Why I Tell People, ‘It Could Be Worse’

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by Kristiana Page |

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When someone expresses their sympathy about my life with lupus, a typical response just rolls off my tongue.

ā€œIt could be worse.ā€

Itā€™s true. Life with lupus could be many magnitudes worse than it is for me right now. Crippling arthritis, unbearable chronic pain, migraines, brain fog, and recurring mental health issues are just some of the many ways my life could be negatively affected by lupus.

When I say ā€œit could be worse,ā€ I donā€™t say it in an effort to downplay my situation and try to make you more comfortable. I say it because I need to think about the millions of others out there facing my situation in much more dire circumstances. The harsh reality is that lupus can be much, much worse than it is for me ā€” and one day it likely will be.

But please understand that my reality is not all rainbows, positivity, and smiles. There are many a gray day when youā€™re walking through life with lupus; sometimes the only way to put color back into the world is to make it happen myself. More often than not, thereā€™s a smile on my face. Itā€™s there because I actively work to put it there, not because my situation is easy.

Iā€™ll say, ā€œit could be worse,ā€ but to hear it from someone else would be deeply insulting. Until you know what itā€™s like to grieve, struggle, and cope like I do, you donā€™t get to tell me that. Until youā€™ve walked in my shoes and hit all the peaks and depths on the roller coaster of chronic illness, you really canā€™t understand.

When youā€™re chronically ill, there is a baseline of ā€œsuckinessā€ you have to put up with every day. But some days, it really does get worse. And sometimes itā€™s relentlessly worse for weeks or even months at a time. My baseline of suckiness revolves around my fatigue. Every day I wake up tired. The only thing that varies is exactly how tired I am. And if we add catching a winter sickness, the level of suckiness skyrockets.

Right now, Iā€™ve been sick for well over a month. My body just cannot shake whatever this sickness is. Although itā€™s not pneumonia or a new bout of lupus flare, this is one of the times where life is worse.

It doesnā€™t matter how I try to explain it, no one can fully comprehend and thereā€™s nothing doctors can prescribe me to help. I mean sure, things could definitely be worse. But the fact that someone else is struggling harder than I am doesnā€™t invalidate my situation. And itā€™s in moments like these that Iā€™m left feeling truly isolated, helpless, and frustrated.

Can you imagine knowing you consciously and willingly opened your body up to ongoing viral illness? Can you imagine having colds hit you like the flu, and having to deal with the aftermath for a month? Can you imagine the inconvenience of a cold drawn out to last over a month? Imagine that after a month, doctors have no way of helping you, and you can only wait it out.

Iā€™ve been crushing my own immune system with CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil) for over three years now, and Iā€™m facing the consequences, which are both real and harsh. And no matter how many frustrated and angry tears I cry, Iā€™m forced to accept that a month of relentless cold symptoms is a small price to pay.

Iā€™ve spent close to six months of the past three years with either a cold or flu. Just let that sink in. Iā€™ve spent the equivalent of half a year battling viral illnesses.

But Iā€™m backed into a corner, keeping my hands down on purpose. It could be worse. If I want to win the fight that really matters, Iā€™ve got to take some losses.

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Note: Lupus News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Lupus News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to lupus.

Comments

CMS Sanders avatar

CMS Sanders

hello my dear;
I enjoy and am thankful for your posts.
Ever go to the site called "Lupus Chick"
She turned me on to the QUELL pain relief system. It works great for me and helps me when pain meds were only a temporary fix.
Also she uses CBD oil. I tried this and found an organic brand with VERY few additives.
Hope you are blessed,
Chris

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