Having a chronic illness is enough of a roller coaster ride in itself. Adding all of the extra emotional turmoil just gives you that much more to deal with. And I'm not going to lie - it gets tough sometimes. We all go through the different stages of how to deal with the more difficult people and situations that we encounter. And like it or not, sometimes we can't help but be a little snarky and sarcastic.
I came across a couple of pictures going around on Facebook this week. And I'm going to share them, because they made me laugh, but I have to share them with a caveat. The first thing is that people in constant pain have to be able to laugh, and sometimes the irony of what we deal with is as good of an excuse as any. So when you see things like this, appreciate them for what they are, and laugh.
But at the same time, remember that the sarcasm serves a purpose, but should not be used as a guide for your outlook on life. And sure, if you've never been there that may seem like it should go without saying. But trust me when I say that when you're in constant pain, bitterness and sarcasm can start to seem like a very valid lifestyle choice.
For when you're dealing with the people who completely understand your pain because they once got a paper cut:
And for when you're dealing with those people who insist that there's obviously nothing wrong with you:
So there you are. Appreciate the humor. Snark now and then if you have to. Just try not to let it control you.
I won't say "I understand", but endometriosis affected me from 19 to 25. I know how it feels to be in pain and have people that tell me that I was just a young woman seeking attention. The good thing about that experience was that I learned the strength within me.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry you had to go through that! Doesn't it just make it so much more frustrating to be in pain, and then have people not take you seriously because you're young, and a woman?
DeleteThe original injury that caused my CRPS happened when I was 14. So when I would sit in the doctor's office, crying because I was in so much pain, I was looked at either like an attention-seeker, or an overly emotional little girl. I don't think any of them *actually* ever patted me on the head, but it was always in their voice.
I'm glad that you came away from it stronger for the experience.
Yeah, sometimes a small dose of snark is just what the doctor ordered.
ReplyDeleteAnd, like @Liz, while I can't begin to truly understand your situation, I did have almost a year of pain that they thought was endometriosis (turns out it wasn't), that was sometimes just annoying and other times debilitating. I almost lost my job because of it, though my bosses would never have thought of firing someone with a "recognized" disease of some sort. But I finally got a cure for my issue; I can't imagine dealing with your situation of a lifetime chronic illness. I think if you *weren't* snarky from time to time, you might not be normal. ;-)