Here’s the thing about chronic illness… It’s CHRONIC! That means it doesn’t have the courtesy to go away, even for a minute.
Many of us are dealing with the winter storm that hit the Deep North yesterday. As much as it laid us low we know there will be a Spring and then a Summer. That fact makes this burden a little more bearable.
With chronic illness we need to make our own little moments of Spring and Summer because the illness often doesn’t give them to us. The beauty of the sunlight after the storm, the pleasure of the taste of hot cocoa, the feel of a soft warm blanket. They sound like little things, they are, but they build and fill our hearts with light.
Winter is a serious issue for those with chronic illness but it’s also a serious consideration for those who suffer from depression and anxiety. However, sometimes it’s a challenge to know if the way you are feeling is just the winter blues or full-fledged depression. Tacianna Indovina is an Explore What’s Next Therapist and recently wrote an article, “Do I have the winter blues or am I depressed?” that may help you figure it out. Of course, if you find yourself needing to talk to someone please reach out to us and let’s explore this together.
So true. I just found your website/blog early this morning while searching for some wise words about living/working with chronic illness. To my surprise you have scleroderma, as do I. In my case it destroyed my kidneys. I now have a transplant. This disease seems to constantly spawn other problems for me to handle year after year. Last week one little “moment” that made me feel happy/thankful was finding a full service gas station. Sounds silly but in this cold weather and dealing with an ulcerated/infected finger the thought of pumping my own gas was out of the question. I really felt elated driving home after that fill up. Silly but true.
What wise advice–to find our own spring and summer when it’s findable–even for a moment. It’s a good thought to keep in mind.