born and raised on Long Island. She earned a Masters in Social Work from Stony Brook University.
She has been researching and writing essays and poems about mental health, physical disability, sexuality (particularly bisexuality), rape and sexual assault, gun violence, the writing process, and a variety of other topics. In addition to writing and managing content for the website, Erika brings her experience as a social worker and educator. She works with writers to help them manage or overcome issues that prevent them from bringing their best writing.
Erika was recently chosen to Lilith Magazine’s “The New Forty” cohort. You can also find her published in Bi Women’s Quarterly, Kveller, and Lilith, with a forthcoming publication from Spoonie Journal.