Please don’t assume you know…

This is my life, the life of an autoimmune Spoonie! People don’t get how serious it is, but they won’t take the time to learn about it either. Having multiple chronic & autoimmune illness sucks! The pain is never ending! The judgements and assumptions are continual! I wish people would learn about the illnesses before they make a judgement call, if they did that it would save on hurt feelings, negative thinking, and possibly my life! They would also understand that I got enough going on to not have to deal with their judgemental thoughts of me. 

So, to set the record straight…

Yes, my illnesses are invisible! No, I do not need to prove to you I am sick! And here is the biggest shocker of all…. I am not seeking pain medication! These illnesses are real! The pain is real! And if you knew me at all, you’d know I am not after the medication! But I have an even bigger shocker…

My pain medication that is prescribed, I take so sparingly that it’s over a year old! Omg right? You assumed I was popping pain pills, you assumed I was addicted. You made a false judgement. But I’d like to see you go one day in the pain I face daily then talk to me about pain pills! 

So, now that we have cleared up that misconception, do you want to learn about what I do have? 

The most serious and probably most debilitating (depends on the day) is Addison’s Disease, think of how a diabetic needs insulin to live, think about how sick they get when their insulin is low… Addison’s Disease is similar but with Cortisol (which my body doesn’t make!) I rely on steroids to live, and no they aren’t the kind body builders take! 

Well, you have made it this far and I thank you! You now know that I cannot handle any type of stress, that my blood sugar and blood pressure are wonky, that I need way more sleep than most, without the steroids I will die. This list goes on! If you want to know more I’d love to talk to you about it. 

Please don’t assume you know something (or anything) about me & my illnesses, my coping skills, or “habits.” Till you research it. Thank you. 

*photos found on Pinterest