Since my lupus and my lady bits are giving me troubles this is going to be an easy post.
30 Things About My Invisible Illnesses You May Not Know
1. The illness I live with is: Lupus
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: Officially I was diagnosed in 2007 (my doc was trying to save me the pre-existing condition before) but I was basically diagnosed in 2005.
3. But I had symptoms since: Age 12.
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Adjusting to seasons (No playing in the snow, hourly sunscreen applications, etc.)
5. Most people assume: I'm contagious.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: Not hitting snooze.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: Grey's Anatomy.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: Probably my smartphone. It's way too convenient to have access to my email from everywhere.
9. The hardest part about nights are: Falling asleep sans opiates.
10. Each day I take: 7 pills
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: just try staying active with physical therapy. I would love to consider doing acupuncture in the future.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Probably invisible. I'm a social worker first, not an illness. I like being able to hide it.
13. Regarding working and career: Right now I'm volunteering part time and looking at a contracted social work position to give me some fun money.
14. People would be surprised to know: uh...? I did my undergrad in three years?
15. The hardest thing to accept about my lupus reality has been: That I just can't do everything.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Get my master's degree.
17. The commercials about my illness: There are commercials?
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Playing tennis...or running.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: Playing tennis.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Road cycling.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Go to the beach or play in the snow with my nephews (depends on the season).
22. My illness has taught me: More patience.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "Oh, you look sunburned". Sigh... no, that's how I always look (but I'm probably also sunburned, too).
24. But I love it when people: Just ask "Anything I can do to help?"
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world"- Gandhi or "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: The situation is as bad as you make it, and I know it might seem hard, but there are people here for you (including me!) and ways to improve your life if you are willing to try.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: The uncertainty of the future.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Brought me lunch, probably.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week (it's in September, btw) because: I want people to know about invisible illnesses. I want them to get the same attention and research and funding that a lot of well known diseases do.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Gratitude. Thanks, Readers!
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: Officially I was diagnosed in 2007 (my doc was trying to save me the pre-existing condition before) but I was basically diagnosed in 2005.
3. But I had symptoms since: Age 12.
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Adjusting to seasons (No playing in the snow, hourly sunscreen applications, etc.)
5. Most people assume: I'm contagious.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: Not hitting snooze.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: Grey's Anatomy.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: Probably my smartphone. It's way too convenient to have access to my email from everywhere.
9. The hardest part about nights are: Falling asleep sans opiates.
10. Each day I take: 7 pills
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: just try staying active with physical therapy. I would love to consider doing acupuncture in the future.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Probably invisible. I'm a social worker first, not an illness. I like being able to hide it.
13. Regarding working and career: Right now I'm volunteering part time and looking at a contracted social work position to give me some fun money.
14. People would be surprised to know: uh...? I did my undergrad in three years?
15. The hardest thing to accept about my lupus reality has been: That I just can't do everything.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Get my master's degree.
17. The commercials about my illness: There are commercials?
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Playing tennis...or running.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: Playing tennis.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Road cycling.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Go to the beach or play in the snow with my nephews (depends on the season).
22. My illness has taught me: More patience.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "Oh, you look sunburned". Sigh... no, that's how I always look (but I'm probably also sunburned, too).
24. But I love it when people: Just ask "Anything I can do to help?"
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world"- Gandhi or "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: The situation is as bad as you make it, and I know it might seem hard, but there are people here for you (including me!) and ways to improve your life if you are willing to try.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: The uncertainty of the future.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Brought me lunch, probably.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week (it's in September, btw) because: I want people to know about invisible illnesses. I want them to get the same attention and research and funding that a lot of well known diseases do.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Gratitude. Thanks, Readers!
Yes, #23 is most annoying. #27 is definitely a hard one at times.
ReplyDeleteI too like that it is invisible so that you can be who you are and not defined by a disease. But it would be nice if someone would offer help on occasion. Everyone always assumes because you can't "see" a condition, you must be OK. And of course I'm not one to whine. There have been days that I've felt like slapping a cast on my leg!
Love your blog by the way :)
Nice to see some comments! Thanks for visiting! Oh, and if you happen to have a second cast... Send it my way!
ReplyDelete