#Chronic Inflammation

[endometriosismemes]

[420spoons]

Meme painting of a woman adorned in royal clothing and jewels. The text over the image reads, ‘Disabled people, watching all of the accommodations that were created because of COVID get ripped away as part of able-bodied peoples’ “attempt to get back to normal.”

[thecovenhouseco]

The scariest thing about being chronically ill and waiting to figure out wtf is wrong with you is dealing with scary symptoms you don’t know is just a symptom or something else that’s really serious. The anxiety from that itself is debilitating. My body feel like a torture device that I will never escape.

[fruitdragon]

My mother explaining my disability : Okay so you have GCK-MODY which means that if your insulin levels aren't regulated they will start to eat your connective tissues and your mitochondria isn't properly stimulated when nutrients enter the cell leading to chronic exhaustion. You also have Chronic Migraine, hemiplegic leading to partial paralysis and weakness of the limb leading to long term damage, as well as "regular" meaning some days you won't be able to get out of bed because the your senses are attacking your brain, sometimes leading to vomitting spells and blindness episodes. You are also suffering from Long COVID, post COVID myopathy and lactic acid overproduction....

Me explaining my disability: So yeah my parents genetics are a nightmare and I got cursed by the bone wizard, check out my forearm crutches

(my mother's explanation is actually usually much more detailed since she got her PhD in biology and biochemistry and works in patient engagement for research surrounding disability. But I gave what she will bring up in casual conversation)

[kellylynncurry]

I want my old body back Before the medication ravaged it And distorted it Gave it these aftereffects And turned it into this wreckage — Kelly Lynn Curry

From the book Radiant Poppy

[pcos-and-endo-awareness]

[bluebird-poetry96]

Self Doubt in the Air

Why can’t I just...

Be.

Be a person who makes mistake,

Be someone who takes risks, and thinks themselves invincible,

Be a courageous person, live in the storm that is my soul.

Be a person who loves way too much, with such a force of-

Wait,

That’s one I have mastered...

I have banged that god forsaken hammer atop that nail,

Bending, breaking, busting

Beseeching to receive the same. 

i just want to be...

Free...

-Raven Blue Bell

[beenovel]

Me: I need new knees

My mom: I’ll see what I can find on Amazon

[stardustxreverie]

My specialist doctor has specialized knowledge on my chronic illness it's almost like my GP referred me for a reason 🤯

[baja-blastoise]

So I went to the rheumatologist the other day and they prescribed me gabapentin. However, the doctor never went over any of the side effects, so being the overly cautious person I am I decide to look them up and HOOOO BOY idk if I want to even try gabapentin anymore. They say it can ultimately cause dementia as well as:

• cause memory loss

•weight gain (which I already have problems losing weight anyway)

• clumsiness

Among many other things. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in a lot of pain, but I’m too scared to try it at this point. Has anyone tried gabapentin for chronic pain/fibromyalgia? If so, how was your experience and did you have any side effects?

[endometriosismemes]

Image: The singer of Ms. Jackson looks questioningly upwards Image caption:

Me: Explains what a chronic illness is Healty Person: Forever ever? end of image

[lillypadcrochet]

After a busy medical week I’ve updated my big girl beads of courage

(For those who don’t know, kids with medical needs can join the beads of courage program, where they receive a bead for each medical encounter to keep track)

I made my own because god knows this chronic illness journey can be hard, even as an adult.

This week I had an abdominal MRI with glucagon (which made me puke)

Then my brother and his partner had a gender reveal for their baby girl (!!!) and I had to sit and watch everyone eat celebratory pizza bc I had to do clear liquids for colonoscopy prep

Then prep made me puke again, but thank you zofran for saving my ass during part 2- I think I’m gonna have to request that be a set part of my prep plan cuz ugh puking straight liquids is gross and annoying.

My scopes went well, though I woke up wizard high and they had to bring my mom back to hang out with me in recovery because it was taking me too long to sober up 😅

Evidence of gastric and ileal inflammation, so we’ll see where to go from here I guess

I went back to work on Thursday and was immediately told by a student that I looked sick 😂

I still haven’t gotten my mri results back which is frustrating me- I recently had crazy itchiness and some wonky liver number in my labs (though they were trending down) so I want to see what that looks like on imaging.

Anyway!

Next week I have my first rheumatologist appointment and a follow up with my GI! Another busy week 😬 but I’m glad to be making moves and not just waiting waiting waiting.

I love my doctor and I really trust her expertise, even if I know I’m gonna have to switch to a less convenient drug (lifestyle wise)

[thecovenhouseco]

Being physically ill and going to the doctor is the same as bringing in your car to the shop because it’s acting funny and the car running perfectly fine while at the shop.

[fruitdragon]

Sometimes my brain goes: "But what if I'm faking it" and then it hits me that hoping for good pain days, crying myself to sleep because it hurts too much and having the 'forearm crutches vs cane' debate to myself every morning after I down my pain meds isn't something that healthy people do

[kellylynncurry]

I am a prisoner to this bracelet fastened around my wrist.

Blood pressure cuffs and IVs ordained like jewelry

My energy and morale falter

Pharmaceuticals flow through my recovering veins

The cheery nurse’s bedside manner is anything but infectious

I can’t wait to leave this place.

— Kelly Lynn Curry

From the book Radiant Poppy

[pcos-and-endo-awareness]