Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Save your energy for the important stuff!
Another excellent article from FibroTV. This could apply to just about everyone:
Choosing Your Battles Wisely with Chronic Illness
There is a certain person in my life, whom I do not care to name, who has never been supportive. I should mention that she was not supportive prior to me becoming sick, so it's not really a surprise that she has berated me for being a weak person, for "dwelling" on my illness by offering support to others, for getting sick at a "suspiciously convenient" time. She even once said that no one gave a sh*t about me. I have not chosen to completely cut off contact due to a family tie, but I do keep my interaction with her to a minimum.
Choosing Your Battles Wisely with Chronic Illness
There is a certain person in my life, whom I do not care to name, who has never been supportive. I should mention that she was not supportive prior to me becoming sick, so it's not really a surprise that she has berated me for being a weak person, for "dwelling" on my illness by offering support to others, for getting sick at a "suspiciously convenient" time. She even once said that no one gave a sh*t about me. I have not chosen to completely cut off contact due to a family tie, but I do keep my interaction with her to a minimum.
Comments:
Hi Klbrowser,
I'm sorry this person has been so horrible to you and that you have to continue to deal with him/her. Lots of people just don't get that chronic illness is usually invisible. Illnesses that relapse and remit draw even more suspicion.
I'd like to tell you not to care what others think, but then I'd be a hypocrite. I know what it's like to crave validation and understanding.
I'm so sorry you're ill. Blogging can help, I know. I used to blog a lot about my illnesses. It also helps educate people about what it's like and provides support to people going through similar things. Plus, it's so courageous to tell such delicate, intimate details publicly.
-Ashley
I'm sorry this person has been so horrible to you and that you have to continue to deal with him/her. Lots of people just don't get that chronic illness is usually invisible. Illnesses that relapse and remit draw even more suspicion.
I'd like to tell you not to care what others think, but then I'd be a hypocrite. I know what it's like to crave validation and understanding.
I'm so sorry you're ill. Blogging can help, I know. I used to blog a lot about my illnesses. It also helps educate people about what it's like and provides support to people going through similar things. Plus, it's so courageous to tell such delicate, intimate details publicly.
-Ashley
I don't crave validation and understanding, at least not too much. But I do crave tolerance. I wouldn't be particularly bothered that this person doesn't believe I'm sick, IF they would just stop throwing it in my face. But we don't get much choice who we are related to. Luckily, we DO get to choose our friends, and I have some wonderful ones.
I started blogging when it became too exhausting to e-mail each of my friends individually. It was originally more like a journal. But now I am too ill to spend as much time as I would like at the computer, so most of my entries are links and bits of entertainment or inspiration with maybe a paragraph or two that is personal. My healthy friends tell me they have learned a lot from the articles I post. My chronically ill friends might already know some of these things from personal experience, but you are right, I think it helps to feel less alone.
I'm sorry you're ill too. But I'm glad we live in the modern age. Whereas the chronically ill are often physically isolated due to being housebound, unable to work, etc., now we can still have emotional connections with friends old and new thanks to the internet.
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I started blogging when it became too exhausting to e-mail each of my friends individually. It was originally more like a journal. But now I am too ill to spend as much time as I would like at the computer, so most of my entries are links and bits of entertainment or inspiration with maybe a paragraph or two that is personal. My healthy friends tell me they have learned a lot from the articles I post. My chronically ill friends might already know some of these things from personal experience, but you are right, I think it helps to feel less alone.
I'm sorry you're ill too. But I'm glad we live in the modern age. Whereas the chronically ill are often physically isolated due to being housebound, unable to work, etc., now we can still have emotional connections with friends old and new thanks to the internet.
