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In Chronic Illness

August 2017 Linkup Party with A Chronic Voice: Missing, Appreciating, Striving, Releasing, Eating

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One of my favourite chronic illness bloggers, Sheryl from ‘A Chronic Voice’ has started a link up party! These parties are a monthly get together for any bloggers who live with or have experience with a chronic illness.  These will provide opportunities to ‘meet,’ share thoughts, information and learn from one another.
To gain more information about these parties and information on how to participate then you can visit Sheryl’s original post here.
The prompts for this month are:

  • Missing
  • Appreciating
  • Striving
  • Releasing
  • Eating

Missing: My late dog, Honey 

I’m not going to lie, but I have been struggling these past couples of months and been spending more time alone in the house.  And it’s during these times that I have been really missing the company of our late dog, Honey.  Although she may have been pretty useless if something happened to me such as a fall (which have also been increasing) however the mere presence of having her around was comforting.  Of course, I also miss her copious amounts of hugs and kisses which never failed to make a bad day better.

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Appreciating: Books

In my last post, I wrote about my love of books and reading.  As the pain and relentless trembling in the legs have worsened recently, I appreciate the wonderful world of books for allowing me to escape from the monotony of chronic pain and the other symptoms that have taken permanent residence in my everyday life.  These books, the many that I have read so far this year has taken to many different places that my body is physically unable to go.  It has proven to be a great distraction for me on the bad days, which unfortunately have been many.  And for that, I have been so very grateful.

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Striving: Striving for Progress 

As I have already mentioned, things have been challenging in regards to my health which is really frustrating especially as I take steps to try and improve it – I go to a local gym in the attempts to strengthen my muscles (which hasn’t happened). Or at the least ensure that the weakness does not get any worse.  I also ensure that I spend time every day to complete the vestibular rehabilitation exercises that I was given at the hospital to help with the dizziness and vertigo as well as the physiotherapy exercises to improve the functioning in my legs.  So far, they have been unsuccessful, but still, I persevere in the hopes of improving my situation.  Like all of us, I am never going to achieve perfection, but I hope one day soon I manage to attain progress and improvement.

Releasing: Positive Thoughts 

As a writer myself, I love words, and I love finding new and uplifting quotes to decorate my bedroom to raise my spirits and inspire me on my bad days, and those days I am stuck in bed.  I also own several pieces of jewellery that have a positive quote or mantra that I can wear and remind myself during difficult times.  I release these positive thoughts to elevate my mood.  I have even found some cards that have positive and inspiring quotes on them that I have even used to send to others also living with chronic illness and disabilities (such as the fun and brilliant #spooniepost) to help remind them of everything that is positive during their own struggles.

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Eating: Homemade Pizza

In our attempts to eat healthier, my Mum and I have been spending some time experimenting with some of the recipes from the beautiful cookbook ‘Cook Happy, Cook Healthy‘ by Fearne Cotton.  Our favourite meal from this book has been the Healthy Homemade Pizza which uses spelt flour instead of regular white flour due to its nutritious qualities.  I love this, as it’s surprisingly easy to make and it doesn’t leave your stomach feeling heavy and stodgy afterward, which I often get after indulging in a takeaway pizza.  It has also been enjoyable to make (despite all the mess!), and I have felt incredibly accomplished while enjoying the fruits of our labour!

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In Chronic Illness

Favourite Fridays! My 3 Favourite Quotes…

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Welcome to the eighth day of the National Health Blog Post Month Challenge hosted by WEGO Health.  Every day during the month of November I will be writing a new blog post related to health and living with a chronic illness based upon given prompts provided by WEGO Health.

Today’s prompt reads:

Favourite Fridays.  Make a list of 3 favourite quotes

I absolutely adore this prompt as I am a lover of positive quotations; they are uplifting and a lovely reminder of what good there is still in the world when illness seems to get in the way of enjoying life.  In fact, I am such a lover of such positive quotes that I have started my own positivity board in my bedroom which has some positive quotes, which I love.  So, what are my 3 favourite quotes?

