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?
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!
