Categories: uncategorized
Date: 16 September 2010 15:54:44
I came across the fact that it is Invisible Illness week whilst following up a Love Bomb task. I thought I would share a meme from the site. If you relate to the experience of invisible illness, please feel free to copy it and make it your own.
30 THINGS ABOUT MY INVISIBLE ILLNESS YOU MAY NOT KNOW
1. The illness I live with is: Fibromyalgia and IBS
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: approx one year ago for the fibro, a couple of years ago for the IBS
3. But I had symptoms since: Probably since I turned 30, off and on (am almost 39 now)
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: accepting that I have physical limitations that I used not to have.
5. Most people assume: I'm not sure what they assume. I guess most people would not even know I have a condition.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: motivation to face the day.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: House
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: the laptop I am writing this on!
9. The hardest part about nights are: thankfully nights are not too bad.
10. Each day I take 9 pills & vitamins.
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: am open to the idea
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: think I would stick with invisible.
13. Regarding working and career: I work part-time as full-time work would finish me off!
14. People would be surprised to know: that I used to be very intolerant of nebulous illnesses like IBS - karmic justice methinks!
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: not being prepared to admit that it really IS a new reality.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: I'm not sure I have really considered what I cannot do, therefore I have not chosen anything to challenge. Perhaps I should?
17. The commercials about my illness: are non-existent!
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: walking for long distances without feeling pain, fatigue or breathlessness.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: the idea that there is no stuff that I should really give up (still battling bad habits that would help if I quit - i.e. eating a better diet)
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: having responded to this meme, it looks very much like my new hobby is denial!
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: spend a day walking along the Gower coast in South Wales
22. My illness has taught me: to be more tolerant of people with illness.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: when they suggest that I am weak or pathetic for the few times I choose to take time off work cos I feel so flipping rough.
24. But I love it when people: understand!
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever" It helps to stay grateful and focus on all that I DO have, not the few things that I don't.
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: come here, let me give you a hug.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: the amount of other people I've met who just get on with life whilst being faced with the same thing, and much worse.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: not expecting me to function 'normally'.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I found a link to the site and I think it is worth letting others know the reality, and those who have an invisible illness to perhaps not feel so alone, if only for a moment.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: grateful and humble. If you have bothered to read this far it means that you care enough about me to read a lengthy blog post about my experience of illness. Thank you, very much indeed. :)