Invisible Illness Awareness Week September 14-20th.
96% of illnesses are invisible!! To read more visit www.invisibleillness.com
I thought I would do this even though I missed the deadline, after all what the heck!!
30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know
1. The illness I live with is: Fibromyalgia, Diabetes and Arthritis, I can’t seem to do things in small numbers.
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year:I have been being diagnosed since 2002, Diabetes first followed by Fibromyalgia and then Arthritis.
3. But I had symptoms since: It seems like forever! I remember going to a Doctor in 1998 because of leg pain. Major leg pain. I was in accounting school and he told me it was from sitting in class and not being used to it for that length of time. I accepted it and dealt with it.
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Admitting I can’t do it all, and having to remove my super woman cape.
5. Most people assume: That I am just fine.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: Wanting to stay in bed when it hurts too much to and stumbling about once I am up until I get my bearings.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: I don’t have one, never have.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My lap top, it goes where I go!
9. The hardest part about nights are: When I can’t sleep no matter what I do, and I am exhausted the next day!
10. Each day I take 8 pills & vitamins. (No comments, please) 8
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: Have yet to try any.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Invisible, I can sit and look just as normal as the next person.
13. Regarding working and career: I am not working at this time, I am in college majoring in web design.
14. People would be surprised to know: The level of frustration I can actually reach!!!!!
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: My limitations, I can’t run, I can’t go non-stop all day like I used to.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Improve! It was a lot of work! I went from using a walker to a cane to now just gimping along.
17. The commercials about my illness: Too unrealistic. Geta real person, not an actress, take off the make up and fancy clothes, bring out the sweats, mess up the hair and maybe some dark circles under the eyes.. Now thats more realistic!
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: redoing houses that is.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: My level of activity and learning to pace myself.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: The computer
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: After the initial shock that something was seriously wrong wore off I would spend the day with my kids and grandkids doing the things I normally can’t.
22. My illness has taught me: So much! I am not invincible, I do not judge others by appearance, I am more patient and compassionate and when some one needs to talk I really listen to what they are saying after finding out how it feels when people don’t listen and you really need to talk!
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: I was told I had no idea what pain is. This upset me more than anything else that has been said about my illnesses. I live with pain everyday and have long enough to forget what it feels like to know what not feeling pain is!
24. But I love it when people: Treat me like they would anyone else.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: There is always someone out there worse off than I am, and this is so true!
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: Life is not over it is just changing!
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: How ignorant people can be, or unwilling to learn about the illnesses.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Talk to me on the phone all night when I was too sore to sleep’
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I hope people read and learn and become informed.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Exuberant!!!
Find out more about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and the 5-day free virtual conference with 20 speakers Sept 14-18, 2009 at www.invisibleillness.com
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