The moment Turia Pitt realised that she needed to ask for help
I've had a lot of experience in the OR (operating room).
No, not as a doctor, anesthetist or nurse (can you imagine my ego if I had actual life saving skills?!).
As a patient.
That means I also have a lot of experience recovering from surgery.
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Turia Pitt and her second child, Rahiti Instagram
And look, maybe I'm going to sound like a nightmare here, but recovering from an operation is a bit harder these days.
Back in the good ol' days, I'd be horizontal on the couch, remote control in my hand, while Mum and Michael fussed about, fetching me cool drinks, adjusting my pillows while ensuring the temperature of the room was just right. I was the Goldilocks of recovery.
Mum would pop by each day to cook an ever-expanding array of the most delectable food on the planet: pancakes with banana and greek yoghurt for breakfast (served with a side of fresh-pressed watermelon and lemon juice), chicken soup with crusty garlic croutons for lunch, and a died-and-gone-to-heaven lamb ragù for my evening meal.
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Turia suffered full thickness burns to 65 percent of her body in 2011; she had over 200 medical procedures and spent two gruelling years in recovery Instagram
Turia and Michael pre-kids
It's not quite like that anymore.
I blame my kids.
Yes, yes, they are extremely cute, and very smart and very advanced etc etc, but that makes them susceptible to stealing the attention of the "help" 😂
After my last operation (about a year or so ago), Mum came over on the pretext of helping me heal. She'd made some delicious snacks, all packed up in this cute bag ……. which she promptly swung over her shoulder as she grabbed the kids and headed out the door - off for a grand 'ol adventure to the beach.
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Turia and her mum
"No one cares", I whinged to mum later that day, like a two-year-old (while my actual two-year-old read his books quietly like a charming and mature adult).
"Well, what did you expect?" she said. "You've sold everyone on the fact that you're this gung ho independent woman, we forget that sometimes you do need help."
She was right.
I hadn't actually asked for help. And there I was getting all worked up that no one had bothered to READ MY MIND and know exactly what I wanted and needed from them. The audacity!
But, it made me think. What else was I expecting people to read my mind about?
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Turia Pitt and her partner Michael have you two young sons together. Instagram
And I want to pose it to you too:
Who are you expecting to read your mind?
We're all guilty of this.
Sometimes we just want people to KNOW exactly what we want them to do. But that's not reasonable!
You're not living with Edward Cullen!
If there's something you need, my friend, can I encourage you to ask for it?
Be direct. Let people know what you need.
Turia xx