Bad Days vs. Good Days

I have mentioned since the first post that there are BAD DAYS and GOOD DAYS.  A lot of people question how is that possible.  If you have an illness how can you have different types of days.  Shouldn't you feel the same every day, which is miserable like your bad days.

For starters let's point out if you do not have a chronic illness you too will go through both good and bad days.  So I will start by explaining what that means for these individuals then I will explain what it means for us with chronic illnesses.

Good Days for people with no chronic illness.

• No pain when you wake up in the morning.
• Eating throughout the day with only problem eating more than you need to.
• Able to do housework without pain or having to rest  in between tasks because you are fatigued.
• Able to go to work with no fear of having to leave because you get sick without any notice.

Bad Days for people with no chronic illness.

• Waking up with a headache or a back strain.
• Calling in sick because you got a bug.
• Cancelling a dinner date because you just aren't up to par.

Now  I know I am simplifying this but there is a big difference with people who have chronic illnesses. Our Good Days are not as good as the Bad Days described above.  

Good Days for people with chronic illness.

• Able to control their never ending pain with medication.  Maybe not all day but for a few hours.
• The spins lifting for a few minutes throughout the day because of the medicine and sleep.
• Being able to eat a few bites of food because of medicines and stimulator helping with nausea.
• Spending a few minutes talking to a friend or watching TV.

Bad Days for people with chronic illness.

• Bed bound for the day
• Headache that will not go away no matter what you do.
• Stomach so sick that even fluid makes you nauseous.
• Falling or hitting walls because you can't stop the spinning.

People like me spend most of our days in the Bad category.  Everything might not be hitting us at the same time.  Yet, there are things that are causing us to limit what we can do.  Yet, we push ourselves to do something even if it isn't only smiling.

When the random good days come along.  Doesn't mean all of the symptoms are gone.  This just means for a little while they seem to be under a control.  Still not as well as you were the day before because ironically a chronic illness means that you will get sicker and sicker as you go along.  Yet, you feel like you can do something for a little bit and want to live life to the fullest.

So the difference between BAD DAYS and GOOD DAYS for those that are sick is easy to understand.  The GOOD DAYS are the little treasures given to us by God (your higher power) so that you can leave lasting memories with those you cherish and that cherish you.  The BAD DAYS are just the normal days that occur because the cards you have been dealt.

Tips on enjoying the GOOD DAYS:

1. Allow yourself to enjoy them.
2. Spend time with the ones that you love.
3. Try to do the thing you love the most to the best of your ability.
4. Snap a few photos to help you during the really BAD DAYS.
5. Most importantly SMILE.

If you are sick you already know what to do during the bad days but if you don't here is what you need to do.  

1. Relax
2. Rest
3. Seek support from the ones that you love.
4. Remember all of the Good days take out your photos and smile because you have those memories forever.
5. Lastly, if you take care of yourself during the bad days you will have more good days.

Four days down.  Takes a lot a few naps while doing it but it is worth it.  My only hope is to help someone.  If my blog has helped you any at all just let me know.  Who knows it might make one of my Bad Days turn into a Good Day.

For my fellow fighters keep on fighting and remember one day they will figure this out and we will have won.  Until then don't give up hope.  It is okay to rest on bad days,  but on the good days enjoy life to your fullest because you deserve it.    

There is so much more and remember this is something that I live with and am writing from my perspective.  Talk to a doctor if you feel you may have this or any other disease because without proper diagnosis you will never get the treatment you deserve.