Being Thankful in the Midst of Chronic Pain.









Finally, I am thankful for you… really.

An Open Letter to President-Elect, Donald Trump (from a disabled citizen).

We’re on edge. There is really no way around it, people with disabilities are worried about their future and understandably so. This has nothing to do with partisanship, or who voted for who. We recognize that you have won the electoral college and will become our President in January. This is about so much more than that, this is a plea for recognition.

Our plight is two-fold, we need access to essential healthcare and protection from ableism.

Ableism has always been a problem, but has just recently started getting some attention. It encompasses an over-all belief that people with disabilities are not as “good” as an able-bodied person. In Nazi Germany, people with disabilities were killed just for being sick, but here in America it is much more subtle. From jobs that discriminate based on physical ability to harassment in a parking lot by the uninformed. We struggle to find a compromise between wanting to be well and wanting others to accept us the way we are.

Many people with disabilities are dealing with incurable illnesses, chronic conditions that they have no control over. Sometimes they end up in a wheelchair, sometimes they’re able to blend in to the fabric of society without notice (sometimes it’s a little bit of both). Invisible illnesses outnumber the visible. So many people deal with pain on a daily basis and find little to no compassion or understanding, even from friends and family. I am a person with an incurable illness, and I know there are millions of us (yes, millions) that are begging to be heard, but just don’t know what to say.

Most of us have spent years going to specialists, spending every dime we earn on doctors that try to help, but often can only prescribe medication to lessen the pain. We’ve tried physical therapy, holistic/eastern medicine, vitamins/supplements, and everything under the sun to find relief. But in the end, all we can do is live with what we’ve been given. Some people find medications that relieve enough of their pain to allow them to function on a day to day basis, others find that medical marijuana is the only option.

Lately there has been a “crack-down” on pain pills and the doctors that prescribe them. The risk being that many people that start on opioid medication eventually turn to heroin. Unfortunately, this witch hunt has turned on its heels and we’re now seeing that when patients are taken off of their opiates, that is when they turn to heroin. So with all the doctors being forced into cutting out their pain patients medications, there’s a huge influx of drug addiction. Not the other way around.

Another option for chronic pain patients (like myself) is medical marijuana. Several states have just legalized it, but there are still too many that it is considered a crime. Based on hundreds of studies and tons of research, it has been proven that marijuana/cannabis causes far less harm to the human body than most medications that are passed by federally funded corporations. People in pain need to have access to this natural medication, it is as simple as that.

“Obamacare” is a loaded topic, one that often divides even the closest of friends. Personally, there are aspects of the Affordable Care Act that I like, others that I don’t (at all). But the importance of making sure everyone has availability to medical treatment is the real issue and should never be overlooked just because of party affiliation. It is well known that in your speeches and campaign promises, you said you would “get rid of Obamacare”. First and foremost, we need to stop calling it Obamacare. That is a nickname and not official in any way shape or form, let’s call it what it is, The Affordable Care Act. Then, let’s make it actually affordable! Assign a team to the task of making it work for us, for everyone. It CAN be done.

No one should have to fear losing their health insurance just because someone else has taken a political office, but that is the reality many face right now. It is up to you now to make sure that does not happen.

Finally, I want to say this… please be a good person. This position is about so much more than just being a powerful person, it has to be about being the right person. You claim to be a person of faith, I want to believe that is true. I want to believe that you will stand up for those that cannot stand up for themselves. I (and many others) just have not seen that in you as of yet. It is time to be “presidential” and calm our fears. ***Be the good.***

What does “Ableism” mean to me?

Ableism (officially means)- a set of practices and beliefs that assign inferior value (worth) to people who have developmental, emotional, physical or psychiatric disabilities. But what qualifies anyone to asses these “practices and beliefs”? How has it that ableism has gone unchecked for SO long? This is more than just discrimination against disabled individuals, this is about able-bodied people going out of their way to find fault in our disabilities.

