The Chronic Illness Statements

This is a hard topic to discuss because all of us at one time or another has bad days.  Yet, when you suffer from chronic illnesses there are many times that your good days are the general populations bad days.  Yet, people do not understand why you act the way you do.  are the statements that drive me and so many others insane and how to fight back.

1. You Don't look sick....my response is Thank God.  If I looked as bad as I felt I would need to go turn myself into the coroner.  Changes people's attitude immediately.
2. You look like your doing good today...my response Great...I must look like death warmed over the rest of the time.
3. The rhetorical How are you feeling statement...response...you really want to know or do you want my old stand by...I am fine
4. What you mean you cant drive...response...well I can if you don't mind if you are the car in front of me when my hid starts spinning.
5. You are way too young to be that sick...response...great now your saying my body is old...cause I really do feel this sick.
6. I made this just for you why aren't you eating...response...well I decided I wouldn't get sick at your house today...but if you would refer that give me a big ol bowl of it.
7. There has to be a cure...response...yeah there was a cure but I decided to stay sick for the sympathy..
8. You had to do something to get sick...response...you are right....I got it because I judged someone that didn't look sick.
9. I saw you yesterday and you looked so good. what did you do to make yourself so sick today....response...stuck my head in a blender thought i should let it spin so i could get sick.
10. Last but not least...my all time favorite...I hope I don't ever get that sick...response...come on join the fun...I mean I really could use a sick buddy...want you do it for me?

See most people don't realize the statements are so hurting.  They only feel the pain when they themselves are faced with illness.   So getting mad doesn't help them understand what they are doing.  Turning it into a comedy routine helps boast your morale.  It also helps them see how insane their statement really is...don't forget people are not trying to be mean.  Our society just has a hard time dealing with illness.  We expect the medical field to cure all our ills.  So when we don't immediately get well then the thought is you must not be trying hard enough.

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. 

Accepting your illness

The first step of getting better is accepting your illness.  It doesn't mean you cant be mad about being sick.  It doesn't mean you have to be happy about being sick.  It simply means that you accept what you have been given.

Instead of fighting your body you have to learn to live with it.  Yes, you will have limits but that doesn't mean your life is over.  In fact, you might find that your limits in one area increases what you do in another area.  I can tell you from my own experience it is hard to accept that you can't do what you use to do.  Yet, now I have more time to spread awareness and help find a cure.

I have days where I get mad because I cant do something that I did before.  My hardest thing is being dependent on people for a lot of tasks that I use to do myself.  The fact I cant leave my house unless someone drives me actually drives me insane.  Yet, I have realized that I can leave my situation by watching TV or reading.  I am catapulted away to somewhere different than where I am actually at.  My escape is now all mentally produced but it does help a little bit with the driving issue.

There are days I get mad because I see someone eating something that I am craving.  Knowing deep down if I even took one bite I would pay for days.  So I have learned to enjoy what I do get to eat. When someone is eating something I am craving i just imagine what I am eating is the same thing.  Amazing how you can let your mind wonder and create your own space.

So yes accepting your illness is very hard.  You have to learn that it isn't your fault.  You didn't do this to yourself.  Most chronic illnesses are caused by something you cannot control.  The two that bother me most are both idiopathic.  No one knows what caused it and all I have to do is to learn to accept it.  When I fight it I come to realize that it is harder for me to deal with and a lot of times I get sicker because I am worrying about it.  So I have decided just to live within the limits and know that one day they might figure it all out until then I will keep on keeping on.

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. 

The six dreaded Letters of Chronic Illness

So what are the six letters dreaded letters of Chronic illness S T R E S S.  That is right the worse thing that can happen when you are sick is to have stress in your life.  Yet, how do you avoid stress when you are feeling sick.  Furthermore how does anyone avoid stress in their life.  Are we not constantly surrounded with people, events and circumstances that STRESS us out.  The body does not like stress and if you add in a chronic illness you are setting yourself up for a major flare up.

It is vital that you learn to release stress in a positive way.  Holding on to it will only make you sicker.  I know you are thinking easier said than done.  I know just how you feel there are times that the only way that I know how to deal with stress is to scream.  I call it my fight back mode.  Yet, there are several things that you can do to fight stress in a positive way.

1. Don't do it alone.  Hiding yourself from people when you are stressed out keeps you from sharing the load with someone that may be able to help you.
2. Don't dwell on the negative things in Life.  We all have things that are going good in our life. When things are stressing you out think about the things that put a smile on your face.
3. Don't be mad at your body.  Being mad at your body will only make it sicker.  Instead rejoice in the things that you can do.
4. Pick up a hobby.  Everyone of us has something we like.  Maybe it is playing a game on the computer.  Maybe you can write letters or even start a blog.  Find something that you can use as a distraction.
5. Don't give up.  This is the most important one that I have found useful in my battle of stress. I want to be the victor.  To do that I cannot give up I have to fight harder today than I did yesterday.  Yet, fighting gives me control and sometimes that is the best way to deal with stress.

So if you are stressed out today don't feel alone.  We all go through different stresses throughout the day.  Yet, we can make it because we are strong.  The power to be the victor is within us we can conquer stress if we just fight the hard fight.  Be sake and always remember that tomorrow is just a few hours away.

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. 

What can I eat

This subject is what scares everyone that has Gastroparesis.  If you have Menieres you know that your diet it just as tricky.  Most people with one chronic illness also have another illness that complicates the issue of what to eat.  You might not be able to eat gluten, yet are not suppose to have starch, oh wait no fiber and don't think about adding salt.  So the question comes what can I eat?

This has bothered me for sometime and I have being learning to live with my pacer.  See life changes when you aren't as nauseous as before.  You become a little risk taker and then you find out that somethings are off the list for good.  The best thing that I have learned through this whole process is that no two of us are alike.  What I can tolerate would send others down a deep spiral.  What others eat I can't even handle the taste with out the nausea starting.

Some people swear by juicing others by puree.  Some say baby food others try soft solids.  The goal is finding out what you can do that makes you get through the day.  Remember what you eat today may not be something you can eat tomorrow.  Don't beat yourself up if you try something and it doesn't work.  We learn over time to become one with the body.  Once you quit fighting and eat what your body can handle then you will start to get better.

Now I laugh and say that since my pacer I have started to lose weight.  Which for me is a great thing.  I am actually eating healthier and my body is getting the proper nutrients.  I still have trouble with the fiber components but that is okay they just take to long to break down.  I can enjoy food now because I have learned that food isn't my enemy.  My body isn't my enemy they are a tag team that need to work together.  If you eat the right food and the correct amount you will win the battle.

Now what about those that can't eat anything.  Once you get to that point the doctors help with parental feedings or use an NG tube.  If you are at this point don't get mad.  The frustration can set in quick because most of the things we do in life revolve around food.  So here is what I suggest be the owner of your new life.  don't get mad get even.  What I am saying is take control don't give up.  Be happy that you have a way of still moving on with life.  

I learned a valuable lesson and that is people will look at us that suffer and be amazed with what we do.  There are people in your life that think you are wonderful.  They know how you feel and they put you on a pedestal when you accomplish milestones.  My friends are my biggest supporters and when they see me do things they are excited.  

So keep a diary of what you can eat so that you know what works and what doesn't.  Also keep a diary of what all you accomplished that day.  You will soon learn that the one diary is more important than the other.  For me what I got done today is better than what I can eat.  Now I concentrate on it and my life is much happier.  Guess what I can add posting this today to my list of accomplishes.  What have you done that makes you smile today?


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.