30 things about my invisible illness you may not know...

September 10-16 2012 is National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and the folks at invisibleillnessweek.com have come up with a list of "30 things about my invisible illness you may not know."  I’m participating in the challenge to answer the questions and posting them so that others can get to know me a little more.  If you also have an invisible illness, please copy the list, answer the questions for yourself and post them on your blog or facebook so that others might understand what it’s like for you to live with a chronic condition.  You can then post a link to invisibleillnessweek.com to let them know you are participating in spreading awareness.

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: fibromyalgia

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year:  2011

3. But I had symptoms since: 2008

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: cutting everything out of my schedule that didn’t involve family

5. Most people assume: that nothing is wrong, or that I have changed

6. The hardest part about mornings are: getting moving

7. My favorite medical TV show is: is General Hospital a medical TV show?  Ha ha

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

9. The hardest part about nights are: worrying I won’t get to sleep and won’t have enough energy for the next day

10. Each day I take 1 prescription & 4 vitamins/supplements

11. Regarding alternative treatments I: do some research, pray and try what I feel led to

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: visible

13. Regarding working and career: it’s disappointing that I can’t do more, but I’m building an art career from home

14. People would be surprised to know: for me it’s not the pain that is hard to manage, it’s the fatigue

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: that I can’t take care of my little one the same as I did for my older 2

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: run!!

17. The commercials about my illness: don’t really cover it

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: exercising like I used to (pushing myself)

19. It was really hard to have to give up: sugar!  And processed foods (still working on that!)

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

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: take my little one to the park and really play

22. My illness has taught me: to slow down and be totally depended on God moment by moment

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: imply that I haven’t done everything possible to heal emotionally

 

24. But I love it when people: can sympathize or relate and offer their wisdom

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: “Find rest, o my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: READ, cut out as much as you can to reduce stress and begin to take steps to heal your body

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: I have grown in compassion for others that suffer with chronic pain.  I thought I was compassionate before

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: my husband hiring cleaners for the house

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I love the idea of sharing a little more of my story & would love to get to know others that live with invisible illness as well

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: hopeful that you will understand me a little more

It's YOUR turn!  Answer these questions, post them on your blog or facebook.  You can link them to invisibleillnessweek.com and post the link in the comments section here so I can get to know you too!