It may not seem like it, but one of the worst forms of ableism is unwanted/unsolicited help. “Help” is a very vague term; sometimes it can mean physically helping someone with a difficult task, this is not the kind of help I am talking about (although there are cases it can be the case). I’m talking specifically about the times that able-bodied people suggest they are helping someone with a disability by giving them “advice” (whether we want it or not).

Let me make this VERY clear… not ONE case of invisible illness is exactly the same. NOT ONE! So, we don’t care if you know someone else with our condition that magically got better (insert enormous eye-roll here), or if you read an article one time that said if we did……. all our pain would disappear. You’re not helping! It’s ableism, whether you are meaning to or not. You’re assuming to understand how we feel, but you don’t, you can’t.

So, how does this factor in to the official definition? Perfectly, that’s how. Unwanted/unsolicited advice is both a belief and practice (on the part of the advisor), because they’re assuming the disabled person does not have the ability to properly care for themselves. When in fact, most people with disabilities are significantly more versed in their illness than most doctors (not necessarily specialists, but it can feel that way sometimes). When anyone without disabilities suggests that they “understand” what we’re going through and offer advice for potential cures, it is like a knife in the back! Unless you are my doctor… I don’t want to hear it!


Another significant issue is people asking if we’re feeling better. No, we’re not and that’s a horrible question! Better than what? Better than when? We’re used to the common “How are you feeling?” it sucks and we have to lie every time, but at least we have an answer for it. Some of us completely lie and say “I’m ok” or “Good”, others say “Fine” and leave it at that. Personally I’ve found that saying “I’m here” is a good way to stop the conversation, without making anyone too uncomfortable. But when someone asks “Are you feeling any better?” I cringe! It’s ableism to assume that I will get better at all. “But don’t you WANT to get better?” I do, of course! But I have an incurable disease… this is not up for dispute. Think before you speak.

If we want to complain, we damn well are allowed to complain! If any able-bodied individuals out there think differently, see ya. Does this mean no one else can complain about anything else, of course not! But do NOT compare your headache to my chronic migraines. Never compare your back pain to my dislocated ribs and curved spine. Don’t say “I know how you feel” until you’ve been diagnosed with something comparable. Period.

I’ve been a little harsh today, more so than usual, but for good reason. The disabled community deserves to be heard and have our rights upheld! Let’s put an end to ableism!!!



Sometimes the Pain is Just Too Much

So, it’s been a few weeks since my last blog post and I apologize for that. I have had a lot going on in my personal life, but more than that, I have been suffering. I’ve tried to do too much and my body is reminding me why that’s a bad idea. I’m tired. I get a lot of rest, but I’m physically, emotionally, and spiritually tired.

This week is my husband’s 40th birthday, and I wanted to make it special. We don’t celebrate our birthday’s. We have kids… they get parties, not us! But for his 40th, I wanted it to be different. So I set up a very small surprise party, just close family and a fun theme (Lord of the Rings, “Over the UnderHill”). I thought by keeping it small and not going crazy with decorations, I wouldn’t be over-doing it. I was wrong. I’ve spent the last few days practically bed-ridden. It was a fun party and he was surprised, but I have a feeling my days of party planning are over. Which is tough for me, as I LOVE to plan parties! Things may be different once I get my electric wheelchair, but I just don’t know yet.

I also had my 20 year high school reunion a couple weeks ago. It was quite fun and I’m glad I went, but (once again) I over-did it. I took a manual wheelchair (as an electric one was too expensive to rent) and my arms were killing me by the end of the night. Also, the back of my legs hurt horribly! How do people sit in those things without thick cushions? Now I know better! Add to that travel time in the car and sleeping (well, attempting to sleep) on an unfamiliar bed, it was another several days before I “recovered” from that trip.

I’ve started several blog posts within the last few weeks, but nothing has felt “right”. I’m not sure why. I wish I did! As many of my followers know, pain is so much more than just physical distress. These past few weeks, I feel like my pain has engulfed me. I hate that feeling. I’m supposed to be the one helping people through their pain, not hiding my head in the sand whenever I struggle with it myself. But the reality is that I have chronic pain, I’m going to have days and weeks like this. I know that! I also know that I cannot let it drag me down.

