A Day in the Life of Chronic Illness
8:20 am I wake up, take my prilosec for GERD. I missed my alarm at 7, probably because I stayed up too late last night. I need to remember to take my sleep medication on time so I don't stay up reading bullshit on reddit. I decide to make myself a cup of tea while I'm waiting the 30 minutes until I can eat breakfast. The tea I make is green tea mixed with cordyceps mushroom powder & honey. Green tea & honey both have antioxidants & anti-inflammatory properties. Cordyceps is supposed to boost ATP production & help with fatigue.
9:00 am I eat my breakfast of old fashioned oats with almond milk, cinnamon and honey. I'm sensitive to wheat and dairy. The cinnamon & honey have anti-inflammatory properties. I prefer to eat in bed, propped up by pillows because sitting in a chair is uncomfortable. After breakfast I space out on reddit for a while. I'm still getting used to the idea that I'm sensitive to wheat. It's a hard one for me because I absolutely love salty, crunchy snacks. I ate some of those last night and my belly is still hurting this morning. I have such bad gas that I have to keep air freshener nearby.
10:00 am My stomach still feels queasy so I'm laying down & taking it easy for a few more minutes. Then I take the rest of my morning medications: Tylenol for chronic, widespread pain; vitamin D3 for deficiency; Strattera for brain fog & lack of concentration due to fatigue; stool softener for chronic constipation. Also pepto bismol for my stomach.
11:00 am Finally it's time for a shower. I only take showers every other day & wash my hair once a week to conserve energy. I think this might be due to POTS but I don't have a diagnosis yet. It's something I'll have to talk about with my primary doctor.
12:00 pm I'm getting dressed now. Everything takes me a little longer than it used to due to mental fatigue & muscle weakness. If I stand for too long, I start to get dizzy which requires me to take little breaks throughout the day. I dress warmly in layers because I often feel uncomfortably warm or cold in public places.
1:00 pm I feel sleepy after eating lunch, but I have to run some errands. I take a shot of electrolytes and a 100mg caffeine pill. I go outside & as soon as the cold hits me, my joints start to ache. I think about buying a cane as I get into the car. I'm already self-conscious about how slowly I walk, will walking with a cane make me more so? I know I have to get over this aspect of being disabled. I'll get used to it eventually.
2:00 pm At the grocery store, I see little old ladies walking faster than me & I feel embarrassed. People go around me & I try not to get in the way. I try to focus on the food I'm looking for. When I finally get back to the car, I'm exhausted. I sit & cry a little bit. My life has changed a lot in the past couple of years.
3:00 pm Go to the thrift store to donate things. See some walkers, wonder if I should buy one. Decide not to this time.
4:00 pm Go with friend/roommate to pick up her kid. Pick up prescription at pharmacy.
5:00 pm Back at home, I have to lie down for a bit. My muscles are tired and aching from dragging me around.
6:00 pm Dinner time. I eat what I always eat - brown rice, lentils & vegetables. I make a big pot of brown rice & lentils once a week. I always have pre-cut vegetables in the freezer. This makes my life a lot easier because I rarely have the energy to cook a healthy meal.
7:00 pm I take some homemade cannabis tincture as I begin to wind down for the evening. I'm not prescribed painkillers because the doctor decided that my pain isn't "bad enough." I have some muscle relaxants but I don't like how they make me feel. Cannabis is legal in my state & it works well for me.
8:00 pm The rest of the evening until bedtime I do some dishes, put things away, read, write in my journal & listen to podcasts. I’m not really into watching TV. I take my nighttime medications (magnesium, GABA, & valerian root supplements; Tylenol, Cymbalta, Singulair, Junel & Trazodone) and go to bed at 10.