Some of your best friends are people you have never met. People on-line who support, understand, encourage and empower you through the down days of your pain. They're the members of your "wide awake club", your pain support pages...the ones who always understand...you have them don't you?
And on the days when your body is hurting...have you ever looked for the part(s) that don't hurt? I have. I may only find a few places but I can find them.
And yes! even my fatigue is tired and it's the kind of tired that sleep can't fix.
It's been my bedside, it's been my purse, and it's been an overnight bag...and a few other places too...but I have been a walking pharmacy. Have you?
I can also admit that my night wear has become my day wear. There are days when I have to get dressed and I can't wait to get home and into my comfies again. And there are even times when my sleep is broken and my days and nights gets confused (maybe that's because I'm wearing night wear in the daytime I don't know).
But the one thing I do know is...my chronic illness will NOT take over my life any more! I may not be living the life I once knew...but I am living a life...and it's MY life! I'm living a NEW life...a life where I am in control and my pain isn't. I am living a life with more love, acceptance and compassion towards myself and others. And I'm living it the best way I can taking care of myself and my needs.
I may not be more familiar with the latest medicines to treat my pain than my doctor is...but!...I know what works best for me. I know what soothes my physical pain, my emotions, and I've changed the tape that plays in my head.
I'm sharing this with you as a way of saying...that although some of these things may be true, there is still life beyond a chronic illness and we are the ones in control...not our illness nor our pain. It's up to us to redefine our lives moving forward...there will be somethings we will just have to accept and then there are things we can change. I hope you have the courage to change what you can and to accept what you can't and still love yourself anyway.
take good care of you eh?