My Top 3 favourite quotes:

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And here is my 'Positivity Board'
And here is my ‘Positivity Board’

 

 

What are your favourite quotes?  Fee free to comment below…

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In Chronic Illness

“I think I can” and “I know I can” – Life with Illness causes doubts and a battle to remain positive

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Welcome to the second day of the National Health Blog Post Month hosted by WEGO Health.  Every day during the month of November I will be writing a new blog post related to health and living with a chronic illness based upon given prompts provided by WEGO Health.

Today’s prompt reads:

Little Engine Post: Write 3 lines that start with “I think I can…” and then write 3 lines that start with “I know I can…”

Living with a chronic illness is not a life choice but instead becomes a lifestyle; high heels and a little black dress is replaced with a comfortable pair of slippers and a pyjamas.  Not only does it become a lifestyle but also changes the way you not only see yourself but also the way you view the world.  It affects self-confidence, and once in areas of your life you were entirely confident in, now fills you with self-doubt.  So, sentences which started with “I can…” can sometimes turn into “I think I can…” or sadly sometimes “I can’t…”.

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I think I can remain positive despite chronic illness.  Yes, this is still one thing that I know I can do yet.  Living with illness is like riding a rollercoaster; there are plenty of ups and downs.  One day you are able to remain upbeat and positive despite all the things that we have to live with but the next day that upbeat and positive attitude disintegrates into a puddle of depression and low self-worth.

I think I can cope with the dizziness.  But sadly the dizziness is starting to get the better of me and my coping strategies that once worked so well is now not doing its job and is making me miserable as well as leaving me in tears nearly everyday.  Everyday feels like an upbeat battle; feeling like a war instead of simply being able to enjoy the day and all the positive things that happen.

I think I can write a list of all the things I like about myself.  It sounds like an easy question, right?  However, during all the times I have been asked to do this exercise, I have had a lot of trouble to write the list of everything I like about myself;  however give me a list of all the things that I don’t like about myself and I can write quite the list!

But what about what I know I can do?

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Well, I know that I can push myself with a successful outcome.  This week I found out exactly this.  I have missed several weeks of the weekly group that I attend because of illness and particularly the dizziness that I have been struggling with, however this week saw the annual Halloween Party and wanted to attend despite the severe dizziness.  On the day I really wasn’t feeling well and the dizziness was still very bad so really had to push myself; and I did and I managed to not only stay there but actually enjoy myself!  Even celebrating a win at Bingo as well!

I know I can use and stay in the wheelchair.  This used to be big problem for me because of the dizziness in which I live.  A concern of mine was that although I really need one due to the weakness and severe trembling in my legs I would never get used to it, and be able to stay in one for very long, despite the real need for it.  However, not only have I been using the wheelchair for sometime now but can also stay in the chair for some hours despite the dizziness.  I now am going to more places and able to stay out for longer.

I know I can rely and gain a lot of support from a wide network of friends.  Twitter has been a real lifeline for me, as I have met a lot of wonderful people and make a number of lifelong friendships along the way.  The support I receive from others when I am going through a bad time is truly overwhelming and I am thankful for each and every one of my new friends.

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In Chronic Illness

Keep Calm…and Stay Positive

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As most of you know, that due to the unknown cause of my neurological condition is starting to get me down.  It is frustrating and disheartening when the doctors are unable to give you the answers that you so desperately crave.  It is simple – being undiagnosed is dejecting and can causes psychological symptoms such as depression.  All we crave is a diagnosis – a name for the cause of all that we go through on a daily basis.  A name that confirms that we are not crazy or that the symptoms are all in our head.

Due to the weakness in my legs as well as the severe dizziness and fatigue that I experience due to my undiagnosed condition, I am often unable to get out of my bed and so confined to my bed for days at a time.  Staring at the same four walls of my bedroom; a place where I spend a lot of my time anyway is not a positive experience.  It is often a painful reminder of my predicament; a predicament that I am an undiagnosed chronically ill patient.  Being confined to my bed, leads to feeling of loneliness and isolation – how many times when experiencing severe symptoms have thought you were the only person to be going through this experience?  Is that a yes I hear?  Me too.

However, Voltaire once stated “I have chosen to be happy because it is good for my health”.  A truly inspirational quote, and one that is supported by research – there is a lot of evidence that suggests that being positive makes you feel less stressed; has a positive influence on your immune system and has a huge influence on your overall well-being.

But how can we still remain positive when living with a chronic illness, which has such a negative influence on all areas of our lives?

