Feeling Good About Yourself While You're Sick

I know this is a hard one, but if you have been sick for as many years as I have; you must find ways to overcome some of these obstacles. I have been sick since the age of 5 and have had to find ways to make my life happy. I realized a long time ago that I was a happy person, but my body was sick. I had to learn to have that happy me shine more. I had a doctor tell me I was crying on the inside, but smiling on the outside. At the time that was ok with me, I could pretend like I was happy. Unfortunately, people didn’t really care about my pain, so I learned to feel through the pain when I didn’t feel it anymore.

Healthy habits can help

I have always been a take-charge person and I don’t need help. I like helping others, but we need help too. We try to be superheroes, but they fail also. It’s good to let others help us, that doesn’t make us selfish or does it make us human? I know that when I am are flaring and, in our feelings, I don’t want to eat healthy foods. There have been times that I have been so depressed that I didn’t want to eat at all. Eat some fruits and veggies they will help fight inflammation along with fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. I notice that sugar and dairy were my enemies.

Staying hydrated

Water was never my friend, but for the past few years, I have learned to love it. I know that I need to consume a certain amount of water each day for my body to function how it's supposed too. It also helps to clear out toxins. We lose so much water through the body just by living; we must replenish it.

Laughter can be medicine

Laugh a lot. This disease does take an emotional toll on us, but we must live too. We itch and scratch in pain and this does impact our lives. I have learned not to be sad for so long, so I laugh. It helps me not to take life so seriously. Just because I’m going through a dark time in my life, doesn’t mean I am going to stay there. I laugh at myself a lot.

Remember it's a marathon not a spring

Don’t expect to get well overnight. I will be 61 next month and I have this disease for 55 years. I am still trying to heal and one day I will get there. We will have plenty of ups and downs and disappointment. I have been waiting for a psoriasis cure for 55 years and every day we are getting closer. I’m so tired of failing on medications and having doctors that don’t get it. Learn to say it’s ok if I stay in bed all day today or no I can’t go with you,

Give purpose to your pain

Have you ever thought about using your pain for good? Does your pain have a purpose? I believe it does, learn to look for the lesson in this. I know I had to rearrange my schedule to better fit me. I had to look past my pain and focus on me and see what was important. You can investigate the future. I would always say to myself what lesson can I teach someone else about my disease. One thing I wanted to do was tell my story and that’s what I’m doing.

Pain gave me the power to want to help others to see that we can get past this together. I’m living my best life right now; are you?