Ginger Vee My Chronic Life

I have been subject to many an assumption made when it comes to my chronic illness’ and pain, so I thought I’d clear some stuff up.

Them: So, you finally have a diagnosis, you’ll be better now, right?

Me: No. Things aren’t magically better because my symptoms and issues can be defined under an umbrella term. It does, however, make treatment options more clear, and helps with the overall management of said diagnosis. It doesn’t change anything in regard to your pain or symptoms, it just gives you a direction to head, instead of wandering aimlessly looking for solutions.

Them: You’re on meds for your issues, so you’re problems will go away now, won’t they?

Me: Not at all. The meds I take for my mental health help immensely, but it really only helps keep my Bipolar II symptoms and OCD somewhat at bay; it does not help me with my depression or anxiety, though my panic attacks do respond to the quick acting anti anxiety meds that I have prescribed to me. We have not found any preventative migraine medications that work for me because my chronic migraines are A-Typical, and because my Trigeminal and Occipital nerve pain doesn’t respond to migraine/pain medications. Unfortunately, finding the right medication regime can take years, and often, you are still faced with the constant battle between side effects and benefits. When it comes to the pain medications that I take, sometimes they don’t even have the opportunity to take effect because I am too sick to my stomach to eat anything to take the meds with, and if I can take them, they don’t “stay down.” Thankfully, between over the counter and prescribed pharmaceutical meds, I have a good tool box of options, but there is nothing that helps everything all of the time. So, no. Prescribed medications don’t hold all the answers to a “regular” life.

Them: You can’t be in pain literally 24/7. That’s got to be an exaggeration.

Me: I am. It’s true. I’m not being dramatic or overstating, I am truly in some degree of pain every minute of every day, regardless of meds and lifestyle pain management. Even when I am not vocal about it, I am in pain. When I am out and about acting normal, I am in pain. In every video I make, every post I write, I am in pain somewhere, to some extent, in my head, face, neck or back, or on a bad day, all of those areas all at once.

Them: You’re disabled and home all day, you must be lazy and in bed all the time.

Me: I am far from lazy, and I am certainly not in bed all day. My house is clean, my family is fed, my animals are taken care of – every single day. Sure, there are days when I can’t function in the least, but I am blessed enough to have a husband who picks up my slack without complaint. He cooks dinner almost every night because cooking overwhelms me. Chaos in the kitchen causes me anxiety. We work together, but I do pull my weight. Every day, I do what I can to take care of myself, as best as I can, and function to the best of my ability, and, honestly, living this chronic life I live really is a full-time task in and of itself.