Life with chronic illness can be stressful, weighty, and overwhelming, but sometimes it’s the absurd little things that annoy you. Life has been a stressful mess the last year and a half, so I figured it was time for some chronic illness humor. Here are a few things that annoy me the most, with sarcastic commentary…Continue reading How the absurd little things annoy you when you have a chronic illness
Category: Doctors suck
How chronic pain is brushed away by toxic positivity
Toxic positivity is now the premier coping mechanism touted for dealing with chronic pain. Doctors have decided that pain is all in the attitude, and if someone is in pain, they’re not being optimistic enough. This has horrifying results for people in pain whose doctors are blaming them for their own suffering, and telling them…Continue reading How chronic pain is brushed away by toxic positivity
How racism in pain management endangers the lives of Black Americans
Racism in pain management has been around since the beginning of medical care, but thanks to the opioid crisis, it’s really ramped up in the last few years. It’s become so prevalent that now doctors are patting themselves on the back because they’re “saving” Black people from the opioid crisis by being racist. Doctors racist…Continue reading How racism in pain management endangers the lives of Black Americans
How the opioid crisis can lead those with chronic pain to suicide
1 out of 10 suicides is due to chronic pain, and yet the link between chronic pain and suicide is often ignored. Furthermore, no one connects the opioid crisis to chronic pain suicide even though they’re all related to each other. Society demands that pain be concealed I’ve long struggled with finding the words to…Continue reading How the opioid crisis can lead those with chronic pain to suicide
What people with chronic illness really want is to stop faking well
I often get questions from well meaning healthy people about what I want from them. I’m not great with words on the spot, so I thought I’d put a list of things I think people with chronic illness really want. 1. To not have to fake being well Many people with chronic illness put in…Continue reading What people with chronic illness really want is to stop faking well
How to be brave in the face of chronic illness
Let’s talk about bravery. The word conjures of an image of heroes, fictional or real. Currently we’re having conversations about the bravery of the nurses and doctors that are saving lives during this pandemic. These conversations are important right now and I don’t want to take away from them , but today I want to…Continue reading How to be brave in the face of chronic illness
What is chronic pain and why is the definition changing?
I am in pain every day, every hour, every minute, and every second. I haven’t had a pain free moment in 9 years. The current prevailing literature says that’s because I’m just being emotional about my illness, or that I’m not meditating enough, or that I just want to be in pain. But despite what…Continue reading What is chronic pain and why is the definition changing?
Absolutely no one with chronic pain medicates to zero pain
No one with chronic pain medicates to zero pain, despite what doctors and internet trolls believe. Despite this being a myth, the common view is that the opioid epidemic was caused by pain patients demanding that they never be in pain ever, and so they medicated themselves into painless zombies. This is absolutely ridiculous, and…Continue reading Absolutely no one with chronic pain medicates to zero pain
The truth about chronic pain, depression, and suicide
A conversation on my Facebook page about the side effects of living with long term chronic pain reminded me that I needed to address this topic. I’ve avoided it because I don’t like getting too personal or emotional on my blog, and talking about depression and suicide gets really emotional. However, the more discussion I…Continue reading The truth about chronic pain, depression, and suicide
The shocking truth about life with untreated chronic pain
Pain takes over everything and untreated chronic pain can derail your whole life. Without treatment, pain takes over your body, and then it takes over your mind. It makes it so you can’t process information. It makes it so you can’t think. It makes it so you can’t remember because all you can remember is…Continue reading The shocking truth about life with untreated chronic pain