I’ve got a chronic disease and I never talk about it…

Hi guys,

I know it is a long time I did not write in my blog but today instead of talking about generic topics like I do usually I will talk about me and my own story. Let’s be honest, how I can prone to be authentic if I do not share who I am with you from time to time?

Most of the people I know are seeing me as a strong willed bubbly woman with a loving caring nature which I am indeed but there is something you do not know about me something really personal. I am dealing on everyday basis with an auto immune disease for 3 years now.

I have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) 3 years ago. RA is not curable and I am under medication to relieve me from the pain I am enduring. RA inflames my all body and more particularly my joints. It is a genetic disease. My mum has had osteoporosis I have got RA.  This is my life and I would have preferred not having that to be honest with you but I have no choice to accept it and live with it as much as I can. 

On a day to day basis, apart dealing from some pain and being tired, I don’t feel really much my illness and I also try to forget about it because I never considerate myself as a victim. So I don’t mention it so much. I also know that most of the people nowadays avoid sick people because they don’t know how to deal with them. Seeing pity in the people around us is something myself I can’t deal with either. 

Since I have been diagnosed I had to avoid some food like red meat, dairy products (and yes some cheese too) processed foods (I was never big on processed food fortunately) and also alcohol. I tend to be more vegetarian eating meat only once a week (instead of once a day like before).

The most awful thing I had since I have been diagnosed, is getting few excessive bleedings because one molecule of my medication interacts with my blood and so my platelets become too low. I spent some times in hospital because of that I have had blood transfusion and had to change my medication few times . Last year I have been in a coma for a day and I felt dramatically lonely and bad. It is the first time I am mentioning that… I was not able to open up yet because I felt ashamed about myself to be so weak and miserable!

This is the reason why I have been into holistic therapies such as Reiki and Ayurveda because I wanted to feel much better with myself, being the same bubbly person I have always been. It is a long way to go but I see some improvements. Nature and regular exercises work well on me.

In the work sphere, it is a bit difficult sometimes for me to have some stability while working for myself and getting the right energy to deal with everyone and everything but I persevere and never give up. Recently, I have changed my way of working and I allowed myself to get much more rest which helps me quite a lot. I am a fighter, a warrior I know the real deal and I need my energy to fight also for the people I coach and advocate for.

In the love sphere, I would say being so up and down for the past 3 years no relationship last really much. How to find someone really supportive and loving … while so many people are into doing “their shopping” because it is so easy to get better, huh ? no bitterness in here it is just an observation…but it is what it is ...

Living with an auto immune disease does not mean you are not living normally as everyone else it is just meaning you have to take care of yourself a little bit more than everyone else will do… so do not be afraid!

As I said I am not a victim and will never be one :)