Sorry, this is kinda long...
So, my main idea I had when I started this blog was I didn't want to talk about my illness (epstein-barr virus). I wanted to focus on other things, mostly because this illness racked me with constant worries (for the longest time the doctors couldn't figure out what I had, I was scared I had some disease that was going to kill me!) and also crazy ass pain (the pain in my head was sickeningly bad, it felt like little monsters were slowly eating away at my brain!)... well, this illness was all I could think about, mostly because the pain made it so hard to forget how sick and ill I was. I just remember googling this illness, or googling my symptoms, just praying I could find a magic cure or something. Haha, boy was I wrong, I ended up dying of stress with the shit I read: I'd think to myself, holy shit, I have that crazy ass illness, or I'd start thinking I had cancer, or a brain tumor, or a hundred other illnesses... I'd start sweating, and I mean really panicking, holy shit, holy shit, and I'd start pacing back and forth, I became convinced I was going to die (relatively soon that is), or I'd start worrying that my illness would morph into another illness or trigger something else (yes, it can actually, I just don't think about that anymore, I have no control over that), plain and simple I just thought I'd never be healthy again, or productive or anything. The stress certainly didn't help my symptoms, but I guess that's where acceptance comes in, and I just came to understand that things are the way they are, I came to the daunting realization that my death is a certainty, nothing is promised in life (hell, I just learned to be thankful to be alive, even if I was in pain and couldn't do anything, lots of people have died young, or suffered tragedies, I was lucky, I was still alive!), but I realized the only way I could get through this was to do my best, try and stay as mentally strong as I could, no matter the pain or whatever the damn circumstances. I think that's why I also watched a lot of sports, there was an element of never quitting, of really fighting, tooth and nail, that was something I really respected in great athletes that I tried to adopt in my own mentality. I hope I'm not coming off as dramatic or whatever, I'm just trying to explain how I felt, how I tried to make it through the most difficult days... The only person who could help me at the most terrible moments (not to discount all the support I've gotten from family or friends), well of course it was only myself. Only through faith and hope could I keep strong, and not fall apart and want to kill myself (trust me, this was never an option!) or just bash my head in the wall, or just fall into the deepest darkest depression over my physical pain and circumstances.
Blogging, even when in pain, really has helped me focus my mind on other things, even through some terrible I feel like crying this pain is so bad moments. Well, I won't lie, when the headaches were so bad and constant, and didn't let me sleep for days on end, I did cry!!! That was the only relief I could get!
I know it's not the best thing to be on the computer so much, but the vastness of the internet has really given me a new kind of liberty, which has been so refreshing because my illness has smothered my physical liberties so drastically.
I have talked about this illness from time to time, but lately it's been on a more positive note. Things really are getting better for me, my symptoms, ie headaches, painful lymph nodes, fatigue, are all diminishing, my mind feels so much more alive, I feel like a person again. I still have ups and downs, and I'm still tired a lot, but the best part is the headaches are so much less, so so so much less, I feel so thankful. Finally being spared of constant pain in my freakin' head, sometimes I don't know how I made it through... I thought I'd never make it through this nightmare, the lowest point was when I had to go to the ER because I just couldn't sleep, the headaches were like fire in the back of my head, they were constant and at such a high pain level, my body couldn't relax, these severe headaches could last for weeks, at the ER they gave me caffeine and morphine... I hate the thought of taking drugs. The mere thought of having to constantly take pain pills to survive through this thing, that scared the hell out of me. I tried to suffer through the most wicked pain, I never asked the doctor for pain pills, I just didn't want to cross that line (maybe that wasn't the right decision, I really don't know). I probably could have saved myself a lot of pain and stress, but I knew it was a risk, I didn't want to start taking things I'd become dependent on. That whole period, where I seriously thought I needed pain pills just to get through the days because of wicked headaches, that was the lowest low, the worst time in my life, everything felt so out of control, the pain in my head was out of control, I couldn't work a job (well, I still can't but I know I'm getting there), I couldn't even begin to imagine doing a little drawing, I just felt so damn screwed, like... It's hard not being able to work, not being able to validate yourself through daily activities, I was stuck, and I didn't even feel well enough to think, or imagine, or do anything. I'd spent my whole life working, learning, doing things, validating myself through activities... I guess not having that for a year forces you to learn about yourself, who you are, what you truly believe in...
Not sure I have much of a point with this post, I just feel that for myself it's a good time to express my thoughts, since my symptoms are so much less, I have a little bit more perspective on this whole thing... and I feel like it's important to give you guys a bit more information on who I am, what I'm going through...
But know this, I'm thankful for everything. I really am. I am lucky, I'm surrounded by wonderful people, somehow I haven't been overtaken by pessimism, anger, bitterness, on the contrary, I feel more happy, more joyous than I ever have in my whole life. Wait a sec, sorry, that's a little too glossed over... I'm still scared (less so though), and do still harbor some anger towards the people who doubted me, implied I was lazy, discounted my pain... Let's just say there was a reason I wanted to name our dog Rambo! But I'm not that angry, I try not to waste too much of my time on that emotion, it's worse than a cancer if you let it consume you.
This is a bit similar to a previous post I did, I know I repeat myself sometimes...
Anyways, I hope this post doesn't come across as condescending, or look at how great I am, or give me your pity, or whatever... I just feel it's good to open up sometimes... I've had a lot of moments where I was weak and scared, and I guess I'm just happy I'm making it through this thing, I guess I'm sort of incredulous that things are getting better.