Define "Sane!!!!!!"
Chronic illness is more than a bummer!!! It doesn't care if you have things to do. It does not care if you were not able to walk down the aisle at your wedding, or can't sit through your children's graduation services.
It does not give a hoot if you feel ashamed, embarrassed, guilty for letting yourself down, for letting other people down. It could less if you can't play with your dogs or grandchildren. It does not care if you sleep well, eat well, or take your medicine on time.
When we visit our grandchildren, I nearly always have to take a nap after lunch. Afterwards, I will ask my granddaughter what have you been doing? She has said that they went on a walk. It is hard for me not to go down that slippery slope of negative thinking:
Gosh, you miss out on everything!
No telling what peopled think of you!
They must think that you are a lazy bum!
Does your thinking pattern ever resemble anything like the preceding thoughts?!
And of course, as I have mentioned several times, this can set up the spiraling feelings that are a result of the negative thinking!
It is at this point that a person needs to quickly jump into the driver's seat, and reframe the negative thoughts!
You are not lazy. You nearly always need to rest some during the day.
Do you still care so much what people think of you? These people are your family, and they love you, no matter what!
For many people, this process is on going.
However limiting, binding, time and energy thieving chronic illness might be, life with it is about making choices that you control.
Life with chronic illness is about managing expectations while keeping the hope alive enough to still make plans for the future. Some of this info is shared by Ilana Jacqueline.
From Me to U!
Hope, s!till in the fog!
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