Shake it Off

Living with a chronic illness is a challenge beyond words when encountering people who don’t understand. We have all had an experience of rudeness beyond belief. There are stairs when taking medication in public. Rude remarks when using a walking device. 

 I cannot tell you how many times people have been disrespectful or stared at me because I use a wheelchair in a store. The majority of the time people either stand in front of me, unwilling to move or practically run away. People act like I have the plague. I have heard over the few years I have used a wheelchair in a store that I am too young to use one or too pretty. The stairs and remarks make me feel like I owe people an explanation. However, I do not need to explain my life to everyone I encounter. If the right doors are open to education someone I don’t mind but there shouldn’t be a social pressure to explain it all. 

 Many people doubt the intensity of our pain and they question if we are indeed really sick. No one seems to understand battling against your body and taking care of yourself is a full-time job. Simple tasks are draining. Some people go out of their way to upset us or to be rude. They offer unnecessary options on how to break free of the chronic illness chains.

 

Too often Spoonies lose friends due to their illness. Some people want absolutely nothing to do with us while others act strangely towards us. 

Too often people judge us before they get to know us. People treat us at times like we are nothing or are stupid. 

Too often we hear phrases like: 

But you don’t look sick

You need to be more positive

Have you tried…

You’re too young to be sick

It must be nice not having to go to work/school

You’re just having a bad day

You need to get more exercise

It’s all in your head

Maybe if you got out more

These things get under a spoonies skin, to say the least. When people mistreat you, SHAKE IT OFF. It is not your fault. Don’t let them get to you. You are an amazing person. Even though you are ill, you are so valuable. You have so much to offer this world. Shake off the stares, Shake off the negative and nasty remarks, Shake off the heartbreak…. Shake it off.. It’s gonna be alright

Hold your head up high, cause it’s gonna be alright. You have so much courage. You are an inspiration for thriving despite every setback. Sending lots of spoons, prayers, and hugs. ❤

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Illness Awareness Month

Illness awareness months are a big deal providing an avenue for education. Furthermore, it gives those enduring the illness a set apart time to celebrate all the victories they have had over their illness. It seems more socially acceptable to take off the healthy person mask revealing how life is with a monster on the loss inside. Our awareness month also gives us the much-needed reminder that indeed we are not alone despite the feeling of isolation. It is a cracked door allowing outsiders to get a tiny glimpse into living with a chronic illness.

May is one of those months that someone was like let’s see how many illnesses we can raise awareness for in this month and they might have been a bit overzealous. On one hand, it’s great, especially if the majority of your illnesses have the same awareness month. On the other hand, it is a bit much in a short month.

With a complex illness, you could easily take a year or more talking about the illness, testing, medications, and daily living. Times that by over 12 is hectic. To complicate things a bit more the majority of us have more than one chronic illness!

• American Stroke Awareness Month (promoted by the National Stroke Association)
• Arthritis Awareness Month
• National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
• National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
• Hepatitis Awareness Month
• Lupus Awareness Month (promoted by the Lupus Foundation of America)
• Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
• Mental Health Month
• National High Blood Pressure Education Month
• National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
• Preeclampsia Awareness Month
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Chrons & Ulcerative Colitis.
• Fibromyalgia
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

I currently have a diagnosis of the following just from this list: Lupus, Ulcerative Colitis, Osteoporosis, Arthritis, and Asthma. In addition, I might have Autoimmune Hepatitis and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

I always like to challenge everyone to learn one new thing in May about one illness. I am a strong believer in education others about chronic illness. I have encountered medical professionals who have been in need of education (I am not trying to be rude in any way). I have had people in the medical field ask me what’s Lupus? A basic understanding is helpful. Knowing just a little bit helps, even if you are not sick, for the day you encounter someone with an invisible illness.

I could go on all day on this topic, but I won’t as I am sure you have plenty on your to-do list today. Have an amazing day! Be sure to Like Chronically Hopeful on Facebook and subscribe to this blog! There will be a handful of guest bloggers which I am SO excited for!

My Invisible Fight

If you know me, you know I am chronically ill. My illness does not define who I am but it is a part of me. I look at as a trait not necessarily positive or negative. Like having brow hair, an oval face, or having dimples. My invisible fight. Words that empower. Words that inspire. Words that sum up my life over the past few years.

