Its Invisible Illness week, September 12-18. I have seen many spoonies doing this on their blogs for invisible illness week, so I thought I'd join in!
1. The illness I live with is: Fibromyalgia.
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2010
3. But I had symptoms since: 2007
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Not being able to go to school all day and not being able to plan anymore because you can not rely on how you are going to feel day to day.
5. Most people assume: Fibro is just something that is in your head and if you would "move and get out more" it will somehow, "get better." I'm here to tell you... That is not the case.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: Everything about mornings is hard for me. The stiffness, the fatigue... never feeling like you actually slept.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: House.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My iPod. It keeps me connected to my spoonie friends on Twitter and it is my daily solution to get away from the pain. I do everything on there.
9. The hardest part about nights are: Trying to actually get comfortable when lying down to go to bed. Pain is super uncomfortable so you can imagine that constant battle every night. Granted, some nights are better than others. But they are all uncomfortable.
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins. (No comments, please) I'm "lucky" someone would say that suffers from fibro like I do. I only take 3 pills every day, plus my vitamins, and pain medicine as needed (which is most of the time).
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: Tried about it all... the only thing that really helps me is just caffeine. Crazy as it seems.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Invisible. I've met so many amazing people and it gives you a new perspective on life.
13. Regarding working and career: I am still in high school (senior year, yeah!) and regarding what I want to do in life, well. We'll see. I'm going to go to college and I am going to get a degree. I am going to do something with my life, despite the fact that my illness disables me to a point.
14. People would be surprised to know: Fibromyalgia has been a motivator to me. It has made me a better person.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: I can't do what I always want.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Have a relationship like the one I do now. My boyfriend is the BEST thing that has every happened to me and I am so blessed to have a supportive guy like him. I'm going to marry him. You'll see.
17. The commercials about my illness: Piss me off. I always mute the TV. I mean really, a commercial CAN NOT describe fibromyalgia as "over-active nerves connected to the tissue that cause immense pain." Anyone that suffers from fibro will laugh in your face if you were tell them that is all fibro does.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Being active. I miss cheer-leading. I miss running miles without even breathing hard. I miss just being able to take a walk without feeling like I climbed Mt. Everest and back.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: Full school days. I go to school on half days and I missed more than my fair share of high school. I had to give up being a kid.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Writing. I may not always blog. But, I always write.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Go to the mountains with my pudge. I would walk down the roads as far as we could, swim till we couldn't anymore, play tag with him, let him pick me up and swing me around, play fight with him, give him piggy back rides.. Oh, I could go on.
22. My illness has taught me: Everyone has a story. You just have to listen.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "Oh, you have fibromyalgia? How old ARE you?" General misconception: fibromyalgia is more prominent in older people. FALSE. More than 5% of fibro suffers are between 15-25.
24. But I love it when people: Treat me like a normal human being and just tell me they are here for me if I ever need them.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give to your Father who is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16 Stay positive. You were created for a reason. Show how God gets you through your trials and you could be a light to others through God.
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: Find support. Educate yourself. Get a twitter (seriously, that is my biggest support).
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: How many other people are just like me.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: I remember when I was first diagnosed a bunch of my friends put their money together and bought me this huge stuffed dog. I remember how upset I was about being diagnosed and then when I saw my friends walking towards me with that dog and the look of comfort on their faces, I thought to myself, "I can do this. I can live with this. I have hope."
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: Its so important to raise awareness. People need to know just because our illnesses are invisible, we are not, we are real humans dealing with REAL stuff.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Happy. :) I love you all!
