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30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: Chronic Migraines, Asthma, Some undiagnosed thing, depression
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2005 (ofish-fish 2007), 1995, 2014?,
3. But I had symptoms since: 2000, ever, 2000
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: medications every day, avoiding foods I enjoy, dark days
5. Most people assume: That because I take preventative medicines I don't have any issues
6. The hardest part about mornings are: Checking in with my pain levels and breathing to see if I can do what I want to. Sometimes, convincing myself that what I enjoy is worth getting out of bed.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: Grey's Anatomy
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: my cell phone
9. The hardest part about nights are: Nightmares I get from meds.
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins. (No comments, please) 12 types, 19 actual pills
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: can't afford the ones I want
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: invisible. It's difficult to get help, but I know I miss out on a lot of other difficulties.
13. Regarding working and career: I'm afraid I'll have to give them up.
14. People would be surprised to know: how many symptoms I'm struggling with on an average work day.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: keeping boundaries other people don't need to, and don't always understand.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: my job.
17. The commercials about my illness: are much faster than real time allows. "Take this pill, seconds later no pain, no depression."
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: eating tomatoes. Never canceling on people.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: tomatoes
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: nothing
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: work a double. One where i go outside, wear my hair in a pony tail the whole time, type up the notes, and go out to drinks- bloody mary's- with my coworkers.
22. My illness has taught me: to find acceptance and everyone's reality is different.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "you can too."
24. But I love it when people: Give me the support I ask for.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: wear it like armor
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: You're not doing something wrong when you take care of yourself.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: That I can be loved.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Bring me coffee, a hamburger and Watch my shows with me in the dark.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: it's fitspo to help others.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: hopeful.

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