Without a doubt I have become a fighter, in this invisible fight. Few people know the details of my fight. Chronic illness is much more than what is seen on the surface. The battle is within. Falling apart only behind closed doors.

I had many encounters with terrible doctors. No one took me seriously (I still struggle with this today). Doctors downplayed any concerns. My mom was my advocate, my voice. Growing up I was dangerously shy. If someone were to look at me crossed I would shrink back into my shell. Hearing my middle name released a waterfall of tears. Speaking up, was terrifying for me. Gradually I began to find my voice and become my own advocate. I have educated myself on treatment options, my illnesses, and everything medical that is relevant. I have learned that I know my body and my illnesses better than any doctor. After all I am the one who lives with it every moment of every day.  I fought to find my voice. My mom and I fought to find good doctors.

My health began to spin out of control in high school. It became evident that something was really wrong. Little by little new symptoms would develop. A new rash, unbearable pain, sun sensitivity, collapsing, weight loss, hair loss, and that was only the beginning. Medical testing became the norm of my life. Blood work that included more than thirty tubes of blood, MRIs, x-rays, GI studies, CATSCANS, scopes, EKGs, EEGS, and other medical tests that I cannot recall the names to. In addition, I had five operations in high school. The operations ranged from removing my tonsils to removing cysts to explority surgery.I thought I had hit rock bottom my junior year of high school, after an encounter with a medication that caused seizures. Little did I know rock bottom was much further down. Little did I know that I would long to go back to those high school years and deal with that pain and those symptoms.

I felt like the pause button has been hit one too many times. I have been home bound many times over the past six or so years. Every time play was hit and I began to recover, get stronger, and move forward pause would be hit yet again. It seems like each time my life is put on pause gets longer and finding the play button becomes more difficult. 

My invisible fight was taken to a new level in college first due to pluricy. Then to finding bloody urine that indicated a sever double kidney infection lasting four months. I was taken off my Lupus medication which gave Lupus permission to recklessly attack. I began seeing doctors every few days, had medical testing weekly, and became a regular at urgent care. I landed myself in the cardic unit last September. I continued to get worse. More testing. More doctors. More pain. Hopeless.

My symptoms shifted. My abdomen began to give me issues again. This time it was worse. Abdominal swelling to the point of looking at least six months pregnant was my newest symptom.  I began to question how much more my body could take. How many more days of intense pain that sent me to bed screaming and doubling over. I was taped. Giving in to the fight was tempting. No one had answers. No one knew what to do.

Things were terrible. Eating was difficult and staying hydrated was nearly impossible. The fatigue was thick yet my body wouldn’t surrender to sleep. I had to rest going up or down the stairs. Breathing was a chore. Shower a hazard. Daily tasks seemed like huge projects. Some days I couldn’t bend down to put on my own socks.

Finally it happened. This past April, I hit rock bottom. I could barely move. The pain and fatigue were more intense than I can describe. I was admitted to the hospital for ten days. https://chronicallyhopeful2014.wordpress.com/2015/05/02/hospitalization/

Looking back I believe that being admitted was the best thing for my health overall. I was at rock bottom. It was more difficult to keep moving forward than I can describe.

When I received the message on Chronically Hopeful inviting me to help and participate in Invisible Illness Awareness week I was shocked and over joyed. I firmly believe that sharing our invisible fight stories is vital. Someone had shared the fight song. I immediately connected with it and shortly after fell in love with the lyrics. I feel like that is where I am in my invisible fight, taking back my life. Taking back life after dramatic pauses is difficult. At times it is painfully slow. Progress seems invisible.  Taking back my life and continuing to fight is a daily decision and struggle. I am mastering a new balance act with my invisible fight and the rest of my life.

My invisible fight has probably been the most difficult fight of my life. I know it will continue to be a tough fight. It has caused me physical pain, heartbreak, taken me on an emotional roller coaster, played tug a war with my faith, caused me to lose friends, and lose much more. Yes, there are countless negative attributions of my invisible fight, but I am sincerely and deeply grateful to be in this fight. First of all I am grateful because I believe that God will use my invisible fight for his glory. Through my invisible fight I have matured as a person and as a Christian. I have learned so much. I have meet some of the most inspiring people. I have had the honor of running Chronically Hopeful and helping with the Invisible Illness Awareness Campaign. My prayer is that my invisible fight will be a testomy, inspiration, and blessing to others.

Prednisone Part Three

The many side effects of prednisone complicates our already mixed up lives. Coping with them can present challenges. I am here to share a few simple tips of coping with prednisone side effects.

Humor is helps me cope with being chronically ill. Someone once said, “If you’re not laughing, you’re crying.” And as we all know laughter is the best medication. I have always had a unique sense of humor. You either understand my jokes and find me funny or you just think I’m weird- well either way you might think I’m weird. Prednisone is easy to make fun of, which is why countless do so in the online spoonie world. From pictures to songs prednisone humor is plentiful. I feel humor helps us find a sense of normalcy in the chaos of illness.

I love to talk. Some times I just talk even if there is nothing to talk about, endlessly blabbering. Talking is a great way to cope with the emotional monster chained up inside of you from prednisone. Family and friends provide support that cannot be put into words, so priceless and beautiful. In addition to their vital and irreplaceable support, I recommend finding a prednisone support group. I am a huge fan, overall of online support groups. Connecting with other spoonies gives you a different perspective, inspiration, and support in a unique way.

Are you on prednisone? Have you meet the emotional terror monsters evil twin… Cravings? If not you can receive your prednisone cravings and out of control hunger for free.

Hunger and cravings are another monster of prednisone. I don’t know about other people, but most times I do not get truly hungry, I just feel like eating or have cravings. Either way it is another obstacle for many. I face the obstacle of not having many things I can eat therefore I give into my cravings about 90% of the time. I do not recommend this what so ever, I know it’s not the best habit to be in. You already know that you need to eat healthy. It is more important now being on prednisone. The way your body is processing and absorbing food is different then your normal. For example you need to make sure to get enough calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. Lower the amount of sodium you eat. Find foods that are healthy and filling. Of course plenty of water is a must.

How do you cope with Prednisone?

Prednisone: Part Two

Prednisone: Part Two: My Experience

I have been off and on Prednisone for about a year and eight months. The majority of the time I was on a low doses, less than 20 mg. My first round was a two-week quick taper for pleurisy. I did amazing and felt great. The only down side was I was moody. I cried a lot and had anxiety.

I was put back on a low dose for Lupus. I experienced different side effects which included moodiness, moon face being a neat freak, and some insomnia. My doctor attempted to taper me, but at the time I had a sever kidney infection. Tapering off of Prednisone while flaring is not an easy task. I was later informed that Prednisone was the only thing that kept me out of the hospital. Though I was in Urgent Care every day to every few days for IV antibiotics. In addition to the lovely infection that made itself at home in both of my kidneys, I also had a surplus of kidney stones.

Some doctors enjoy playing the lets diagnose you again game, which for the record I am not a fan of. I was taken off all of my medication and my body went hay wire. After a few weeks I tried to get in to see my doctor but was denied an appointment. A Fibro doctor I had been seeing, who ruled out Fibro, helped me get in with a new doctor. I was diagnosed for the eighth time with Lupus. Along with my other Lupus medication I began a low dose of Prednisone and Benlysta. My doctor attempted to trapper me, but my body thew a fit every time. I was able to get down to five mg.

In the hospital the doctors tried every medication they could think of. When nothing helped they began discussing the possibility of increasing the Prednisone. After days of no improvement, many debates among the doctors, and discussions I was put on 60 mg of Prednisone. The relief was almost immediate. The one doctor was shocked how well and quickly my body responded. The plan was to do a five mg taper for a month then follow-up with the gastro.

I had gotten down to about 50 mg, with no additional Lupus meds other than Plaquenil. I woke up a Monday morning at four am. My pain was intense, close to breaking the pain scale. I tried to use the bathroom, bending was terrible. I felt like my keens were going to break from the amount of pressure and pain. I tried icy hot and triger balm. I attempted to lay back down, but couldn’t. It hurt to sit just as much. The pain in my joints and abdomen was terrible beyond words. Around six am I went to my mom, I couldn’t breathe the pain was so intense. I called the on call doctor who was no help at all. Hours later after a few more phone calls I was fit into the doctors schedule. She increased my Prednisone to 60 mg.

