A Chronic Voice: September Link-Up

Hi all! It’s that time of the month again where I join Sheryl from A Chronic Voice ‘s Link-Up. The September Link-Up focuses on the following themes;

• Reconnecting
• Confessing
• Relaxing
• Romanticising
• Sharing

Reconnecting

When you live with chronic illnesses, it can easily feel that your whole life is just those illnesses. Trips to doctors, pills, feeling ill and tracking your symptoms… it can so easily rule your life. For me, the topic of reconnecting is about reconnecting with yourself. What makes you, you?

Lately i’ve felt that all I am is my health and i’m trying to remind myself that i’m a person too, with friends and a love of geeky things and cats. I’ve got career and life plans, I love a tonne of things and all this crappy illness stuff isn’t all that I am.

Confessing

I’m not really one for a good confession. I need to unload  my thoughts sometimes to help work through them, but the word ‘confess’ indicates I feel uncomfortable with something i’ve done. I try hard to live life without regrets and by my own morals so I don’t really feel a need to confess my life (just a good anxious panic!).

On a lighter note i’ll confess I love loads of weeby anime, dating sim games and will never stop!

Relaxing

Everybody needs down time. Not all of us are very good at actually doing it though! I’m terrible for remembering to take a break and am unfortunately very good at pushing myself until I burn out. Especially now, when i’m signed off work ill, I feel so guilty about relaxing- even though I know I need to.

Last weekend I booked myself in for a head and shoulders massage as a treat and didn’t realise how much I needed it! Booking in a little r&r time is so important, whether it’s a massage, bath or a nap. Whatever helps you relax- remember to do it and pace yourself.

Romanticising

I love a good day-dream as much as anyone and when you’re stuck in bed you have a lot of time to do so! I try to keep planning my future (right now, my castle wedding) and romanticise about things to do when i’m post surgery and having some good days again. It can be scary to romanticise too much as sometimes life doesn’t live up to your hopes and you just end up frustrated, but what’s life without dreaming, eh?

Sharing

It’s so important to keep sharing when you’re ill. I don’t mean just about your illnesses (that’d bore yourself as well as your friends!), but keep talking with those around you, on line and in person to help stay connected and avoid feeling shut off from life.

I love being part of the chronic illness blogging community too for sharing coping mechanisms, useful items and research articles. I’ve shared useful pain coping techniques before which help me and really hope they’re useful for other people too. There’s strength in awareness and in forming a community which brings so many often isolated people together- and i’m proud to be part of that.

These September Link-Up topics have been great to work through. Thanks as always to A Chronic Voice! You can read August’s Link Up Here

Laters,

Ruthy xo

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