Coping with chronic illness is never easy. It interrupts the most basic daily responsibilities and activities. Friends, relatives and family become support systems, but one's own priorities and strategies become rearranged to handle chronic illness. Read along as Marie shares with us her health discoveries and daily ups and downs.
Introduction
~ Welcome to My Journal
I'm Marie and I live in a moderately-sized town in the northeast, along with my husband, three small children, and two little birds. My husband and I met when I was a freshman in college and we had a long engagement. We wanted kids and that was the first of our life challenges. Life has brought me many interesting challenges: infertility, developmental issues with my children, some serious medical issues with the kids, health problems in my own family, but I've always seemed to roll along and just go with the flow. I've tried to keep busy and not let life get me down too much.
That is until I noticed that I was having many symptoms of a thyroid problem this past summer. When my doctor and I puzzled it out, we decided I've had it since before my last pregnancy. It's the variety that will always be with me and it requires taking a little pill every morning for the rest of my life. I thought I was handling it well, but then came a big bump this fall. I started having some serious trouble.
It started out with many physical symptoms like so many illnesses, but as this journal developed, it has become something more serious. It's interesting that we take good health of any variety for granted, until something comes along to change that. You think it won't happen to you . . . this only happens to others. "Oh, she has rheumatoid arthritis" or "So and so was diagnosed with lupus." You never form those words coming out of your own mouth that say, "I have such and such." Tests, diagnoses, and feeling terrible become a reality when life hands you such an unexpected detour.
I was recently diagnosed with major depression. They say that depression affects many people, but right now it feels very personal and it's not easy to talk about. Journaling helps me and it is a part of my own therapy as I begin the journey to heal myself with the help of others. I've never been one to ask for help, but it is something I will have to change in myself. My family doctor talked about how this process is a chance to remake myself into someone better. I know that I cannot go on the way I have. So, please join me as I take the path to a better and healthier me. It's already had some interesting twists and turns.
Journal Entries
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