Invisible Illness Week

National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week is held annually in September and is a worldwide effort to bring together people who live with invisible chronic illness and those who love them. 
Check out:  invisibleillness.com



30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know


1. The illness I live with is: Chronic Migraine/Headache

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 6th Grade

3. But I had symptoms since: Around puberty

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: taking it easy when all I want to do is ignore and keep on going.
5. Most people assume: if I am moving around and appear to be normal, I am not hurting.

6. The hardest part about mornings are: getting up before I am ready- with kids that is almost every morning

7. My favorite medical TV show is: None right now

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My crock-pot- that is a gadget- right?

9. The hardest part about nights are: going to sleep- I either hurt too much to sleep, or I don't hurt and don't want to slow down long enough to sleep

10. Each day I take _10-20_ pills & vitamins. (No comments, please)

11. Regarding alternative treatments I: love it and think it works, but have a hard time keeping with it because a)it is expensive(not covered by insurance) and b) its alternative so I let it drop off my radar

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: invisible.  I may not have life figured out, but I can fake it like the best of them... and sometimes faking it helps pull me through.

13. Regarding working and career: It was sometimes easier going off to work with pain because I had a distraction. 

14. People would be surprised to know: I have headaches that last 8-10 days- usually one or two a month.

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: some of the people closest to me are fed up and no longer patient with me and my pain.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: tri-athlons- I will participate in my third one at the end of September.

17. The commercials about my illness:  aren't really about my illness.

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: spontaneous adventures- who knows if I will have a headache or not.

19. It was really hard to have to give up: Needlepoint- I enjoy the detail work, but can't do it with a headache.

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Yoga- My husband got me started in yoga for relaxation before we were married in hopes it would help me.  I enjoy it and can usually do it with a headache.  My kids do it with me for about 5 minutes too. 

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: completely clean my house, play for hours with my kids in the park, and enjoy an evening alone with my  husband.

22. My illness has taught me: not many people understand, but that is OK, a lot of people still care.

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: give me advice that completely cured their headaches(which couldn't possibly be like mine)

24. But I love it when people: listen and actually try to understand

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: I can live with pain. I can live with my headaches. I can still CARE for my FAMILY and meet my obligations. I might do it better without the pain, BUT I am capable to do it with it. And I think that is pretty darn OK.

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: listen to their bodies- its OK to take it easy.

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: even in great pain, I can find happiness.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: extended understanding.  And took my kids away allowing me to not worry about them and rest.

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I just found out about it and am starting to get more involved in the online community that deals with headaches.

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: loved.