10 Tip for Living with Chronic Illness

I have been living with chronic pain for more than twenty years. Four spinal surgeries. RA and OA. I still live my life as best I can. Take joy in the moment and enjoy my life living in the forest with my animals. I do feel blessed. Can't do what I used to be able to do but I've learned new things and ways of doing things. In many ways I'm stronger and more able than I've ever been. Just have to balance rest and motion for my body and I'm okay. Used to fight giving in and laying down to rest until the pain subsided. Waste of time. I get more done and more joy if I rest as much as needed. Yes, a new normal. Acceptance. I do have my bad days, when I do feel disabled and sad about what's no longer an option. But there are new options. I try to embrace them. I'm new here and looking forward this journey with all of you.

i realize living with chronic pain can be difficult. i have RSD www.rsdhope.org ( http://www.rsdhope.org ) if u wish to know more. i also have porphyria a blood disease. the chronic pain is n has been hard for me to live with for several years. i go to a pain management dr. he wasn't easy to find. because i have 2 illnesses that r invisiable to any kind of film, several dr.'s tried to tell me it was impossible for me to have pain all over my body n said that the pain was all in my head. i was in tears. i have a really nice primary dr. n pain management dr. they weren't easy to find. it took me 2 yrs to get S.S. disability for major depression n the porphyria. i didn't get rsd till after from knee surgery. my thoughts n prayers will be with you. u will need to find n advocate to help u. get the forms from S.S. if u have a dr. that has enough info on your condition you'll need as much info as u can get from him copies of med. records, possibly letter of recommendation saying u can't work n that his opinion of your condition. any n all info u can get your hands on proving your situation will help. that's about all i can provide, except that our only hope lies in giving ourselves to God praying n reading his word. it's a comfort he's always there never sleeps he'll listen when everyone else isn't always there. keep a positive attitude it's hard but as paul said i can do all things through christ who strengthens me. i wasn't always positive myself. there r days i'm still not but i try to remember who's on my side. maybe i don't always cheer up but i try to get occupied n focused on something else. if there's anything u can enjoy doing that won't cause u anymore pain then u have try that. hobby maybe. that is after u've been approved for some sort of monetary support. sometimes it takes money to get interested in hobbies. maybe u can join some support groups on the net. they have some great christian support groups. that is if u decide u want to go that route. be safe n may God bless

I am so sorry you are in this situation!

Your mother's age does not disqualify her from Social Security if she has a disabling illness.

Please talk to her doctor about her pain. There are so many ways to manage it, no one should suffer. I am a nurse and a chronic pain patient. If one doctor won't help, find someone who will, they are out there.

Also talk to the doctor about filling out disability papers. Call Social Security, or visit the nearest office, and get good, factual answers to your questions.

You need an advocate to help you in this overwhelming situation. Please talk to someone, a clergy person or a therapist to give you some guidance and support. I don't know what your mother's illness is, but there may be an organization related to it that can also help. For instance, I have Multiple Sclerosis and the National MS Society helps people with MS.

I wish you and your mom much luck! I would love to hear how you make out, please feel free to e-mail me from my blog. :)

Marie

www.nourishourselves.blogspot.com ( http://www.nourishourselves.blogspot.com )

www.msrenegade.com ( http://www.msrenegade.com )

www.theshorebookworm.blogspot.com ( http://www.theshorebookworm.blogspot.com )

How do you get help for someone with chronic illnesses/pain? My mom lives with me and is too young for Social Security but I can't seem to adequately prove to the local health insurance people that she has no income. (How do you prove having no income better than having no income?!?!)

I get so mad at what is making her feel terrible that I take it out on her. I don't mean to. I just didn't expect for her to live with me for five years, the last two of which she's been suffering (mostly quietly till a few months ago).

Wow, thanks for sharing this so others can benefit.

I was recently diagnosed with adult onset type I diabetes (LADA) and this post resonsates for me.

I would add that when you get burned out with all it takes to care for yourself, the face of your child provides wonderful inspiration to keep up the fight.

Sue Campbell

www.mommyspen.com ( http://www.mommyspen.com )