Hello, welcome to my first Blog. How exciting!
About me
I'm 65(How did that happen?) I am a part time Counsellor/Life Coach.
Why am I doing a Blog and what's it going to be about?
This first Blog will be about 'Invisible illneses'that I have, by sharing I feel they can become more visible.
My conditions are M.E (Myalgic Encephalitis)
FM (Fibromyalgia)
Palindromic Rheumatism
These have been part of my life for the past 18 years.
They have changed my life in many ways and I have adapted my lifestyle to accommodate them, but my aim has always been that I control them they do not control me.
With many of you joining me in the 'Invisible Illness group' all at different levels of how they affect us; I'm hoping that by sharing my thoughts and feelings and day to day experiences we can support each other.
By you feeding back to me your highs and lows, together we can explain to others how it impacts our lives and maybe how they could support us.
Feeling Invisible
It's frustrating,annoying,infuriating at times (I could add more descriptive)
Because many people, including medical teams, employer's do not seem to understand or maybe want to understand what we are living with, that we are all unique and so are our conditions.
But then when people see me out and about, to others I look fine, that famous 'fine word' so how are they meant to know?
At first I wouldn't explain my difficulties,but as time has passed, I feel I have to put on my 'Big Girl Pants' and share how I am feeling or if I am struggling.
It is difficult but how else will people know unless we tell them.
There is no need to go into great depth,keep it simple-
Explain which condition is causing pain, anxiety and stress that day and if people want to know more they can ask or not, don't take it personally.
Not always, they can't really as they are not walking in our shoes,but I feel if we have shared how we feel they may now see a different side of us and then that's when we start to become a bit more visible.
I've found it becomes easier with time and when asked how I am feeling,I stop using those well known phrases, you will recognise them!
'I'm ok thanks' instead of 'I feel rubbish'
'I'm fine'instead of 'I had 2 hours sleep and I feel like a zombie'
'Great thanks' by saying this I don't have to explain my pain.
We have to accept that some will get it and some won't, equally they may be going through their own stuff and we are not top of our list at this time.
Do you find people understand you? Or are those barriers hard for you too?
Future Blogs
What activities/hobbies I do and how they help me and how I manage them.
Explaining each invisible illness and the impact to me and strategies I use to control them.
Please do comment how you are impacted, your strategies,impact on social/emotional/sleep/work etc
I will keep Blogs fairly short as they are draining to do and also for the readers concentration.
I have found this quite therapeutic.
I hope you join me on my healing Blog Journey.
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