Well, for me I have started to assemble a ‘positivity board’.  A board with cards, postcards, or letters that are both positive and in turn makes me feel more positive and happy despite being bed-bound or dealing with unpleasant.

The board is no way finished but at the moment includes a couple of cards that I found in a local art gallery that includes positive quotes, for example “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; but the number of moments that take our breath away” and my personal favourite “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain.”  Also, on my board is a gorgeous card that was sent to me by a dear friend which has some really lovely words both outside and inside the card which I shall treasure and which brightened my day when I received it – a time when I really needed it.

I also found a couple of butterfly clips which I found in a local shop which I bought just to brighten the board and because of my love of butterflies.

Try making a board for yourself and fill it with all the things that make you happy or makes you feel a little more positive despite whatever circumstances that you often find it hard to cope with, or one which has a negative impact on your life.

Stay Calm…and make a positivity board!

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If you come across any cards that has any positive quotes or perhaps with a lovely picture of a butterfly or sunflower or anything else positive, let me know in the comments section and help fill my positivity board!

 

Thanks everyone! xx

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In Chronic Illness

To dream of the future…

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As most of you know, each Wednesday, I attend a group called ‘Life 4 Living Pontypridd.’  The group is a social one, which promotes positivity and friendship among its members.   The focus of the group is to promote people’s strengths and enjoy life despite one’s own personal circumstances.  One such way, to promote a positive outlook, we have been asked to devise a ‘Bucket List’ – a wish-list that one would like to achieve before they ‘kick the bucket’, or in other words die!

 

 

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It is thought that the phrase derives from the Middle Ages, when execution by hanging, consisted of a noose being tied around the neck whole standing on an overturned bucket.  When the said bucket was kicked away, the victim would hang until dead, hence the phrase “kicking the bucket”.  The term has recently been popularised, by a film starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, of the same name, about two terminally ill men meeting at a hospital, and devises a wish-list of to-do’s before dying, which they attempt to complete together on a road trip.

 

 

The film 'The Bucket List' has popularised the idea of creating such lists of things to do before you die!
The film ‘The Bucket List’ has popularised the idea of creating such lists of things to do before you die!

 

 

Initially, the idea of a such a list sounds morbid and depressing; seems to be planning the end of your life, instead of living life whilst we still have it.  It suggests a “check-off the boxes” approach to life; sitting round waiting to die.   However, isn’t the phrase more to do with living than dying?  Wouldn’t completing items on such a list make life more meaningful and memorable.  Those memories, are not only positive and meaningful for the terminally ill person, but will also live on after they have gone, by those left behind who were also part of the experience.

Now, the condition with which I live, is obviously is not terminal, and more than likely be around for many more years to come.  In this case, the phrase ‘Bucket List’ is misleading.  How many of you, have such wish-lists?  Would your imminent death, really the main motivational factor in creating one?  The majority of people, I am sure would say no.  Perhaps, it is important, however, for people with chronic illnesses to create such lists in order to accomplish personal ambitions, before the illness prevents them from doing so.  Perhaps, by creating such lists, would provide those with chronic illness with experiences that they can look forward to, whilst they are dealing with horrible, debilitating symptoms, and through treatments that can feel worse than the condition itself.  Whilst studying Psychology at University, I learnt about the importance of goal-setting.  Such goals can motivate us to accomplish items on such wish-lists; and furthermore the most motivating goals are those which are hard and specific, although it does need to be coupled with steps to achieving said goal, but writing a ‘bucket-list’ is the critical first-step.

One of the things, that is on my personal ‘bucket list’ is to someday visit Italy, and I am pleased to say, that my parents and I have booked a cruise for next year and one of the countries we will be visiting is Italy!!  Of course, there is much trepidation on my part surrounding the trip, especially giving the deterioration in my symptoms.  However, it has also given me something to look forward to in the future; even on the days where I have been confined to my bed due to uncooperative legs, it has given me something to smile about and aim for.  It has given me something to think about other than illness, and hospital appointments.

It has really put a pep in my step!

 

 

 

What would you add to your Bucket List?
What would you add to your Bucket List?

 

 

What are your thoughts regarding ‘bucket-lists’?  Are you for or against?  What would you put on your bucket-list?  As ever, I would love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below!

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