Living with a chronic illness
Living with chronic illness is an experience that can be incredibly isolating, particularly when it feels like everyone else’s lives are moving forward while yours is stuck in place. As someone who has struggled with chronic fatigue, poor health, cognitive impairment, and failing memory, I know firsthand how painful it can be to watch others achieve milestones that seem forever out of reach.
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Raising kids when suffering a chronic illness
For the past decade, I have been raising three young boys while grappling with various health issues that make each day a struggle. As a result, there are days when simply getting out of bed feels like an impossible challenge, let alone keeping up with the energy and demands of three little ones. And when I see other parents easily tackling similar tasks, it’s hard not to feel deep envy and frustration.
symptoms assoCIATED WITH A BIG AND HARD STOMACH AFTER EATING
How does chronic illness affect a person’s life?
One of the most challenging aspects of living with chronic illness is the loss of memories I know I’ll never get back. I can’t count the number of times my boys have asked me to play with them, only to be met with a blank stare as I struggle to recall what game they’re referring to or how it’s played.
I’ve missed countless memorable moments and milestones because I was too exhausted or unwell to participate. And while my boys are incredibly understanding and compassionate, it still breaks my heart to know that I’m not the parent I want to be for them.
Another challenge has been running a business while dealing with chronic illness. I have always been passionate about my work, but these days, simply getting out of the house and facing people feels like an impossible task. In addition, my cognitive impairment means that I struggle to keep track of conversations and often forget important details or names I should know.
I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve had to apologize for my memory lapses or ask someone to repeat themselves because I couldn’t understand what they were saying. It’s incredibly frustrating to feel like I’m not performing at the level I know I can.
Of course, the impact of chronic illness extends far beyond just my professional life. Relationships with friends and family have been strained as I struggle to be present and maintain social contact. I know that my illness has made me seem distant or aloof to some, which has caused a great deal of hurt and confusion. And while I understand that these loved ones mean well, it’s difficult to hear their well-intentioned advice or suggestions when I know they can’t truly understand what it’s like to live with chronic illness.
How does chronic illness affect you emotionally?
Perhaps one of the most frustrating symptoms of my chronic illness has been the anger outbursts that can occur due to gut inflammation. I try to keep a level head and remain calm, but sometimes my body feels like it’s in constant turmoil. My gut pain can make it feel like I’m being stabbed, and the anger and frustration that come with that pain can be complicated to manage. I hate knowing that I’m causing pain or hurt to the people I love, but it can feel like I can do nothing to control these outbursts.
And through it all, the rest of the world keeps moving forward. For the past decade, I’ve watched friends and family members return to work after having kids, enjoying promotions and pay raises. At the same time, I struggle to pay for never-ending medical bills and tests that never seem to bring answers. They go on family holidays, pay off homes, and experience all the joys of life that seem forever out of reach for me.
It’s hard not to feel left behind or forgotten when it seems like everyone else’s lives are moving forward while yours is stuck in place. The pain of seeing others achieve milestones that I know I’ll never experience is a deep and ever-present ache. It can feel like a constant reminder of chronic illness’s limitations on my life.
It would be understandable if I felt a sense of bitterness or resentment towards those who seem to have it all, but I recognize these feelings aren’t productive or healthy. So instead, I feel sad that my illness stops me from providing what I would like to provide for my family. And it’s ok to feel sad about that.
One of the most frustrating parts of living with chronic illness is the constant battle between wanting to keep up with the pace of the world and the need to prioritize self-care and rest. It’s so easy to get caught up in the comparison trap, thinking about everything I should be doing but can’t because of my health. But the truth is, pushing myself too hard only exacerbates my symptoms and makes it even harder to keep up with daily tasks.
Learning to prioritize self-care has been an ongoing process for me. It’s meant learning to say no to invitations and opportunities that I would have jumped at in the past to conserve my energy and focus on my health. It’s meant taking naps when my body needs them, even if that means sacrificing other activities or commitments. And it’s meant learning to be kind to me, even when it feels like the world is telling me I’m not doing enough.
The shame of chronic illness
There is often shame and guilt that accompanies chronic illness. It can come from the fear of being judged or dismissed by others. Many people with chronic disease worry that their condition will be perceived as laziness, weakness, or hypochondria. This can make it difficult to ask for help or seek support.
Chronic illness and loneliness
Unfortunately, the shame of chronic illness can lead people to withdraw from social situations, avoid seeking help, or even stop pursuing treatment altogether. I have struggled with this judgment and shame. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s the people that you expect will be there for you that turn out to be the ones that don’t validate and support you as you would expect.
Unfortunately, these feelings and resulting actions can make the condition worse and lead to even greater feelings of isolation and despair.
