Bumps in the road

Facing a serious medical condition (both physical and emotional) that could potentially change or impact your life's path is a profoundly difficult experience. Suddenly the feeling that your life is no longer going the way you thought it would can be hard to accept but that feeling is incredibly common and valid to anyone in that situation. It can be incredibly challenging and be a journey that involves physical, emotional, and practical adjustments.  

The unpredictability and the potential you may have to adapt can take a significant toll. So I would like to chat about some of my coping mechanisms. Now these might not be for you and I don't think there are any definitive answers we can all put in place but this is just my contribution.

Oh, don't get me wrong, when I first started on this journey the feelings of being alone, of being so scared, of obsessing over every twinge and sensation had me frozen in fear. Yes, I still suffer from ongoing anxiety but I am trying to show myself some compassion and care as well as adopting some practical processes along the way. 

A biggie for me is questions, questions, questions! At first I would just go to appointments and just nod but then come away with that feeling that there was still so much I didn't know. 

Understanding the impact of the changes to your health and your lifestyle are crucial. I don't mean that you walk out of an appointment and immediately change your life. That would be unachievable and just too staggering to comprehend but knowing the facts may give you an idea of a first step you can take is important. And then when you reach that goal, you could possibly try another one and so on. What I am saying is don't focus on a large, overwhelming goal, break it down into smaller, manageable chunks. This can help you feel a sense of accomplishment with each accomplishment no matter how small it may be. 

There is a huge emotional toll, from feelings of frustration, grief, anger, and yes - anxiety. You may mourn the loss of your "old self" and ask “why me”. So my tip would be to be kind to yourself. Accept that it's okay to feel overwhelmed, sad, or angry. And most importantly of all, don't judge yourself for your emotions.

This is one of the reasons I decided to write a journal, and have a go at publishing my thoughts as a blog. I didn't realize how cathartic that would be. Just to be able to get those feelings out there. And if it resonates with just one person then it will have been worth it. 

Another one for me that I have learned along the way is don't diminish your struggle by thinking "well there are others who have it worse." Your pain is real and deserves to be processed and acknowledged. Don't be disparaging of your thoughts. This is your pain and it is therefore important to accept it. Share these feelings on some of the various health forums out there. I know there are lots available but I use Healthunlocked as I find it is a supporting and encouraging site. 

I don't know if any of these tips will help you but even if they don't please know you are not alone. I wish you all the very best for the way forward. 

Ok so my sunshine moment today is when I decided I wanted to say thank you to a friend for helping myself and my hubby celebrate a special occasion by giving them a small gift/memento of the day. After much thought I decided a small posy vase would be a nice idea. It would be a gift I could pop in a small gift bag, take with me and give to her on the day. Now, I am a person who loves bargains so I love to scour online sales. I was beyond chuffed when I found a beautiful little vase on a well known high end website which had a significant reduction in price. It was so pretty and I knew my friend would love it and I ordered it straight away. I was so excited waiting for my little parcel to arrive. So it was a bit of a surprise when the courier arrived with a huge box! Wow, I thought, they must have packed it really well just in case. Hmm! As I started to open the box I realized how wrong I was. Though there was indeed a beautiful vase inside, it certainly wasn't the posy vase I had envisioned but was actually a just under half metre tall ornate vase that would easily take something like a spray of pampas grass! As the picture on the website had looked so pretty and the price was in the range I wanted to pay I never thought to actually check the specifications! After my initial shock I was able to see the funny side of what I had done. Needless to say, I decided to actually go to a ceramics shop where I was able to find just the right present. And the upside is I have now also started my Christmas shopping early as the colour of the large vase will go perfectly in one of my family members living room 😄. So even though things didn't work out the way I originally thought I just looked at it a different way instead ☺️. 



Thank you for reading and a virtual hug to you all. 


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