Chronic Illness Vs. Chronic Illness With a Cold

Living with chronic illness, every day is optimized to try to reduce my symptoms.

When I get a cold too, it brings out all the symptoms of both conditions in full force.

On a normal day, my fatigue means I need to rest, with breaks to eat or take medicine.

With a cold, I’m stuck in bed for days with waves of fatigue and pain continually washing over me.

On a normal day, I contemplate which treatment options I want to try today to manage my symptoms.

With a cold, the symptoms blend together and become amplified, so even medications or rest might not dull the pain.

On a normal day, I might be able to drive to work or run errands, or use a ride share if I need to.

With a cold, going to work becomes impossible and even unlocking my phone to call a ride wipes me out for the rest of the day.

I can’t just ‘bounce back’ like you might from a cold.

It’s symptom upon symptom that can carry on for weeks.

With a chronic illness, it’s never ‘just a cold.’