30 things

30 Things You May Not Know

1. The illnesses I live with are:

 Fibromyalgia, Joint Hypermobility, Asthma, Depression & Anxiety

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year:

 Fibromyalgia 2008

3. But I had symptoms since:

Some since birth, some since my teens.

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is:

Having to rely on other people, & government systems that are as unreliable as myself.

5. Most people assume:

That I am too young to be disabled.

6. The hardest part about mornings are:

 Having to get up because I am in too much pain to lie there, when I am very fatigued. 

7. My favourite medical TV show is:

Helicopter Heroes count, I like the real ones!

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is:

My laptop. Social life & Uni work would be none existent without it!

9. The hardest part about nights are:

Getting to sleep or going out cold before I can take my meds, or brush my teeth.
10. What do you take?

 17 tablets a day, 2 inhalers.

11. Regarding alternative treatments: It is called alternative for a reason, it is an alternative to rigorously tested, safe, reliable treatments...

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: I live with both, invisible means that people treat you as though you can do anything, and visible, they treat you like you can't!

13. Regarding working and career: I have neither, but I use what skills & energy I have to help others I am working on getting a degree in physics, so I can play with particle accelerators!

14. People would be surprised to know: How much pain, physically & emotionally I am in everyday.

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been:

Realising my limitations, I am still new to a lot of this, I am still young & want to do things, a lot of them I just can't.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Have a social life: I love my sceptic meets & geek nights & improv.

17. The commercials about my illness:

In the UK there are none. But I am glad that no one is trying to sell me anything for it. I trust my doctors.

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is:

Seeing my family & youth work.

19. It was really hard to have to give up:

regular sex, beer & my savings!

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is:

 I read so much more now!

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would:

 I would get up early, go earn some money, go for a run or swim, rock Oli's world, have a beer & spend all night dancing! (as long as I didn't have to pay for some of it in the morning!)

22. My illness has taught me: 

To respect myself & other people.

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: You are too young to be disabled!

24. But I love it when people:

Come over to see me, take me out for lunch, don't need me to explain that I can't do certain things & make me laugh my socks off! (This is for my family, my best friends & kind random strangers)

25. My favourite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: Carpe Diem! Corny but it gets me through.

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them:

Don't be afraid to ask for help, to tell people what you need & don't need, to have a bad day. The everyday stuff shouldn't be a chore

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is:

 That actions speak louder than words. (*Is cleaning/cooking for you* is better than "I am always there for you")

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was:

Oli has done so many things, I always consider them the nicest, because he works the hardest.

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because:

I was visibly vocal about being disabled!

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel:

That you may have a longer concentration span than me! I hope you enjoyed it, your prize is a sweet....knowledge that you know more about what I, & other disabled people go through daily!