First appeared on: https://www.renewbodymind.com/chronically-ill-and-fed-up/
When I was first diagnosed with HELLP syndrome (a form of preeclampsia) when I had my son in the hospital in 2010, I had many images running through my head of what I thought my pregnancy and delivery was “supposed to be.” This was just the start of my chronically ill journey and how I realized I was no longer part of the able community. It did not take long before doctors started labeling my continued symptoms as Idiopathic, or of unknown origin. The story I heard in my head was, you did this to yourself. No one had to say those words, but I kept feeling judged and categorized as one of those pain people.
Over the years I sought many doctors and treatments and usually found that they could not help me. Through this journey of trial and error, I found the right diagnosis after a 10 year search. Most people find the same diagnostic journey within a few years but somehow mine took a decade. I don’t currently have all the answers that will probably help me in the future, but I’m on a great path now. And this would not have been possible without the learning that I have gotten from all of my clients and social media friends I have found.
Coping with chronic pain and illness can be the most challenging thing that can happen to your self-esteem, marriage/relationships, and career among many others. You see, when you start this journey you start to realize how many sacrifices that are made when you bring chronic illness with you. It might be the ball games you miss of your child or the migraine recovery days that limit your ability to have coffee or wine with your friends. When you live with chronic illness you learn to live with grief.
I don’t currently know where my illness path will take me, but I have learned one thing in this past decade. I’m fed up with the confusion of finding a diagnosis and I want to do what I can to help you not have to go through a decade of it. Many of my programs have been more of a generalist, or someone who sees a variety of cases. It’s been fun, but now I feel more of a call to focus on my Disabled or Partly Disabled Community in the types of cases I will be drawn to.
I hope to see you around online and if you have a friend with a condition they battle daily, text a hello and check on them from time to time. They may seem fine but in actually are probably a bit tired and fed up. 🙂
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