Thursday, February 2, 2012

Please: open mouth, remove foot, insert spoon.

Yes, it's Thursday and I should be posting about "Threads and Things"... Here's an old chair of mine that I recovered and painted last week. I think it turned out great. Thanks for the inspiration, Sharon. :) I fudged and bought a $3.00 can of spray paint... oops! It had to be done!! I'll add it to my list.
BEFORE
AFTER


This post is for all of those people who don't really know me. Or people who do and they don't listen or get it. I don't want your sympathy, but I do want people to stop saying things like:
  • "I wish I had your problem!"
  • "What's your secret? It's not fair!"
  • "You're so LUCKY; you're just 'naturally' skinny"
  • "But you don't LOOK sick!!"
STOP. Please. It bothers me MORE than I can say. I've heard more, but these are the ones I hear the most. You'd be surprised how many people say these types of things to me. Friends. Family Members. Strangers. Do you want to know my "secret" for being so thin? I don't feel lucky at all and I would never wish my "problem" on anyone. Assume nothing. You never know why people are the way they are.

I remember back when I was 18 and I used to ride my bike to work 12 miles round trip, 5 days a week. I remember going for bike rides or walks when I was at Snow College for hours and hours and not feeling tired at all. I remember going to Slick Rock in Moab with my brother, Brady.  I was very active.

Then, right before I turned 19, I got really sick and to make a long story short, (Too late!) I had some serious kidney problems that changed my life forever. Now, I'm not on dialysis or on a waiting list for a transplant or anything. The major problems cleared up in about six months. But I have never been the same since. I have been SO blessed to be able to have four children (something I was told by my doctor might not happen).

Most days I'm fine, but I get worn out quite easily and can't do all the things I used to do. It's hard for me to see other people doing things. I feel left behind. I feel lazy. I feel guilty. I feel old. 

I have a lot of health problems. Some of them, I'm not even sure what they are yet, but this week I've been blindsided by another kidney infection. It's been a year since my last one and it's so hard not to get discouraged. But I feel so blessed to be alive and to have such a wonderful family. I seriously do NOT deserve my husband. He has been so kind and patient with me this week. Too kind.

My friend, Shauntae, had a link on her blog called: The Spoon Theory. It's about living with chronic illness. I read this about a year ago and it made me cry. PLEASE don't jump to conclusions: I DO NOT HAVE LUPUS like this woman, but her analogy is so true to my life. It's a bit long, but it's worth reading to help you understand what it's like for people with chronic illness.

It's so hard for me to slow down and realize I simply cannot do everything I want to. But I know God has a plan for each of us and we need the FAITH to hold on.

2 Nephi 31: 20 "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

12 comments:

  1. I love the chair. Sorry you've had a rougher week than normal. And I love the spoon theory. It is so hard to live with and understand a chronic illness yourself, let alone explain it to others.

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  2. Thanks, Becca, I KNOW you understand what it's like to have a chronic illness. I am amazed at all of the things you do!

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  3. Lacy my friend. 1st LOVE the chair. Love. Second, sorry about the crappy week and the resurgance of... stuff, stuff, and more stuff. Not fun. I have so much to say about all of this. Good stuff that's hard to put into words and have it mean what I mean it to mean. (that was an awkward sentence) So perhaps a discussion at book club! Still going yes?

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    1. Thanks, Lora, you are most wonderful. Yes, I'm planning to go, but maybe just for an hour or so...

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    2. Guess that means I shouldn't offer you a ride! I'll see you there though. :)

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  4. Oh! HUGS!! I'm so sorry you are dealing with this on top of "normal" life! You are incredible.
    Your chair is awesome!

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    1. Thanks, Bridget, you are so sweet! I hope your day is going better than your day at the store :)

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  5. Well. You know how I feel about this! Love you! And yes! A conversation tonight!

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  6. Don't have a chronic illness, but chronic pain instead. Living with something that alters you life in such a way is hard. Others looking in may not see it, but it affects you in so many ways. You are brave for sharing and living like you do.

    *Hugs* from me to you.

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  7. The chair is gorgeous. So are you. I'm so sorry to hear about your trials but you are very inspiring with your attitude. I hope the most current problems get better soon and that you continue to get through each day with the amazing faith you show in your post.

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  8. Lacy,
    Thank you for mentioning me in this post, I'm so glad to know that when I share things on my blog it can actually help someone else. You and I have talked a little about our struggles with this stuff, and I feel like we'll always be bonded through our experiences. :)
    My story is similar to yours, and the feelings you've expressed here mirror many of mine. One of my pet peeve phrases is: We all have the same 24 hours in a day. That is so untrue! A person with chronic pain/illness (or both, like me) does not get to use all the 24 hours like anyone else. We HAVE to sleep & rest more, we can't move as fast, and we spend a ton of time managing our pain/illness. People just don't get it. That's why posting stuff like this is so important. Thank you Lacy.
    And Dude, I've got your back. <3

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  9. First of all, the chair is beautiful! I have a couple chairs wanting recovering and I am struggling to get to them.

    Secondly, thanks for sharing about your health. I have read that spoon theory before and I loved it. It's important to understand those things! And I'm sorry people say so many stupid things...most of them are well-meaning, which I'm sure you know, but it definitely gets tiring. I had similar experiences when I was very ill in my pregnancies. People thought that just because they'd had morning sickness that they knew what I was going through, and they also thought I was a big wimp. :) But...yeah. Anyway. Hope things fell better soon with you!

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