Life with Chronic Pain and Illness
For today’s Life with Chronic Pain and Illness post, I wanted to share some doctor-appointment related truths about living with a chronic illness:
1. I’m likely minimizing how horrible I feel. I’m certainly not exaggerating. I don’t want to overshare or be completely truthful because I’m afraid you’ll dismiss me.
2. Just because my tests are “normal,” that doesn’t mean everything is okay. The way I feel is not okay, and it’s not normal.
3. You may have a degree and years of medical school, but I am the expert on my body. I live it in 24/7/365. I know when something isn’t right, when it feels different, etc.
4. I’m not required to fit neatly into a textbook category. Chronic pain and illness do not follow nice, neat patterns or rules.
5. Showing compassion to me and other patients doesn’t cost a thing. Sometimes just knowing that we’re heard and believed is enough. It’s okay to admit you don’t have all the answers.
Is there anything you’d add to this list?
I hope you have a low-pain day.
If you’d like to read more Life with Chronic Pain and Illness posts, click here.
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