while I was away
Nothing much has been happening in my little corner of being chronically ill - I don't like to think about it much frankly. It's like being chronically late, only I can't quite control it. It's negative. And when I sit down to write a post, I can't help but come to two things:
- When I am with folks (and we all know them) that are having a little love affair with sickness, I find myself in denial, wanting to separate myself from them. I don't want every sentence to begin with, "My pain/fatigue/depression/disability...", every 10 minutes. I don't enjoy being with victims and I surely don't want to identify on some profound way with being ill or being whiny. That said,
- When I am with folks (and we all know them) that poo-poo what are legitimate concerns, I find myself chatting up how rough it really is. I suddenly feel misunderstood and want their approval - poopy though they be.
So, I am still doing the dance, adjusting to this new life I am leading - luckier than most, still living with pain and disease.
How do you keep your spirits up? How do you strike the balance between becoming a professional patient and holding on to what makes you you?
And how much do you expose - to friends, to family, in your professional life?
Technorati Tags:chronic disease, sjogren's syndrome, medical victim, whining, autoimmune disease
Comments
As far as coping: it's really a day-to-day thing. Oh, and defintely a person-to-person thing, as in (you know who they are) kind of depends on what you say or don't say. I think we're all in the same boat there. I totally got you there.