Skip to content
RibbonRx
  • An Introduction to ribbonrx.com
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Yellow for Endometriosis
  • Published on The Mighty
  • Bookworm Corner: My Bookish Posts
  • Search Icon

RibbonRx

Raising Awareness About Life

Loving My Chronically Ill Body

Loving My Chronically Ill Body

August 20, 2016 ribbonrx Comments 0 Comment

It’s hard to love a body that doesn’t work the way it should. But I’ve realized it could be so much worse. I have a lot to be thankful for. So I’m going to give thanks for what I do have.

I’m thankful for the ability to walk, and to walk without pain. When I had a flare of whatever inflammatory arthritis I might have two months ago, walking was a painful challenge; my feet, ankles, and hips hurt a lot. When I was on crutches a few years ago for several weeks after my knee surgery, I dreamed of being able to walk normally again. I’m perfectly mobile now, which is more than a lot of people can say.

image
Hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, March 2013

I’m thankful for my sense of smell. So I can smell dinner cooking in the oven. So I can smell the rain during a storm. So I can smell my summer candles, and eventually my (favorite) fall and winter candles. This is a sense I’m expected to lose for up to a year after my brain surgery in a few weeks, which makes me very sad because I love candles so much. But it’s a small price to pay for having a brain tumor removed.

I’m thankful for my vision. Many people with the type of tumor I have lose their peripheral vision, but my tumor isn’t large enough that it’s reached the optic chiasm yet. I can see the beauty of summer all around me. I can see the leaves changing color in the fall. I can see the sparkle of snow and the twinkle of the Christmas tree in the winter. I can see the vibrant colors of the daffodils, tulips, and lilacs in the spring. I can see the handsome face of my loving husband when he looks at me like I’m the center of his universe. Sight is a wonderful thing.

I’m thankful for my sense of hearing. I can hear beautiful music that makes me happy or makes me cry or makes me think. I can hear my husband tell me he loves me. I can hear the birds and crickets chirping. I can hear the crunch of leaves and snow beneath my feet. I can hear my kitties meow at me. I can hear the gentle sound of rain on the roof. The world is full of beautiful sounds.

I’m thankful that my digestive tract works as well as it does, despite having celiac disease. Now that my gut has finally healed a few years after starting a gluten free diet, I can once again actually absorb the food I’m eating and maintain a healthy weight, rather than constantly being deprived of nutrients. I don’t like having celiac disease, but again, it could be so much worse. As long as I don’t ingest gluten, I have no problem.

I’m thankful that my reproductive organs have been fixed as best as they can be for now. My endometriosis has been removed and is still gone, almost two years after having excision surgery. I still have adenomyosis, and will have it until I have a hysterectomy. I can only hope my uterus is strong enough to maintain a pregnancy.

I’m thankful for my mind. Yes, I have a brain tumor that will be removed in three weeks, hopefully for good. But despite the dizziness, the vertigo, and the otherwise bad days I have because of it, I still have my wits about me. I can think. I can read. I can write. I can mentally work, just not physically. I can love. I can learn. I can appreciate the world around me. I can tolerate, for the most part, the pain I still have every day from my adenomyosis.

I have celiac disease. I have endometriosis. I have adenomyosis. I have a brain tumor. I have chronic pain. I have major depressive disorder. I have social anxiety disorder. I have hypothyroidism. I’m struggling with infertility. I might have some kind of inflammatory arthritis. But even though I have many chronic illnesses, I am blessed by God. Just look at everything I still have. What do you have to be thankful for today?

? ribbonrx

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related


Blue for the joints, Gray for the brain, Green for the gut, Green for the mind, Pink/blue for the babies, Yellow for endo
Adenomyosis, brain surgery, Brain tumor, celiac disease, Chronic illness, chronic pain, Depression, Endometriosis, Gluten free, Infertility, injury, invisible illness, jesus, mental health, migraines, Praise the lord, self harm, social anxiety, surgery

Post navigation

PREVIOUS
Chronic Illness Challenge: Day 20
NEXT
Nocturnal Musings #7: Motherhood?

0 thoughts on “Loving My Chronically Ill Body”

  1. Lori Erwin Honea says:
    August 20, 2016 at 7:50 pm

    The way you can be thankful in spite of your health problems is truly amazing! You inspired me. ❤️

    Loading...
    Reply
  2. Pingback: Published on The Mighty! – ribbonrx

Don't Be Shy! Leave a Reply!Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Posts

  • Spinal CSF Leak: Parenting While Leaking
  • Spinal CSF Leak: The True Impact on a Life
  • Spinal CSF Leak: The First Blood Patch
  • Spinal CSF Leak: How It Started
  • Medical Gaslighting: It Happened to Me
  • 2019: Becoming a Mama
  • The Birthday Surprise of a Lifetime
  • I Use Opioids and I’m Not An Addict
  • Weekly Gratitudes: September 17, 2018
  • Chronic Pelvic Pain: So What Do I Do Now?

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Archives

Chronic Illness Bloggers

ribbonrx on Facebook!

ribbonrx on Facebook!

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Goodreads

© 2025   All Rights Reserved.
This website uses cookies
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d