It’s been about a month. This is the longest I have been on this high of a dose. I still have difficult days but the pain has greatly improved. My moon face seems to grow daily. It’s gone from assisting me in looking healthy to, “What  happened to your face?”. Yes people do ask that. I have gained weight. Though now I am close to what I should t I am self conscious about the weight gain. That probably sounds weird. I have grown accustom to being under weight. I do have some insomnia and weakness, I would love to blame it on the Prednisone, but I am not convinced it is the Prednisone. Overall, my body responds well to Prednisone, almost too well. I am extremely grateful for the relief and assistance it provides. I look forward to getting off of Prednisone. However, I also dread tapering. Personally, I believe it will go much smoother if my treatment plan is tweaked.

Share your experience with Prednisone.

Prednisone Part One

I have shared on here off and on about my treatment plan. My treatment plan has drastically changed after leaving the hospital. This is partly due to my liver and partly my doctors just being a bit annoying. I have been pulled off of Methotrexate and Benlysta.  Right now my main medication is Prednisone. I have decided to do a small series of Prednisone blog posts, hopefully someone will find it helpful. Prednisone, it is almost always a love- hate relationship. It is unclear which is better being on it or not. There are an abundance of harsh side effects, yet it is a life savior.

Most Spoonies know of  Prednisone, for those who don’t, I will give you a brief overview. By definition Prednisone is, “an analogue of cortisone,used as an anti-inflammatory,immunosuppressive, and antineoplastic in the treatment of various diseases.” Put simply, Prednisone is a steroid. The body naturally makes low amounts of steroids it is also classified as hormones. This steroid is not the same type that well known people such as sports players or movie stars take. Prednisone should be a fast acting medication. It is used for countless illnesses arthritis, blood disorders, breathing problems, severe allergies, skin diseases, cancer, eye problems, immune system disorders and additional illnesses.  

There is a side effect overload when looking at Prednisone. The side effects range from irritating to utterly devastating. Some ‘mild’ side effects include: Abnormal Fat Distribution, Absence of Menstrual Periods, Acne, Disorder involving Personality Changes, Excessive Hairiness, Excessive Sweating, Feel Like Throwing Up, Moon Face, Visible Water Retention, and Weight Gain. More serious side effects include: Seizures, Infection, Low Amount of Calcium in the Blood, Thin Fragile Skin, and Anemia. Most people experience at least one side effect while on Prednisone. Every encounter with Prednisone is different. It is a difficult medication to be on. Many times it alters someone’s personality and how they look. Coping with side effects is a challenge. It is meant to be used short term, but that is not always the case.

Check back this month for more Prednisone posts. I will be sharing my personal experience and talking about how to cope with Prednisone.

A Caregivers Perspective. Part One.

Being a Mom of a Chronically Ill Child

Written By: Eileen Guyadeen

Being a caregiver of one who is chronically ill comes with countless challenges. Caring for an ill child is one of the most difficult things to do. Those who are ill rely completely on their caregivers. Being a caregiver can be a lonely, overwhelming, and blessed road. This post is to honor all caregivers, especially my own, my mother Eileen Guyadeen. Without her I would not be where I am today or who I am today. I could never express enough gratitude for all she has done for me.

-Victoria

My daughter Victoria who writes this blog for chronic ill people, ask me if I would write something for it. I will start at the beginning, Victoria was born on my birthday which is January 28, 1994. She was a healthy baby at 6 lbs 8 oz. A blessing in every way possible, especially when my own doctor told me it will be nearly impossible for me because of myself having endometriosis, and like I told the doctor he is not God, and I truly believe with God all things are possible. My pregnancy went pretty well, listening to my doctor and doing whatever I needed to do to have a healthy child.

Victoria was an active child by the time she was two and a half I had enrolled her in ballet classes, and she simply loved it too. She was small for her age and I kept her first ballet and taps shoes for my keepsake, because the dance teacher had a hard time finding things to fit her. She always loved playing outdoors all the time, during the summer she played in her pool, with her toys, and even loved reading outside all thru the beginning of her teenage years. In every way possible Victoria was always an active child. However over the years since she was a baby Victoria always seem to get a lot of viruses, doctor couldn’t always explain it to me why she did, always missing a lot of school. I remember by the time her ninth birthday rolled around she had a lot of stomach problems, she was out of school for three months, I finally started to record everything she ate and it was the diary that was making her so sick, so I cut it out from her diet. I spent plenty of times in the emergency room with her stomach problems never to know what was going on, and more important never an answer for what was going on.

