Friday, May 17, 2013

DBlog Week Day 5

Just like in the movie, today we’re doing a swap. If you could switch chronic diseases, which one would you choose to deal with instead of diabetes? And while we’re considering other chronic conditions, do you think your participation in the DOC has affected how you treat friends and acquaintances with other medical conditions? 

Switch? Can't I just drop one (or all), instead? 

I have some form of diabetes. I have Hashimoto's Disease. I have many, many allergies, some of them life-threatening. I have an undiagnosed breathing problem (we used to call it asthma; turns out it isn't). I have "fibromyalgia" (which was the name the rheumatologist gave it because he had nothing better to say). Do I need more?

Given the choice, I'd drop it all in a heartbeat. I'd love to go for the rest of my life never seeing another doctor unless I'm sick. I'd love to never take another pill, never worry about another diagnosis that's evaded me for years, never worry about every, single bit of food that I put in my mouth for more reasons than one. I'd love to just walk out of the house with my wallet and my phone. I'd love a day without pain, or worry, or fear of the future. I'd love to just be me. 

Of course, if I had to pick, I'd stick with the Hashimoto's. I have it already--I'm on the list of autoimmune crap as it is. And the most I do for it is a blood draw once every four months or so and a nice chat with my endocrinologist. I can handle that, right? And if I need pills, then I need pills. I can live with that, too. 

Compassion? Man, have I grown a compassion bone in the last four years! Between all of my issues and my family's issues, I have a pretty decent handle on how medical problems affect you emotionally and physically. I have other friends who've gone through the undiagnosed runaround, and I "get it" because I've been there so many times for so many years that I can't help but empathize. 

"I'm holdin' on your rope/Got me ten feet off the ground" ~Timbaland

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