So, for all of you out there saying to yourself “No one could possibly be feeling this way!” I hear you! I am there with you! You are not alone!

I’m not going to say the cliche answer of “Just think positively and don’t let the pain win.” That isn’t helpful, I know that. It may be a true statement, but it’s not what we need to hear. We need to hear that people are there for us THROUGH the pain! We need to know that our support system believes our pain is as bad as we say it is. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way.

My hope and prayer for you today is that everyone reading this has someone in your life that understands your pain, and supports you unconditionally. Never take that for granted. (((gentle hugs)))

What Does “Pain Awareness” Mean?

September is Pain Awareness Month. For some people it’s an opportunity to share images that represent their particular chronic illness, for others it’s a chance to research methods of pain relief and their effectiveness, but for most it seems like just another awareness campaign that makes no sense. Well, here’s a little insight as to why it is so very important!

Everyone has been in pain… everyone. Ok, there are some people in this world that have a disorder where they literally cannot feel physical pain, but it is actually very dangerous and they tend to hurt themselves quite a bit (like burning their hand on a hot stove) because they don’t feel the pain. But even they have felt emotional pain. All pain is relevant! Yes, National Pain Month is specifically for physical pain, Mental Health Month is in May, but that is not my point. Stick with me.

Pain goes so much deeper than just the nerves in our skin. When someone deals with chronic pain (and I mean 24/7, all day-every day), it is exhausting. It drains every bit of energy out of a person, and it often breaks down the barrier between the physical and mental pain receptors. This is why the majority of people that have chronic illness also deal with some form of depression and/or anxiety. The longer we deal with pain, the worse it can get. More people with chronic and invisible illness die from suicide than any other complication of their disease.

Pain awareness is more than just saying “Hey look, I’m in pain and you should be aware of that!” It’s saying “Pain is a serious condition and it needs considerably more research, we need awareness/funds to make this happen. My life is hard and I need people to know how hard it is, so that we can keep other people from dealing with the same issues I have.”

That is what pain awareness is, that is what it should mean. Let’s spread the word and make people sick of how much we talk about it! Let’s make sure people know that pain is not something to keep hidden. If you’re suffering and feel like you can’t talk about your pain because you’ll just be branded a “complainer”, now is your time to speak out! Make people aware of the fact that chronic pain is a serious condition that can impact every part of your life. No one should have to go through that alone.

So for September (and beyond), spread awareness and share how pain has affected your everyday life. Make the invisible, visible.

My Pain is Being a PILL!

***Fair Warning! I wrote this at 2:30 am… really hoping it makes sense!***


What happens when you think you took your medication, but might not have? Well, that’s a crazy question, because you’re meticulous about putting every pill in each days slot of the weekly medication holder, so why wouldn’t each pill be in each slot? Good question! One could deduce that a random fairy or gnome stopped by and noticed I had left Sunday mornings pill box open, so they decided to rummage through to find a……. ok I’m over making up stupid stuff. I messed up! Somehow I didn’t put my pain pill, my most important (well, to me) medication into the Sunday morning slot in my pill box. When did I notice this? Sunday evening when I could barely move the pain was so intense. I had chalked it up to the weather being bad, which does usually set me into flare mode, but this was different. By night I was shaky and my temp wouldn’t regulate, I knew that feeling… withdrawal. I hadn’t had my pain pill! What the holy hell! It was time (anyway) to get my pills set out for the next week, so I got started on that and took a pain pill (which I don’t usually do in the evening, but it wasn’t a “usual” kind of night). After making a 1000 percent sure every pill was in every slot, I took my evening pills and prayed that I could get to sleep at a decent hour. That was at 11 pm, it is now 2:30 am. Now, just to give you an idea how bad that is… I take multiple sleeping pills and supplements that are supposed to knock me out because of my terrible insomnia. Still awake.

