WHAT TO WATCH, WHAT TO WATCH?

For those of us suffering chronic pain, anxiety and depression, Friday nights are usually spent curled up watching some Netflix or other entertainment on the good old boob tube. Making the decision to watch some television is easy. It is what we are going to watch that brings on the following conversation with our depression and anxiety:

Hope you find something good to watch tonight!

Contributed by: Barbie Burr & Janet Mullen

MOMENTS IN THE MIND OF A MAJOR DEPRESSIVE

Our co-founder, Barbie, suffers from major depressive disorder, anxiety and chronic pain amongst other things. She came up with the idea of doing some memes that show the internal (and, if she is anything like me with talking to myself, sometimes external) conversations that go on while trying to make just normal everyday decisions.

These were the first in the series that were posted to our Facebook page for ACHES,
www.facebook.com/ChronicHealthSupport:

ON GOING OUT AND MAKING PLANS

SHOULD I EAT?

THE DREADED ER TRIP

EVEN SHOWERING IS UP FOR DISCUSSION

Please feel free to share these and look for more on this blog and on our Facebook page.

Contributions by: Barbie Burr & Janet Mullen

A MAJOR DEPRESSIVE'S INTERNAL THOUGHTS ON CLEANING

Dealing with major depressive disorder, anxiety and chronic pain can lead to some pretty interesting conversations with oneself.

Sometimes it is easy to listen to our depression and anxiety and not get things done. Our thoughts at ACHES is you got to pick your battles and do what you can when you can. Don't always be lead by your inner dialogue.

Contributed by: Barbie Burr & Janet Mullen

APOOFANY - Sniglets for the Sick

Here is another Lumpy Louise Sniglet for you all.

Nothing like having that AH-HA moment when the topic has already passed. Especially if it has been more than a few moments later...

MY LAST PAIN FREE DAY

As a chronic pain sufferer I look for the little things. Just a few hours of low pain makes me happy. I am never without pain. I haven't been for just over 7 years when I suffered a supposed abscess tooth that turned out to be the start of something entirely different that still pains me to this day.

But, that isn't entirely true. There was one day about 4 years ago that I went pain free for a full 24 hours. It was, thankfully, a Saturday. (It would have been a waste if it happened on a work day). It was late Spring and wasn't totally gorgeous out but in my mind, as I think back, I want to make it out to be the most glorious, sunny and 70 degree day ever.

I honestly didn't realize it was happening at first. I carefully took each step, as I had the two and a half years prior, thinking my knee or hip would surge an immense amount of pain into my body causing me to fall as it had done so many times in the past. As I started to get more confident, I remember thinking, "This is it. I actually beat this thing."

I didn't do anything special that day but I enjoyed just doing the normal things I hadn't been able to do for a while. I remember that I took the dogs outside and played with them for a long time and I did some chores around the house. These things probably don't seem so glamorous to everybody, but just to do what others take for granted had meant the world to me.

When I woke the next morning and I had stiffness in my hips and it took, what had become my normal, 5 minutes to get out of bed, I was upset. I tried to remember what it was I did in the days leading up to my pain free day and nothing different than what I had done in the past two and a half years came to mind.

I am glad I had that day but as the days, weeks, months, years go by and I deal with pain constantly, I wish I knew it was to be my last. I am still looking for another one, that elusive white whale, but I am always thankful for the low pain days (or few hours) I get every once in a while.

It is the little things we with chronic pain need to be thankful for.

Contributed by: Janet Mullen

Janet suffers from a rare, progressive illness called Dercum's disease. For more information on Dercum's, visit lipomadoc.org

BIPOOPER - SNIGLETS FOR THE SICK

If you are too young (or just were not into SNL) Sniglets were made popular in the 1980's by comedian Rich Hall. They are defined as "words that do not appear in the dictionary, but should".

Barbie and I have come up with dozens of these so far and we just got started.

Lumpy Louise is a cartoon character I made up (loosely based on me and my struggle with Dercum's disease). We thought, who better to present our version of Sniglets to you. for more Lumpy Louise cartoons visit lumpylouise.blogspot.com

Look for more "Sniglets for the Sick" a few times a week. We hope you enjoy and share with others. Very sorry if you can relate to them though.

Peace and all that,

Janet

IN SICKNESS AS IN HEALTH

1985.

We are the World was the number one hit of the year. Followed by Take on Me at number two and I Want to Know What Love Is was at number three.

When my wife Carol and I exchanged our vows thirty years ago this month, we had a pretty good idea what love was. It was what we felt for each other. It was the commitment we made to each other. And it was the confidence we would be there for each other. No matter what.

But we had no idea how much we would be tested.

From the beginning of our marriage Carol's health was an issue. She had epilepsy, and within a year her job as a hairdresser had to end. She would have a seizure in the middle of cutting a client's hair. And I went to get her, assuring her that everything would be all right.

Then there was the overdose of phenobarbytal. The specialist screwed up, prescribing double the right amount. And I again had to go to her side, this time in the hospital, to tell her it would be all right. That error cost us our opportunity to have children of our own. But we moved forward.

And so it has gone for 30 years. Each time she (and, on occasion, I) had a medical crisis to face, the other would be there, providing assurances that everything would be all right.

Except it's not all right. She now has Dercum's Disease. And cognitive impairment. And no strength, even to get a glass of water for herself. It's like she's 30 years older than her actual age.

And I'm exhausted. I've never fully recovered from a quadriceps rupture and the three surgeries it required. Nor from the concussion I received in a car accident a year ago.

We each have every reason to be disappointed in how our marriage has turned out. But we're not. Nor will we be.

Yes, illness and injury have visited us far more than our share. But that has meant that we have had the opportunity to become closer and dearer to each other.

Yes, my dream for many children didn't happen. But the one child we adopted has turned out well, and he is prepared to step in if something happens to me to ensure his mom gets proper care.

Yes, my faith has been tested, but God has always been there for us, meeting every need.

30 years down. And, I hope, at least 30 to go, living up to the vows we declared decades ago:

For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness as in health.

contributed by: Earl Blacklock