Inflammation from head to toe. Front to back. Inside and out. I feel like an elephant is trying to fit inside my human shell.
A cute one though:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="via Cake Wrekcs"]
[/caption]My hair feels like that too! Electrocuted scanty tufts!
Who would've thought my favorite picture ever on Cake Wrecks would've been of an elephant?
Some medicines, insurance rejections, and not carefully reading food labels have rendered me mentally and physically wrought. As upset and overwhelmed as I am, I will not let it drag me down after all the progress I've made. The thoughts that go through one's heads while you're experiencing pain are usually not reality based and can drag you down. I know that the feeling of despair and defeat are not based on the facts, but on the current and ephemeral feelings of frustration. Perspective is key.
My plea and reminder to all those who are sick and tired and being sick and tired is to remember to not be hard on yourself for not being able to do more, for not cleaning those last few pots leaving a food smell, and for having to stay in and watch yet another movie at home. Turn on a few candles, sit down, take naps, rest well, and another run of good days eventually comes around.
Do not punish yourself for not sticking to the diet 100% and if other people scold you for it, you tell THEM to not eat cookies for a whole year and watch them suck at it. However, don't give in to more no-no foods just because you've had it with the rice cakes. Hang tight to the friends and family that support you and put aside the ones that don't for a little while. Do not resent the things you cannot do and the healthy people who do not relate to you anymore. And do not feel the need to make others understand what you are going through (unless they ask). They still care about you just as much even if they don't really get it. Mostly, stop trying to explain to yourself why you should be washing the car , re-tiling the kitchen, and hitting the gym.
Do relax while you wait for the worse to past and start your game plan on how to carry on stronger the next go round of health you have. The easier you are on your body, the sooner you will feel better. Do remember to wear something cute and put some color on your face even if you're stuck home. And do take the down time to think and do something for the other people who have it rough too like a faithful caretaker, a friend who sticks to you when you're bummy, a congregation member who's ill, or the families in Japan. Being chronically ill does not change you're relevancy in being there for others.
Learn the drill cycle and follow through. (Insert smiley face emoticon here).
And for God's sake, if you're allergic to gluten, stop looking at cake websites unless you have the energy and $60 to buy the supplies and ingredients for a wheat free, yeast free, sugar free, night-shade free vegetable, cake.
