peonyprincess
08-23-2005, 02:22 PM
We all know the saying..."into every life some rain must fall". Those of us with an autoimmune disorder also know that we see more than our fair share of rain with our everyday lives. Our schedules have been altered. Some of us work, others are forced to take disability. Some of us can survive the day with little to moderate pain and others of us are "down for the count". I have often wondered that maybe it is not the medicinal properties causing our excess weight, but the amount of pills themselves..... :lol:
Anyway, as we continue our day to day lives, I have wondered what our future holds. Many of us deal with families and friends that have compassion one minute and disappointment and disgust the next. We deal with enough of the rollarcoaster of emotions with our disease that we dont necessarily need their added problems or inability to cope with our disease. I get so frustrated when family members say, "well, you have to see it from my point, I dont understand". Why do we have to adapt to their feelings? From reading the various posts that we have all learned and are still trying to learn how to change our lives. We have changed the way we live, the way we work, the way we play. We plan our lives around medication, we plan for our treatments, we plan for potential problems and the what ifs. We have had to change what we wear to the size of what we wear. We have had to change our homes, our automobiles. Some of us can no longer play with our kids like we used to do, for some of us planning for vacations are out. What once made us laugh, now makes us cry. What once made us cry, makes us laugh. Our emotions and feelings are about as predictible as the weather. It seems that all of us with autoimmune diseases have changed a great deal,some of which has placed a negative impact on our lives.However........ there are some good things that have changed our lives. One is how we look at others. Maybe we have learned a little more compassion for the "other guy". We now look at the "little old lady" in the grocery store, poking her way down the aisle with admiration. We look at the child fighting cancer, not as a victim, but a fighter. We see the elderly couple driving down the road well below the speed limit, and we see longevity. We have been forced by nature, genetics, or someone far greater to slow down and acknowledge everything around us, the smells, the colors. Our senses have become more heightened. We have become driven to learn more about not only our illnesses but others as well. We have learned to educate ourselves beyond the basics. We have searched for and found a very large extended family that understands our mood swings. They share in our joyous times and the cry along with us during our tragedies. We share recipes and laugh at crazy jokes. We have found.......each other.
Anyway, as we continue our day to day lives, I have wondered what our future holds. Many of us deal with families and friends that have compassion one minute and disappointment and disgust the next. We deal with enough of the rollarcoaster of emotions with our disease that we dont necessarily need their added problems or inability to cope with our disease. I get so frustrated when family members say, "well, you have to see it from my point, I dont understand". Why do we have to adapt to their feelings? From reading the various posts that we have all learned and are still trying to learn how to change our lives. We have changed the way we live, the way we work, the way we play. We plan our lives around medication, we plan for our treatments, we plan for potential problems and the what ifs. We have had to change what we wear to the size of what we wear. We have had to change our homes, our automobiles. Some of us can no longer play with our kids like we used to do, for some of us planning for vacations are out. What once made us laugh, now makes us cry. What once made us cry, makes us laugh. Our emotions and feelings are about as predictible as the weather. It seems that all of us with autoimmune diseases have changed a great deal,some of which has placed a negative impact on our lives.However........ there are some good things that have changed our lives. One is how we look at others. Maybe we have learned a little more compassion for the "other guy". We now look at the "little old lady" in the grocery store, poking her way down the aisle with admiration. We look at the child fighting cancer, not as a victim, but a fighter. We see the elderly couple driving down the road well below the speed limit, and we see longevity. We have been forced by nature, genetics, or someone far greater to slow down and acknowledge everything around us, the smells, the colors. Our senses have become more heightened. We have become driven to learn more about not only our illnesses but others as well. We have learned to educate ourselves beyond the basics. We have searched for and found a very large extended family that understands our mood swings. They share in our joyous times and the cry along with us during our tragedies. We share recipes and laugh at crazy jokes. We have found.......each other.