I want to tell you that living with chronic illness my entire life has given me a grand insight into life and suffering. It hasn’t. I am not a guru; I can’t make my pain go away through positive thoughts. I can’t rely on modern medicine to always come through for me. Some medications don’t work for me; some cause… Read more »
El dolor dicta – the pain dictates Sadly, it has become my mantra over the years. I spent so many years fighting with my body. I pushed through desperately, trying to ignore the pain. The doctor that diagnosed my Fibromyalgia gave me some advice. “This isn’t a death sentence. It will not kill you, but some days you may wish… Read more »
I am continually amazed me how so many people will dismiss the pain of others because they can not comprehend it. Growing up, somewhere on Star Trek, I saw a full-body medical scan device and thought how great it would be to have that handy. I knew early on that my pain was not normal. Attributed to “growing pains” or… Read more »
Last week a woman I know said that there are people who have it worse than she does so she had no right to complain. She shouldn’t be upset – she should get over it. That triggered something in me; throughout my life, I’ve heard similar things. “There are millions of people who would love to have your life. What… Read more »
There is no user manual for life. No guidelines or rules about how you are supposed to feel when the life you thought you would have is over. When illness takes your dreams, and you end up sitting and crying and working through all of what might have been. We understand how to grieve for a lost loved one. But,… Read more »
When I was a girl, and I couldn’t ignore the physical pain any longer, dismissed as attention seeking child that was too young to feel that way. It’s growing pains; it will pass. When my family would go on Volksmarches, I learned to cope by giving myself markers “I have to make it to the end of this fence. If I… Read more »