autoimmunewarrior

“What is life like for people living with autoimmmune disease from day to day?”
.
There are as many as 80 types of autoimmune disease and many of them have similiar symptoms which make them very difficult to diagnosed. But despite of our diagnosis, the most common symptoms among patients with autoimmune disease are chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and “brain fog”.
.
Autoimmune and chronic fatigue go hand in hand. If you struggle with chronic fatigue - like I am, you’ve likely been in situation where you’re trying to express how you feel and a healthy person responds, “Yeah, I’m a bit tired, too. Hectic day, right?”. But the problem is our “tired” was a healthy person’s extreme mental and physical exhaustion. It’s not linear comparable.
.
Pain is our daily companion, too. It is especially for people who also diagnosed with #Fibromyalgia . On a scale of 1-10, my daily pain level is between 3–4. During a flare up, the pain level increases to 7–8. Pain level of 7 and above are consider as “severe pain”. And it being said that pain level of 8 is comparable to childbirth or a real bad migraine headache.
.
We also often complaining about “brain fog”. Brain fog isn't a medical condition itself. Brain fog is a general term for dysfunctions in focus, learning, and memory. This cognitive state can also make it difficult for us to remember and understand information or spoken language, focus on the task at hand, plan your day or for a task ahead, and so on.
.
We’ve all had those moments from time to time if not everyday, and it is important to be your own health advocate if you’re experiencing this condition, because people should know what we’ve been going through a lot, not for their sympathy, but to raise awareness. Remember that you are not alone in effort to embrace this illness. So, don’t suffer in silence!
————
#journalife #InvisibleIllness #BrainFog #ChronicFatigue #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #autoimmunewarrior #readJL1

“Unless they're superhuman, nobody's going to look perfect all the time” - Kaia Gerber.
.
So you said I am the stronger one. You said I am brave and have courage. You said I am your inspiration. You said I am the true definition of a tough woman. But this time, I'm also strong and brave enough to say this to you; Yes, I am sick. And I feel tired of being sick and tired.
.
Please don't get me wrong. I always give my best to stay strong. I always try my best to fight this illness. And I never gave up. But after all, I am only a human. I am still a human who has limits and can feel tired. I am still a human who can feel pain and soreness. I am not a superhuman.
.
Do you think that because I’ve been suffering from this illness for years, then I'm getting used to it? No... that will never the case. I may have a higher pain tolerance than you. I might not show my pain to you. But it's totally different from being numb. It still feels painful and intense. And sometimes it's unbearable.
.
Now, I'm standing here to tell you this; No, I’m not as strong as you think. I also have fear of facing my illness. There is a lot of blood and tears to fight this illness. There is a lot of rejection and disappointment in any acceptance. There are many ups and downs until finally I can admit that I am sick, and I may have to give up on my old life.
.
Although, I always tell myself that life is about managing this illness and getting up again. Life is also about making new adjustments and rebuilding my life again. And life is about never giving up your life. Because we all want to live. We want this as much as we can, and that’s why we fight for our lives until the end.
.
Just sometimes, I need to remind myself that I also have a permission to feel tired. To have a break. To stop fighting this illness. To accept my limitation. To admit that I am sick. And to show others that I have tried, but this time I lost.
.
I relapse.
———
#journalife #quotesoftheday #InvisibleIllness #ChronicIllness #MentalIllness #Spoonie #AutoimmuneDisease #HeartDisease #Pacemaker #autoimmunewarrior #depressionfighter #pacemakerhost

“Inside each of us is a natural-born storyteller, waiting to be released” - Robin Moore.
.
There are a reasons why I call myself as a storyteller - not a motivational speaker. First of all, I feel that I’m still not good enough to be your role model. I might show some strength, but at some point I also show my weaknesses. You will see my ups and downs here and there in my story.
.
Second, I’m not just limited to sharing inspirational stories. For me being a storyteller is as easy as sharing my true life story - no matter it is a good or bad life story. I won’t comfort you by telling that live with multiple chonic illness is like sunshine and rainbow every day. Life is hard - even for healthy people, and it’s even harder for us, chronically ill person.
.
Third, my main objective as storyteller is to raise awareness about invisible illness in which my focuses include heart disease, autoimmune disorders and mental illness. I try to reach out to others by sharing my own personal journey - as it is. If eventually my story creates good insights for my audiens and inspires them, then I will take that as a bonus.
.
It can be concluded that as a storyteller for invisible illness, I share the true face of this illnesses, which is usually not a pleasant story at all. I know it’s easier for you to read easy content about happy life that makes you feel comfortable. But what does it mean if it's not real life?
.
That’s why with honesty, I try to share my journey of pain, suffering, and, ultimately, coping, both to help others gain some understanding about what it is like to live with chronic illness - and to help those who might similarly suffer feel less alone, so that they too might start living again.
.
Like Brandon Sanderson said, “The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.”
.
So, what’s your story?
——
#journalife #quotesoftheday #InvisibleIllness #ChronicIllness #MentalIllness #Spoonie #AutoimmuneDisease #HeartDisease #Pacemaker #autoimmunewarrior #depressionfighter