** Due to the increasing severity of MY ILLNESS, it has become impossible for me to continue to post on a regular basis. Unfortunately, as much as I desperately long to, I am also unable to visit each of your blogs often or reciprocate all the loving, supportive comments many of you continue to leave - even though at times it may appear as though you've arrived at some long ago, forsaken blog! With that said, I really want you to know that I miss every single one of you and that I really am still here! I'm just too sick and too weak most days to be able to sit up long enough to create a brand new post...or even read one. However, I absolutely do receive AND read every new encouraging word you leave (and, often, the old ones, again and again!) and I cherish them now more than ever! I truly appreciate your love, support, and, most importantly, your precious time spent on your knees in prayer for my family and me. It ALL means the world to me and I am truly blessed to have friends like you!
~Hugs and Sister Love, Teresa

FYI: All comments come to my email, which I can easily read on my phone. I also enjoy Facebook on my phone because I can catch up on A LOT in a very short time there. Soooo, if you're on Facebook, come 'friend' me there! {{HUGS}} **

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

YOU KNOW YOU HAVE
A CHRONIC ILLNESS WHEN....

Let’s face it, most days having a chronic illness is just no fun. However, it can have its humorous moments if we look for them. I found the following 'funnies' and thought I'd share them with you!


You know you have a chronic illness when:

  • You bawled when the television show 'ER' went off the air because it was the only TV show where you actually felt like you understood all the technology talk.
  • When you hear the term 'Club Med' you automatically think of the hospital.
  • When you are in the hospital you keep imagining people being intimate behind closed doors because you’ve watched too many episodes of 'Grey’s Anatomy'.
  • You ask your child to open the child-proof bottles of medicine because your hands are too sore.
  • Your medical records have to be transported on a cart.
  • To entertain people at parties you recite the side effects of medications as if you are the voice-over on a commercial.
  • Your favorite Oprah program is when Dr. Oz is on.
  • The pharmacist brings your medications to the counter without you having to give him your name.
  • To get rid of boredom on road trips, your whole family can go through the alphabet and name a drug that starts with each letter of the alphabet.
  • When you’re unable to sleep because of pain, you watch 'The Jerry Springer Show' or a 'The Real Housewives' and feel like you actually have a life.
  • Your spelling has improved dramatically, especially on words like 'fibromyalgia' and 'osteoporosis'.
  • When anyone around you has an accident you have a complete First Aid kit of bandages, ointments, sanitizers, etc.
  • Or you’ve been 'Around the World in Thirty Minutes' with CNN’s Headline News 57 times in one sitting.
  • You earn $20 cash back a month from your pharmacy’s bonus points.
  • You have a panic attack in public and say, “Praise God this is only the fourth one today!”
  • You’re invited to the wedding of the gal who works at the hospital lab.
  • Someone says, “You are looking so good!” and it actually makes you feel a bit frustrated, rather than flattered.
  • Your child thinks watching you give yourself injections of medication is 'cool'.
  • You have a flashback and don’t know what happened and can honestly say, “I don’t know where I was or what I was doing but I’ll make something up if you’d like."
  • You carry hand-sanitizer with you everywhere and aren’t afraid to use it.
  • You shake hands with your left hand so it throws people off enough that they don’t squeeze your hand.
  • You know every scripture about healing and can finish people’s sentences when they try to quote them to you.
  • The teen children of your friends call to see if they could interview you for a paper in their health class.
  • It’s more fun to find 'cute pajamas' than actual clothes.
  • You actually enjoy talking to telemarketers because they can’t really hang up on you and you can use them for a therapy session.
  • You leave up 'Get Well' cards on your mantel for months because… you’re still hoping the well wishes come true.

Feel free to add yours below in the comments. I'm sure we'd all love to hear them and giggle along with you! I know I can always use a laugh. :0)

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

{{HUGS}}

Teresa

The above was printed with permission from author,Lisa Copen, Copyright 2009,
National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week

25 comments:

Kelli said...

Oh man! That made me laugh! Thanks for the laugh today because I needed it. I am going to go visit my aunt who has cancer and can relate, and I am pretty sure when I show her this she will laugh as well.
http://www.happilyfrugal.net/

Lisa Copen said...

