I Am NOT A Drug Addict!!

 

This is big one for me.

I am living in chronic pain. Every single day... I have pain. All the time. The only relief I ever get is from sleeping. (I know some can't sleep.. So trust me! I do not take that for granted!)

However.. I still can't get any of my doctors to treat my pain. Not with anything! I don't really want pain killers. But SOMETHING would be nice!

It took me around 9 years just to get a doctor to look at my back because I said I am in pain. They looked at me (a young, seemingly healthy individual) and dismissed me as being a drug seeker. No one would take me seriously! For 9 years!!! And now! I have so many problems with my spine, the only 'treatment' is surgery. Which I'm not about to do at the ripe ole age of 25. Too many risks for my liking...

So with no treatment for any of my pain.. I just deal with it. And I hate it.

I hate that their is a stigma against people with chronic pain. I hate that we can't get the care we need and deserve because of others that are addicts.

I hate that the people that ARE given pain killers for their chronic pain are looked down on by the public. They are deemed addicts because they need their pain killers to live.

Could you imagine living in pain every day, and they only way to function at a semi normal level to complete your every day tasks required pain killers. And then. On top of all that hell.. To have people judge you for using your PRESCRIBED pain killers?!

I don't understand how people think it's okay to judge others based on what they think is 'excessive'.

My bestie was once attacked on social media for saying she uses pain killers. This 'person' had the gall to tell her she is just a drug addict because she uses opioids. All I can say is what a BITCH!

What the hell does she know!? And my bestie doesn't even the whole dose prescribed to her. She is super careful and tries to just tough it out anyway.

I hate not having pain treatment.. But while I'm finding new doctors, I think it's best to not be on any medication at the same time. This way, no doctor can dismiss my symptoms due to drug side effects. (Not that they wont try and dismiss for every other reason they can think of...)

Have any of you been called or treated as drug addicts because of your pain, or pain treatment? What do you/ have you done about it?
Share your stories below!

How Am I Suppose To Do That?

You know when you have things to do... But you're too tired or having one of those bad days.. And then you say to yourself, "I'll put it on my list."

Well I do. And let me tell you. Its great! But its also hell!

I will have a good day and think ,"Ma . Today is a good day to get some of my stuff done." So I whip out my To-Do list.

But then I notice my to-do's are like 30 pages long. Guess there were more bad days than good... Isn't that always the case?

Well then the nifty little to-do list becomes incredibly overwhelming.. And then it just becomes something else I stress about.

Good days shouldn't be spent on stressing over all the things you haven't yet done but that is usually how I spend mine.

While my lists are super duper helpful because I have so many memory issues, they are a catch 22.

Today, for example.. I was feeling okay ish and looked around my dirty house and knew I had to clean. Badly.

So I cleaned the house throughout the day.. But I also had work to do on my car (his name is Clyde by the way).

My boyfriend washed and waxed Clyde for me, but I still had to clean the inside. So after cleaning my house all day, I had to go and vacuum out Clyde. He feels much better now in case you were wondering. But now I'm so tired and my legs hurt sooooo bad!!!

I seriously miss having carpet. Our house is all tile and wood. Only carpet is upstairs. (You can imagine how often that gets vacuumed. In my defense, our vacuum is like a million years old and weighs 100k pounds.)

It's so hard to keep clean!

Luckily its all done. For today.

But I still have to wash the sheets for all 3 beds, do my homework, sell my shirts, study for my French test, take care of my kids, take care of myself, write this blog (check!), and more.. Its like never ending.

I know I know.. I'm an adult. I know!! I've been an adult for a good amount of time now. I understand. But holy moly. Its much harder to do normal things when your battling your body everyday.

Anyone else totally suck at getting everything done? Do any of you have lists that help and haunt you at the same time? Comment below!

Oh! And don't forget! Only 4 more days to get your Ehlers Danlos Syndrome shirts and hoodies!!!

http://teespring.com/edsfightzebra

Hold On, I Have To Pee.

I seriously hate my bladder.

I pee roughly 100 million times a day. (okay. I may be exaggerating a bit. It's probably more like 89 million times.)

Have you ever looked up how many times a normal healthy person wee's? Well don't you worry your pretty little mind... I've looked it up for you!

You may want to sit down (possibly on the toilet) for this one...

6-8 times a day.

That's right. You read that correctly! 8 TIMES A DAY!!!!!

I pee that much withing the first 3 hours I'm awake. I mean, I know I pee a lot.. But SERIOUSLY!!???!

Who only wees 8 times a day??? Not me!

I wish though. Doesn't that sound glorious? It does to me. Makes me wonder how much of my life is wasted by me being in the bathroom.

Stupid bladder. Stupid body! (I'm also super jealous men get to stand.. But that's a topic for another day....)

It's not really my bladders fault. But whatever. I hate it regardless.

BRB. Potty break....... Okay. I'm back.

It's not just about how frequently I pee though. It's about how frickin long it takes me to pee because my bladder doesn't empty properly. I have to sit there and try moving in different directions. I wipe, then stand for a second. Then sit back down. Then push down on my abdomen. Just to get most of it out of there so I won't have to come back in literally seconds. It's all very scientific stuff.

Back to it not being my bladders fault. Having EDS and Chiari both affect my bladder and 'urges' to go.. Because of the brainstem compression from Chiari and spine problems from my EDS, it's really no surprise I spend 96.99% of my life in the bathroom.

It drives my family crazy too. But what can I do? Nothing other than go to the damn bathroom. It hurts when I hold it too long. I try though. But then I always get worried I'll get stuck somewhere. Like all the sudden there will be crazy traffic and everyone will be stopped just before I can turn off the road and turn into the gas station for a bit of relief. (That's happened before. And I seriously almost got out of my car and just left it there to go and pee.. But I didn't.. But I ALMOST had to.)

Have you ever been driving home and have to pee so bad you start to speed a bit to make it there faster. I always get sooooooo worried that I'll get pulled over. Because seriously. If a cop were to pull me over at that moment. I'd probably pee all over myself and car. And that would be a sad day.

I have 'leaked' a bit.. but never fully wee'd myself. Yet. I'm sure one day it will happen. But so far.. It's only been little leaks. Just enough to where you're grossed out and embarrassed and have to change your panties.. But not your pants...

I know not all spoonies have bladder issues.. But there are enough of us out there...

Wow. Potty break again.

Okay. Back again....

I still can't get over 8 times a day. What the Fucking Fuck?! I am so jealous.

Well.. At least there are cell phones with apps and internet right!

I don't know what people did before them! Maybe take a crossword puzzle or something?

If anyone needs something to do while they are 'going' and needs to sit there for about 30 minutes to finish peeing... I found an app for that! It's called "Toilet Time- A Bathroom Game" by Tapps and it's free (on Android phones anyway).

Enjoy every one!