Hurt and pain come with chronic illness. It’s that old feeling of never being right, of never being enough. It creeps on you in the middle of the night. It creeps on you in the middle of a difficult flare. It creeps on you when you let your guard down and let yourself feel for…Continue reading Surviving the hurt and pain that comes with chronic illness
Category: Dear Healthy People
What the pain acceptance movement misses about chronic pain
Anyone who lives with chronic pain is aware of the backlash against opioids for chronic pain and the treatment of pain in general. This backlash has emerged because of the so-called “opioid crisis” which puts the blame on people in pain instead of the dangerous illegal drugs on the street. Some doctors are now taking patients…Continue reading What the pain acceptance movement misses about chronic pain
5 gifts people with chronic pain really want this year
I’ve already shared by 2017 Chronic Illness Gift Guide, but there are so many non material gifts that people with chronic illness really wish they could receive. 1. To be taken seriously Having a chronic illness is not only difficult physically, it’s difficult emotionally. Many people with chronic illness are accused of faking by their…Continue reading 5 gifts people with chronic pain really want this year
People with chronic pain did not cause the opioid epidemic
Chronic pain did not cause the opioid epidemic. So many people are uncomfortable with how often I address the “opioid epidemic” and how it hurts people with chronic pain. It’s just so easy to blame marginalized populations for complicated problems because they don’t have the resources to fight back. The myth of health as a…Continue reading People with chronic pain did not cause the opioid epidemic
What it’s like when pain never goes away
Some people are under the impression that pain is something that can be conquered. That if you just try hard enough you can beat it and live a normal life. So I thought I’d share a few snapshots from my life with chronic pain. After all, life with chronic pain is absolutely the best, and…Continue reading What it’s like when pain never goes away
How access to opioids changed my life
I’ve shared before how I came to be on opioids for chronic pain. My pain levels had basically gotten so high I was almost bedridden. I couldn’t take care of my kids, I couldn’t work, I couldn’t do anything that required walking or standing of any sort. Luckily for me, I was a patient of…Continue reading How access to opioids changed my life
7 things people with Fibromyalgia are tired of hearing
7 things people with Fibromyalgia are tired of hearing When you have a chronic illness you tend to hear the same responses over and over again. Some of these responses come from people who have good intentions, some come from people who just don’t think. Either way, they are hard to hear repeatedly. I…Continue reading 7 things people with Fibromyalgia are tired of hearing
5 ways chronic illness makes you awesome
No one who knows me in real life would ever call me an optimist. I consider myself a realist which means if something is positive, yay! However, I’m not going to pretend something is awesome when it’s not. This is why I tend to shy away from “my illness is totally empowering” “my life is…Continue reading 5 ways chronic illness makes you awesome
6 things that are a big deal when you have chronic pain
In last week’s post I threw in a line that I didn’t think too much of at the time. And you, your life depends on how bad the weather is that day, or how long it takes you to recover from standing in line at the DMV, or whether or not the doctor screwed up your…Continue reading 6 things that are a big deal when you have chronic pain
5 things not to say to people with chronic illness
When you have a chronic illness you tend to get the same reactions from people over and over again. As much as you try to remember that most people have good intentions being regularly put into a position where you have to defend your illness is exasperating. Here are some suggestions for what not to say…Continue reading 5 things not to say to people with chronic illness