Big love to everyone with a major illness who's recovering from the holidays now:
I've been disabled w/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis for 32+ years and have had cancer for seven and each year at the holidays there's a deluge of articles instructing you how to navigate the holidays while you're ill.
And you can't, really, if you want to participate at all. Because most persons don't understand major illness and/or disability until it happens to them--much respect to everyone who truly does get it--so when you ask that a portion of the festivities be tailored to your abilities, well, good luck.
I'm extremely lucky and I've reached a point in my life wherein I can only spend the holidays with loved ones who understand my physical parameters. I appreciate them so much, but I also know from experience how many others--the ones I've left behind--are stubbornly, stupidly steadfast in their beliefs that disabled and/or ill persons just need to try harder at the holidays and everything will be merry and bright.
I've been able to walk my Pomeranian Jordan today and to feed him and play hallway fetch with him. Other than that, I've been lying flat, feeling like death is imminent in the next five seconds.
But this past week really was wonderful. And while I curtailed all extraneous activity, my body still didn't cooperate.
In my case, it was worth it--a lot of fun, even masked and lying flat on the couch--and if you're physically disintegrating tonight, too, I hope it was worth it for you, as well.
Good wishes all around.
Day 12 of 365
#MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #cfsisamisnomer #pwme #Disability #ChronicIllness #Holidays #WarmWishes