People get on my case for how many prescriptions I take, but what they don’t understand is that those meds are the culmination of the research that companies have put into that which I am suffering from. Yes, there are side-effects! Yes, I take that risk upon myself when I take that drug. Yes, I would prefer to have anther viable alternative (but as of right now it is not legal in the state I live in). So, for now I will do what my doctor tells me to do and take my 15 prescription medications and 7 vitamins/supplements that I know based on research have helped some people in my situation. I will not reduce myself to snake-oil because it “cured” a bunch of people (which is a statistical impossibility). I can’t help being a realist, it’s just who I am. I look at things how they are, not how they could be. So, how things are for me… I need these medications to function on a daily basis. If I do not take them on a daily basis, I cannot function.

Like today.

On a Personal Note

Most of my blog posts are about awareness for invisible illness, social acceptance of disabilities, food allergies, and so on. But it is also important for me (as a person) to just let everyone know how I’m doing and what is going on in my world. It is very possible that this is arrogant on my part, but it’s my blog and I can do what I want. 🙂 Just kidding, kind of.

Well, I had a follow-up with my new Rheumatologist yesterday and sure enough, I do have Rheumatoid Arthritis (possibly Lupus as well). Some of the tests for Lupus were inconclusive, but everything for RA came back positive. They’ll be keeping an eye on the Lupus, but going forward with RA treatments. As for the Ehlers-Danlos diagnosis, I am still waiting for that to become official. She agrees that I “most likely” have it (I know I do, and I can tell she does too, but just won’t say it). She is insistent that I get genetic testing before she can move forward with an official diagnosis, even though I know that H-type does not show up on genetic testing and may not be covered by my insurance (we’re still working that out). Mine is a typical story though, one I’ve heard over and over on-line. People go years without a diagnosis, just to have every doctor shoot down what they KNOW to be true.

That’s one of the main reasons I’m doing what I’m doing! People just don’t know how devastating it can be to KNOW you have this debilitating disease and still have doctors question you. Just because we’ve sought help and answers on-line, does not mean we’re hypochondriacs. Just because we’ve spent countless hours researching symptoms, does not make us obsessive. Just because we’re relentless in our pursuit of a diagnosis, does not make us pushy patients. If we don’t stand up for ourselves, we eventually won’t be able to stand at all!

Ok, off that soap-box (for now). The other big thing that came out of my appointment was a prescription for mobility assistance. Yep, I’m getting a scooter! Not something I will use all the time. I have every intention of keeping attempting to walk for as long as my body will allow me to, but recent activities have been extremely difficult and kept me bed-ridden for days. So, when I told her about it, she agreed I needed that option. I have people coming to my house at some point to asses my mobility needs… yippee! Come see my messy house that I can’t clean because I’m sick! I have blankets I can throw over stuff, that will work, right? The other important thing is that my temporary handicapped placard is being upgraded to permanent. No more renewals and begging for a new one. No more waiting months for doctor visits and having him tell me that they really should just go to people that “really need them”, just to have him reluctantly write one for a couple months because I’m in extreme pain. Justification… I have to say, it is sweet.

Some other (smaller) things to come out of the appointment would be that she took me off of a med that was probably the cause of some severe dizziness. At one point this past week I actually had to be helped out of church because I almost fell over, fun times. My Sjogren’s isn’t getting any better, but we’re going to see how things go once my other treatment starts. I have to get a few immunizations before I can even begin the infusions for the RA. She also gave me steroid injections in my knees, which hurt like CRAZY! I’m hoping it’ll be worth it, because the next day it still feels like the needle is in there! Ugh.

I do have one other big “story” to tell, but I’m going to do so in a separate post. It was a pretty upsetting situation and I have had to collect my thoughts in a big way before posting about it. But no worries, you’ll get the full story very soon! For now, I wanted to give you a little insight into how things are going for me. Other than a very stressful situation (again I’ll post about that later), things are not too bad. Getting a diagnosis is always bitter-sweet. Knowing what’s wrong is always good, but finding out how they’re going to treat you can be daunting! Changes in medication, infusions, steroid injections, all kinds of “good times” ahead. I’ll make it through, I always have and I always will. For now, God bless and have a wonderful, pain-free day!