Travel
-
Pain Scales
Here are two of the pain scales I promised. These are just suggestions but, if you would like to use them, feel free. If you are familiar with Excel, it is relatively easy to create one there as well. The top blocks on the first pain scale are for your symptoms. Then, you would put a check in each day that you experience those symptoms. This second pain scale allows you to write out your symptoms on a daily basis. It requires a little more work on our part but also allows more freedom for new symptoms. In addition, this affords the ability to document where on your body the…
-
When Illness Obliterates My Intentions
I am going to begin by apologizing but, please understand, I no longer do that frequently. I had hoped to have several examples of pain documentation tools on the site by the end of the weekend. It is now Tuesday and I am no closer to getting them posted. They are a work in progress. In addition to the pain in my head and body, I frequently have trouble with my vision. As I write this, it is blurry and coming in and out of focus. If I look too long, it becomes a blob of white on black. I thought that maybe taking a few days off might help,…
-
Through The Correct Looking Glass
Today, let’s look at helpful tips to help others see your true illness. Now, I know how difficult it is to go out without looking “presentable.” But I would challenge you to determine if “presentable” means to you. Don’t take into account what others will think. I’ve been doing just that and it isn’t working for me. Is it working for you? If it is, that’s great! I am truly happy for you. However, from what I’ve seen on social media, it doesn’t work for the majority of people. I would suggest being clean and having clean clothes on is presentable. I’m not saying this is a great example but…
-
Always Put on Clean Underwear!
Did your parents tell you this as a child? There was a time when parents would tell their children, who were traveling ANYWHERE, to put on clean underwear. This was in preparation for a potential accident. Goodness knows you did not want the rescue squad to see you had on dirty underwear!! What does this have to do with chronic illness and pain? Let me explain. For the entire length of my illness, no matter how bad I feel, I have always walked out of my home as put together as I could manage. Now, again, you might be thinking, so what? That’s what we all do and you might…