Chronic illness online support groups
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned throughout this journey is the power of community and support. Although living with chronic illness can be incredibly isolating, it’s important to remember that others are going through similar experiences. Unfortunately, family and friends can’t always empathize with what you are going through as they don’t have the personal experience as a reference point to understand.
Finding a support group or community of people who understand what it’s like to live with chronic illness can be an incredibly empowering and validating experience. Facebook groups have been a godsend throughout the last decade.
It’s also crucial to build a support system of friends, family members, and healthcare professionals who can offer assistance and support when needed. For me, this has meant relying on my husband and children for help with daily tasks and accepting offers of help from friends and neighbors when they’re offered. It also meant working with my doctors and other healthcare providers to find treatments and strategies that can help manage my symptoms and improve my quality of life.
Despite the challenges of living with chronic illness, I’m continually amazed by the resilience and strength of the human spirit. Despite the setbacks and limitations imposed by my health, I still find moments of joy and gratitude in the small things, like a hug from one of my children or a beautiful sunset. I’ve learned to cherish these moments and hold onto them as a reminder that there is still beauty and wonder in the world, even amid pain and struggle.
How do you cope living with chronic illness?
Living with chronic illness is not easy, and sometimes it feels like the pain and frustration will never end. But I’ve learned that it’s possible to find moments of joy and meaning even amid difficulty with the proper support, strategies, and mindset. And while getting through each day has been challenging, there are coping mechanisms I’ve developed and adopted throughout the years to get by.
Living with chronic illness can be a challenging and isolating experience, and there have certainly been times in my journey when I’ve been ready to give up. Despite seeking help from countless doctors and trying every treatment under the sun, I still struggled to get out of bed each day and felt constant pain and fatigue. It wasn’t until I started exploring the link between energy (or lack thereof), autoimmune diseases, and gut health that I began to see a glimmer of hope for my health.
Over the years, I tried countless diets and nutrition plans, from low-salicylate to gluten-free, but nothing made a significant difference. It wasn’t until I discovered the role that lectins, a protein found in many common foods, play in gut health that I finally started to see some progress.
Lectins, autoimmune disease and gut health
Lectins are known to cause inflammation in the gut, which can lead to various health issues, including autoimmune diseases. By eliminating foods that are high in lectins from my diet, I was able to reduce the inflammation in my gut and start to stabilize my condition.
One of the biggest challenges in following a lectin-free diet is the limited selection of safe foods. Many common foods, like grains, legumes, and nightshade vegetables, are high in lectins and must be avoided. So instead, I focus on eating a diet rich in healthy fats, protein, and non-starchy vegetables.
Choosing high-quality, grass-fed beef and pastured chicken has also been an essential part of my diet, as these animals are less likely to have been fed diets high in lectins. Choosing these options can be more expensive, but the benefits to my health have been well worth the investment.
Although changing my diet and focusing on gut health has been challenging and sometimes overwhelming, it has been one of the most critical steps to reclaiming my health and finding relief from chronic illness. It has taken years of trial and error, and there are still days when I struggle to get out of bed or feel the pain of my condition, but I am grateful for the progress that I have made and the hope that I think for the future.
Every person’s journey toward health is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution to chronic illness. However, I encourage anyone struggling with autoimmune disease or other chronic conditions to explore gut health’s role in their symptoms. Making small changes to your diet and lifestyle can significantly impact your overall health and well-being, and it is never too late to start on the path toward healing.
While the road to recovery may be extended and challenging, there is always hope for a brighter tomorrow. With the proper support, strategies, and mindset, finding relief from chronic illness and reclaiming your life is possible.
The Gentle and Calm Gut eBook:
My Solution to a Healthy Gut
By improving your gut health with the help of a lectin-free diet and resources like the Gentle and Calm Gut eBook, you may find that your autoimmune condition or gut health symptoms become less severe, allowing you to enjoy better health and well-being.
Get the eBook now:
In summary
There is a connection between poor gut health and frequent nightmares or disturbing dreams. Consuming inflammatory foods can exacerbate gut inflammation and lead to an imbalanced gut microbiome, which can result in chronic inflammation in the body and brain. Eating foods close to bed time, or even in the afternoon can cause food to sit in the gut at night and can contribute to nightmares and disturbing dreams for some people. Where this is the case, improving gut health may reduce the frequency of nightmares. Implementing good sleep hygiene and a gut microbiome-building diet along with supplements and probiotics and a lectin-free diet can help improve gut health.
Get The Gentle and Clam Gut eBook.
If you continue to have trouble with sleep and nightmares, it may be helpful to speak with a healthcare provider or a mental health professional to address underlying issues contributing to your sleep difficulties. With the proper techniques and support, you can improve your sleep quality you need for optimal health and well-being. Until then, you may find that nurturing your gut microbiome provides gentle support.
Learn how I supported my gut for improved health and wellbeing:
