09/15/2010

Chronic Invisible Illness Awarenss Week and ME!

September 13 -19, 2010, is Chronic Invisible Illness Awareness Week. Certainly, Migraine disease and other headache disorders fall under this category. But since this blog is going to talk about Migraines and sometimes the trials and tribulations of divorce, wouldn't you say the emotional frustration of divorce is "invisible" too?

This year, for Invisible Illness Awareness Week, I'm going to do a meme; things about me, my Migraines and divorce you may not know about me, but are definitely invisible!

1. Do you have a "headache" all the time? My head hurts to some degree every day.
2. What gets me through the day? My two wonderful children.
3. What is it like living with head pain all the time? It is physically and emotionally exhausting.
4. How does it feel to be a single parent and have chronic illness? It stinks doing this all by myself, let's be honest. Divorce bites, big and hard. Being a single parent can be very difficult some days, especially when I don't feel well.
5. What is the hardest part of your day? Mornings! When I wake up each morning I pray that today will be better than yesterday - and most days it is!
6. The hardest things to deal with since my chronic illness? Missing the person I used to be. I was a great multi-tasker. Now I am - one task Nancy.
7. One thing people say that gets under my skin is? "What do you do all day?"
8. What was one of the saddest days so far in your life? Getting divorced, something I didn't want and was promised would never get.
9. How did you feel when you were granted Social Security Disability? Being declared "disabled" by the judge was the most surreal feeling I've ever had.
10. What was one of the happiest days in your life? Realizing that I can make it all on my own "the divorce" and buying a couch without anyone else's comments! 
11. What is one of the most challenging things in your life? Coping with daily chronic pain is and continues to be one of the most difficult things in my life.
12. Want to know a secret? Sharing my pain, rather than always, I mean, always hiding it, is something I might want to work on.
13. When were you diagnosed? The day I fell - December 9, 1996 - seems to be the trigger (my mild traumatic brain injury) that set "things" in motion. Understanding and accepting that are two things I need to work on every day.
14.  A gadget I couldn't live without? Does my laptop count?
15. One thing chronic illness has allowed me to do? Learn to share information about Migraine disease and headache disorders; support people, and be an advocate, because I really do understand.

Thanks for reading, and feel well,

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© Nancy Harris Bonk, 2010.Last updated September 15, 2010.