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My Response to “I’ll Pray For You”
If you’re chronically ill, you’ve heard it before a thousand times. “I’ll pray for you.” Now, I’m not talking about the cousin who is genuinely saying, “I’m keeping you in my prayers.” I’m talking about the person that’s saying it as a condescending belittlement. For a lot of people, coming in contact with someone who looks normal and is dealing with something life altering, is uncomfortable. People don’t know what to say or how to respond. The problem with saying, “I’ll pray for you” is that they’re praying for the wrong thing.I’m going to try to explain this in the most elegant way possible. I don’t need to be fixed.…
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Taking Care of My Mental Health
One of the most common questions I get asked is “How are you doing, mentally?” It’s a completely reasonable question. Right now, everything I do revolves around my health. It’s a scary and turbulent time. At twenty, I’ve faced a lot of obstacles. This has caused me to develop different issues along the way. As I’ve said before, I have OCD. This is something I wasn’t aware of until several months ago. As a child, I’d often have intrusive thoughts. Anxiety would develop as a coping mechanism. I always assumed OCD was obsessive cleaning, handwashing, and compulsive behaviors. If I had OCD it would be very noticable. Given, most of…
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An Urgent Surgery
If you keep up to date with my blog, you know now that I need hip surgery to repair a tear. Well, that is not the only surgery I need. Last week I had another angioedema attack. This is the most severe attack I’ve had to date. For the past eighteen months I’ve been dealing with random swellings of my tonsils, tongue and uvula. This problem has perplexed most doctors and it has yet to be controlled by medications. During my last attack, I was prepped for intubation. They went through the protocol, numbed my airway but I turned a corner at the last moment. My throat swelled so much…
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Merry Christmas Spoonies!
Today, I’m celebrating Christmas. Whether you celebrate Christmas, another religious holiday, or no holiday at all, I hope you have a wonderful day. I hope that you feel joy on this day and everyday. I hope that you take time to be grateful. I hope you take time to share your gratitude. I hope that you look around you today and acknowledge the good in the world. I’m so grateful for your presence. No matter what you are struggling with, I want you to know that everything will be okay. It might not feel that way but I promise it will. I wanted to take a second and say thank…
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Gift Ideas for the Spoonie in Your Life
Getting the perfect gift for anyone is difficult. I’ve been told that since getting sick, I’m more difficult to buy for. I don’t believe that to be true but I suppose I’m not usually buying gifts for myself. Often, the things that us spoonies want is not something that can be bought. It’s always best to get a gift that speaks to someone’s soul. Here are some great gift options for the spoonie in your life. Oil Diffuser and Essential Oils I love my oil diffuser. I often use it at night with some relaxation oils but it’s a great option for anyone who isn’t sensitive to smells. This is…
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How To Recharge
Recharging is something that I do often. Unlike relaxing, recharging is something that is energizing to me. If I have several doctors appointments in one day, or a long to-do list, recharging is a way I stay motivated and get it done. There are tons of ways to recharge. Everyone is different but here are some of my favorite ways to recharge throughout the day. Listen to Showtunes When I need something to pick up my spirit, I turn on showtunes. Unlike my normal playlist, these are upbeat songs from shows that make me dance and sing. Although, let’s be honest, I’m usually singing in my car. My favorite songs…
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Creating a Morning Routine
Having routines is something that I’ve found to be very helpful. My body is often ready when I need it to be because I’ve allowed it time and space to rest and recharge. I’m type A and I understand that making schedules is not everyone’s strong suit. So here are some great tips for creating your own morning schedule. Write Down your Intentions for the day This is something I actually do at night. I write down the bullet points of what I’d like to get done for the next day. I try to write them in order of importance, that way when I’m going through my day, I know…
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How To Talk With Your Family
Discussing personal issues or medical information can be troubling. This is especially true with family. They may be in denial or cease to understand the reality of your circumstance and thus make inappropriate comments. When you’re dealing with chronic illness, having support is everything. It can feel like a fight to have people understand where you are coming from. Their attempts at understanding can be hurtful. So here are some tips on how to talk with your family about chronic illness. Be Patient Let me be clear, I am not a patient person. I’m quick to jump in and defend myself if a conversation feels like it’s going south. I…
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How To Stay Positive
Staying positive can be a challenge when dealing with chronic illness. It’s easy to fall into a trap of feeling like the world is working against you. When my health issues started, I felt like the universe was holding me back from achieving my greatest ambitions. One day I realized it was quite the opposite. In fact, this illness that I had come to hate started to make life more meaningful. I was becoming grateful for basic functions, seeing the sunshine, and having a roof over my head. These aren’t small things and yet when we are “perfectly normal” they seem like a given. Being grateful is one way to…
