How to Better Deal...
Wed, July 07, 2010 12:00 AM
I have been through quite a bit this year healthwise...especially with the colitis. And it seems like every time I go to the doctor, I get told more bad news! (When I went to the dentist last week, they told me the enamel was wearing away on my teeth from the acid reflux...which happens with the colitis...) I feel like I am stuck in a slump about the disease. I am having so much difficulty coming to terms with the fact that this is my life. I haven't been taking my medication or the vitamins I am supposed to be taking...and I've generally been slacking in health related stuff lately. How can I get out of this funk? What do you all do to help you? I feel like I am snapping about things that I shouldn't be, and I feel bad because my family and friends are taking the brunt of it. How do you guys control your health fears and concerns, and prevent it from bothering you too much? Thanks!
milkyway4679Joined Mar 30, 2010
Thu, July 08, 2010 12:19 PM
Reply posted for milkyway4679.
I get really tired of having to tell people "Not well" when they ask me how I'm feeling. Even if I try to act like "Oh, I'm fine! I'm great! Everything is wonderful!" They know I'm lying cuz I don't lie very well!
Joined Jun 23, 2010
Thu, July 08, 2010 12:00 AM
Reply posted for milkyway4679.
I am so glad I ran across your post. At times, I have a really hard time coping with it. It is hard when you have a relatively good day, and then are completely out the next day. It is frustrating. At times, I have felt like a burden, like an invalid, and nonhuman. What honestly has helped me is realizing that I am not alone. I have friends who support me and who I can be honest with. I have had to tell them how I feel, why I am frustrated, and what I need from them. We have to be honest with how we are doing. Always know that there is support here, and also you may want to check into support groups through your hospital. I have learned that the more honest I am about how I am doing, the more others will be able to cope.
I think that far too often we blame ourselves for a disease that we cannot control, nor did we cause. I can follow a strict diet, relax, take medications, but ultimately I have no control, and you don't either. It is easy to say show yourself some grace, but it is hard to do. If you are having a hard time, do what you enjoy doing. At times, I just have to put in a movie and cry. If you don't know how to articulate what you are going through, write it down and show those around you.
What gets me through ultimately is my faith. I choose to believe that Christ understands my suffering because He suffered for me. I know I am not alone, because He gets it. I have found that my faith is what gets me through, and will continue to help me persevere even in the midst of great trials.
Hope this helps! You are definitely not alone!
ravenjenJoined Jul 7, 2010