By the time she was in middle school when I took her to the doctor for the problem, her doctor thought she was trying to get out of going to school. I brought in her report card showing this child was an honor and high honor roll student, and loved being in school. Thru out high school my daughter’s health got worst, going thru five operations in four years. Her health got worst by the time she was a junior in high school that she was on homebound for school. By the time her senior year was about to start the principal of her high school share with us if Victoria miss more than ten days of school she would not be able to walk at her graduation. So with that statement Victoria ask me if she could Cyber School her senior year, and I agree that she could. She finished her senior year with 3.7 GPA, the night of her graduation it was very painful for her to walk at the ceremony, and I cried with her and said I know however you did it with honors in spite of your pain.

Since Victoria graduated from high school things for her with her health has gotten worst. Doctors never can make up their minds for a treatment plan for her, it makes a person’s head spin. I have been ask so many times, how I do this with my daughter’s health. My answer to the question is my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. With everyone appointment rather a doctor appointment, a trip to urgent care, test, or even the emergency room, and hospital stay, I carry along with me my Bible, why because I begin to search the scriptures for God’s promises. In the book of Jeremiah 29:11 it says For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Victoria is a gift from God and I do believe that he loves her even more than her dad and I could ever love her.  Every time my daughter cries in pain, I say to her that God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, and I can do all things thru Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13) we have cried together, as well as something more important which is to pray together. For God to give her the strength going thru this, as well as wisdom for her doctors, to see what He sees inside of her, because Jesus is the great physician. It is never easy, right before my daughter went off to college I had a meltdown. Yelling at God what did my daughter ever do to deserve this horrible disease, and then finally after I stop being angry at God, I heard a voice in my heart then why my son (Jesus Christ) in your place on the cross, I never ask that question again. I am always asking God for the strength thru all of this, we travel two hours each way to her doctors, and yes there has been many times I am total drain with running back and forth. I also have two other children to care for, which at times I feel as thro I have short change them thru this. I try to remember different things to get me thru, Stop, Drop, Kneel, and Pray, I have relied on God to get us thru this with my daughter. Jesus never promises anyone that once we accepted him as our own personnel savior, that our lives would be easy, he promises , surely I am with you always to the end of time (Matthew 28:20) I have seen my own personnel walk with Christ change for the better. I wanted to show Victoria, as well as my other two children, that life can become very hard for us at times, and thru those difficult time we need to run to the Lord, not away from him. Lean on Jesus and give him our burdens. In the gospel of Matthew 11:28 Jesus says these words Come to me, all you who are heavy burdened, and I will give your rest, Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden light. If anyone ever read the poems Footprints in the Sand, as you read these words it says, Lord you say that once I started to follow you, you would never leave me, so I don’t understand why was it at the difficult times I saw once one set of footprints, and the other times there were two. He replied my precious child during those hard times, it was then that I carried you. So I can picture during these hard times Jesus is carrying my daughter. Victoria is in the process of finishing her second year of college, in which she has been doing on line for a while. In thru all of her pain, doctors, test etc. Victoria has manage to be on the Dean’s list at Sussex County Community College, with a 4.0 GPA, as well as being inducted into the international honor society this past March. In the fall she will finish her BA degree at Centenary College which is not far from us, and then hopefully on to Drew University for her Master degree. Thru all of the medical problems that my daughter has gone thru so far, I have totally relied on my church family for prayer, as well as other family or friends, because pray to me is an essential tool we need to have with our daily walk with Christ. For me thru all of this I continue to walk with my Lord, with prayer, studying the scriptures and being involved in my church and just serving him. I continue to thank God for choosing me to be Victoria’s mom, I have been the one who has been bless. Yes it has been difficult with her disease, you see she has lupus which is an autoimmune disease, however it doesn’t define who she is and that is she is the daughter of the most high king Jesus Christ.