Thanks so much for posting this! I actually saw someone linked to it on Facebook. Ironically, today I just posted on FB "You know you have RA when, as your husband leaves, your last words are "Wait a minute and make sure I can stand up." L Knee is FULL of fluid, about 3Xs typical size."

Karen Mortensen said...

Those were funny. It always helps to laugh a little bit.

Beth Zimmerman said...

Oh My Goodness!
There were so many items on this list that I related to! I'm glad that you are still able to find things worthy of laughter!

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

Love your sense of laughter in hard times

jamfiescreations1 said...

Hello Teresa, this is Mary from JamfiesCreations1. Thank you so much for the wonderful comment and for becoming one of my followers. I love your blog and I am now a follower.

Blessings, Mary O

Robin said...

You watch medical dramas on TV (like Grey's Anatomy) just so you can feel better about your own chronic illness. For example, at least you don't have a pole or tree running through the middle of your body. Or you didn't lie down in cement that was drying because your "friends" dared you to and now you might die. Then there was the girl who stalked her ex-boyfriend and fell out of a tree, because it was hit by lightning, and part of the tree fell on her. She wouldn't let the surgeons operate because her horoscope said she was going to have a bad day. So, she made them wait until midnight. Yeah, she died because her spleen ruptured because she waited too long. Chronic illness is bad, but there might be a cure some day. You just can't fix stupid. And that makes me feel better.

Anonymous said...

Boy, I could sure relate to a lot of those! We have to keep positive and laugh ~ don't we?

Marilyn (A Lot of Loves) said...

I like the pj bit. It's nice to have pretty pjs.

Unknown said...

laughter is the best medicine!

Unknown said...

These are great. A sense of humor, like God, makes life so much better no matter what you're going through.
Love you, Sharon

Angela said...

You have such a wonderful way of looking at things. The bit about the pharmacist bringing your meds without asking your name? Yep, that's me too. Thanks for putting a smile on my face. I needed that.

rite said...

new follower from friendly friday!
happy friday
xoxox
http://22yroldhousewife.blogspot.com/

Ps i also host a friday blog hop... feel free to add yourself to my list anytime!

New Jersey Memories said...

I'm visiting and following you from Over 40 Bloggers! (I'm also with SITS, Lady Bloggers Society, and Blog Frog).

I read your About Me page and I know what it's like to be in debt! It is hard learning to live without credit, isn't it?

I must admit that I've never heard of your particular illness before so I think that it is great that you are using this blog to make others more aware of it.

Tree said...

Hello my dear! I can SO relate to many of those! LOL Have a great weekend!

Marianne Pysh said...

Teresa,

I'm a new follower from Friendly Friday. I enjoyed reading your blog and have to tell you how courageous you are for living with a disease that controls your life and maintaining a positive and humorous outlook on life.

Lucy's Human
http://lucyshuman.blogspot.com

em said...

picking out the cutest pjs, oh my i just thought it was me that did that. i can drool over the patterns of comfy pjs now like never before!! thanks for making me laugh, from a fellow potsie. x

Theresa said...

Hi Teresa. Hope you are having some good days in there.

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm stopping by from Friday Follow and I'm glad to have found you. I admire your courage and humor in the face of your illness. I'm following via GFC.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family,
Terri
http://tsue-thatswhatshesaid.blogspot.com

septembermom said...

You did make me giggle Teresa. I love cute pjs too! I also wonder about whether interns in real life are as frisky as the Grey group :)

Lisa said...

I'm a new follower from the Friendly Friday Blog Hop. I really love your sense of humor and how you're totally relying on Christ each day. I'm looking forward to reading more on your blog. I'm a Dental Hygienist with a BS in microbiology and immunology/now SAHM to 6 wonderful blessings, but did wellness seminars for years. POTS is not one that I came across very often, but I have heard of it. Please come visit and follow me too.

http://rasingfutureleaders.blogspot.com

Java said...

These are great and I can definitely relate to these!
What a great post!

Hope you have a super weekend!!

Java

Anonymous said...

I love your spirit! And every idea on your list! So. . . where are all the cute pajama places? Hope your week is full of smiles!

Anonymous said...

I forgot - I meant to ask - are those teen children who call all girls? I cannot imagine my boys calling - they'd be scared of what they'd hear - LOL

Meg said...

Thanks for the laugh!

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