30 Things Meme

I found this meme over here and thought it would be interesting to fill out. Feel free to skip over it if you want.

1. The illness I live with is: status migrainous
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2004
3. But I had symptoms since: birth (1987)
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: letting go of some dreams, and instead learning to go my own way.
5. Most people assume: that I'm stupid because I'm in pain
6. The hardest part about mornings are: waking up and coming back into awareness of the pain
7. My favorite medical TV show is: nothing. I find them frustrating.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: my laptop. It connects me to the world where I would otherwise be alone.
9. The hardest part about nights are: the times when it hurts too much to close my eyes.
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins. (No comments, please) 11 different Rxs, I can't count the number of actual capsules right now.
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: practice somatic experiencing, but recently had to give up acupuncture as it was making the pain worse.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose:....invisible most likely. It's nice to be able to occasionally pass for a "normal" person.
13. Regarding working and career: I can't really have one. I've been disabled since 'o5 when I had to drop out of high school.
14. People would be surprised to know: I would think twice before taking a miracle cure, as I don't know a life without pain.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: the fact that I appear weak.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: turn it into something positive by publishing my children's book.
17. The commercials about my illness: don't really exist. Commercials about migraine in general annoy me because it makes it seem like a pill can cure everything. They never mention the times when the pain becomes intractable.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: playing my violin. I had to stop symphony and private lessons because I was falling too far behind because of the pain.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: school. I was a huge nerd, and loved school so much. It broke my heart to withdraw.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: writing and helping others.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: probably freak out. I wouldn't know what to do.
22. My illness has taught me: that it's ok to ask for help.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "I know my headache isn't anywhere near as bad as yours is."
24. But I love it when people: treat me like a person, rather than a disease.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "Quantum in me fuit" or "I did the best I could"
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: it's not the end of the world.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: how much I can endure.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: left a sweet note on my front door, and attached a spoon for me.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I feel the need to bring awareness to how many people are affected.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: honored.

Quantum in me fuit


~Gretchen