#chronic illness

[liz-thinks-too-much]

I love you disabled people who can't or don't want to learn how to drive, you're so fucking valid and you deserve independence like everybody else.

[bebsi-cola]

something i've noticed in my notes and more generally on disabled tumblr is the idea that disability - physical disability in particular - always comes with pain. as someone with chronic pain - in my joints and muscles, in my stomach after eating, in the migraines and headaches - i can understand that it can seem all encompassing. but the only key characteristic of disability is that it's disabling, not that it's painful. many disabilities do not come with pain either all or some of the time. for example being deaf/Deaf, blind, having limb differences, speech disabilities, cerebral palsy, MS, a number of neurological disorders including epilepsy, allergies, diabetes, sleep disorders, disorders that cause balance issues, conditions that reduce mobility, to name a few. i mean one of my most disabling conditions is my CFS and it doesn't cause me pain. although many disabilities also don't cause any fatigue either! overall i think it would be nice to the many disabled people who have no associated pain with their disabilities to disengage "disability" from "being in pain". i think it's also easier to understand, and easier for chronic pain havers to find the right posts. plus i think we've built up this notion that disability is only pain, suffering, and misery. which is disheartening by itself, but also alienating to people with a completely experience of disability.

[fibro-memes]

[ihavetraumaandimgay]

The worst thing that can happen to any of Batfam members, that will Absolutely DESTROY them is I think having an terminally/Chronically ill loved one, why?

Because these people are used to solving things with fists, guns, acrobatics, computers and their genius minds but they are completely useless against an illness and not being able to take the pain away from their loved one will destroy them

[transfaguette]

my body is a machine that turns existing into ouchie

[iiidunno]

a year ago today, I was touching down in Greece for a six week sponsored art history tour. It was my first time travelling as an adult and my first time in Europe and I was wildly excited.

today I applied for disability because I’ve become almost constantly bed ridden as my health worsens. I couldn’t imagine going to the zoo for the day now, much less sleeping in hostel beds and wandering Athens and Rome for ten hours a day.

enjoy life. It flies by, and both life and health are very fragile things.

[spooniestrong]

[Text: "“P.S. Just a reminder: Grief is not a one-time thing for people with chronic health problems. Just like people grieving the loss of a loved one find the sadness washes over them at holidays or family events or even unexpected everyday moments, we who are grieving the loss of ourselves, or our former lives, will find the feelings come at random—When someone mentions an activity we used to love, or even something as simple as spilling a glass of milk, or not being able to find our keys. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It means you’re human. And it’s okay.”

- from "Sick and Tired: Empathy, Encouragement, and Practical help for Those Suffering from Chronic Health Problems" by Kimberly Rae"]

[alittletouchofthetism]

having a doctor say “nuh uh” is a disabled rite of passage tbh.

[jjdizz]

Posting this here as well

Food for thought

[talkethtothehandeth]

Do you think doctors take a separate mandatory course that teaches them how to gaslight, ignore, belittle, invalidate, and call their patients crazy? Like is that part of the oath they took or…

Also is it in the oath for them to lie to their patients and say a mild case isn’t a case? Like do they do drill practices where the long white coats have whistles and are yelling at them about how to treat patients before they become doctors

[potsiepumpkin]

Me: takes a shower

Me: the rest of the day

[fibro-memes]

[disabled-bug]

When you have a chronic ailment, you hear all the time “I could never.”

Oh, you cut out dairy/gluten/ect? I could never. Oh, you do self injections? I could never.

I could never deal with that much pain. I couldn’t live with all those doctor appointments. I could never stay in bed all day, I’d just get so bored! I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t live like that, can’t couldn’t wouldn’t…

Please stop implying to people with something chronic that you’d rather die than go through what they’re going through, and take a minute to understand that their treatment isn’t a hobby. It’s survival.

Yes, people with chronic ailments ARE incredibly strong. They ARE doing things you think you couldn’t ever do.

But they’re the same things that they likely thought they couldn’t ever do until they had no other option.

Yes. Often, someone with a chronic issue sees a notable decline in their quality of life.

That doesn’t make it less worth living.

You could do it if you had to.

“I could never” is not the empathetic response you think it is.

[transfaguette]

its crazy to me atp that people get through a whole day of being awake. like i don’t do anything and I am wiped out, can’t even sit up at my computer. and people like have jobs and hobbies and go out after work. and i don’t do anything and i can barely stay awake. its actually like such a sad existence it is no wonder people with chronic fatigue have some of the worst quality of life and suicide rates.

[thedisablednaturalist]

I will bring up physically disabled people in every discussion, idc, we need to be heard.

Why is it annoying when I bring up physically disabled people so much but it's not when abled neurodivergent people do it for themselves?