My MS Bully and Me

  Out & About, Copyright: C King There are a lot of conflicting things about chronic illness that those without it find confusing. I write this blogpost having just posted a celebratory post on Facebook, including pictures full of joy and my looking, frankly, extremely well!  But it struck me that despite these photos having been taken on the previous day, there might be those on my feed that might wonder how I might seem fine one minute and not the next and, indeed, why I posted these pictures at all. How might someone understand without having it spelt out? Is this the barrier to their understanding?  So I thought I would produce a sort of 'chronically ill friend etiquette guide' to perhaps dispel some myths and help non-chronically ill friends better understand. 1. Chronic conditions fluctuate Not long ago, I overheard a couple talk about someone they viewed as not being genuinely ill, in a way that I am sure they wouldn't dream of doing in person. Even r...

Oh God, I've forgotten to buy the brussel sprouts and the world is about to end! Alright, which one of you moved the French baguette? What do you mean, you’ve eaten it?! That was for the Christmas MEAL! Okay, okay - I think I still have the bread machine somewhere. Flour, check, salt, check, yeast… where did I put the..? I. Don’t. Have. YEAST! (As you hyperventilate, you momentarily consider packing a bag and buying a last-minute one-way ticket to Spain. No one will notice.) In principle, those with chronic conditions love Christmas as much as anyone else, but the reality is that it can be anxiety-inducing and energy-draining. This isn’t just about the panic that descends upon our houses over a twenty-four hour period. It’s also about the fatigue brought about through entertaining others, the overwhelming – and growing - number of tasks leading up to and on the day, the need to create the perfection that is kids’ Christmas, and the aftermath in the subsequent few days that kno...