landileigh's little world

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is:  Chronic Kidney Disease
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: February 2006
3. But I had symptoms since: 1990
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is:  not being able to do the things I want to do, because I'm exhausted
5. Most people assume: that I can do more than I can do.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: the pain from having slept a long time and being able to make it to the bathroom.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: Grey’s Anatomy and I can't wait for Three Rivers.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: my Animas pump.
9. The hardest part about nights are: my body basically shutting down at about 8pm.
10. Each day I take _12_ pills & vitamins. For my kidneys, hypertension, and heart .
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: I go regularly to a nutritionist that works with dialysis patients.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: I wouldn’t change my illness because I feel visible or invisible, I need to be a voice.
13. Regarding working and career: I miss working, but am thankful for the ability to be able to write and have a voice in the diabetes and kidney media outlets I have.
14. People would be surprised to know: I am in pain most of the time.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: not being able to just be spontaneous and do multiple things in a day.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: take busses to my doctor's appointments.
17. The commercials about my illness:  are non-existent. I have yet to see a single kidney related commercial.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: being able to walk in a mall.
19. It was really hard to have to give up:  camping.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: blogging and playing online poker.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: go to Disneyland and walk the entire park, I would also eat every single sweet that I came in contact with.
22. My illness has taught me: that I have value in my voice. I am loud and strong.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is:  "You don't look like you are sick"
24. But I love it when people:  surprise me with the love and kindness I have never seen before. Just by asking me how I am.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger"
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: Today is not your last day, you can have many good days, and there is so much new knowledge.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: I am stronger than I ever thought possible.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Thanks to Bernard and Diabetes friends, I received American Express Gift certificates that helped in a rough time.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I want to show that I am LIVING with Chronic Kidney Disease!
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel:  loved.

Find out more about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and the 5-day free virtual conference with 20 speakers Sept 14-18, 2009 at www.invisibleillness.com