WHO KNEW WE HAD SO MUCH IN COMMON?
Turns out I have many of the things we are made aware of this month. Whilst many of us relate and band together in our “Awareness” I wanted to make a list of the things for May that are “Awareness Oriented” that I have in my body:
– WOMEN’S LUNG HEALTH IS THE WEEK OF MAY 6TH (NATIONAL)
– On May 19-21st it is AUTOIMMUNE ARTHRITIS DAY FOR THE WORLD
– Mental Health Awareness Month
– National Stroke Month and National Stroke Awareness Month
I have also connected a link to each of these CONDITIONS so if you need any resource material you can click on whichever one you need and if you have a question, PLEASE, my comment section is fixed and I would love to hear from you.
Truth be told, I am an idealist. I am someone who fights EVERYDAY. I know there are people who have it WAY WORSE than me, though I don’t think pain or what we have is a competition or OBJECTIVE in ANY WAY.
Let me explain… for instance:
Woman’s Lung Health Week is relatable to me as I had Lung Cancer at 24yrs old. I am a NON Smoker and the age didn’t fit with what people tend to visualize when it comes to Lung Cancer or Lung Disease. However, this week is INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL WOMEN. Why? Well, Lung disease and Lung Cancer are now both in the top 5 of what is a main killer for ALL WOMEN. Please, go get screened. You can find a place near you that will do it for for free. The main difference is that it hasn’t become standard. We still must ask for this screening. It is not something we are told to get done and one of the MAIN REASONS I DO PUBLIC SPEAKING ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
Now let’s get into a BIG ONE that most people are aware of:
Lupus.
May is Lupus Awareness Month.
I have Lupus. Many more people than anyone knows have this disease which comes in a ton of various subheadings and many flavors, like ice cream.
I would definitely say since Lupus is an auto-immune disease, that it is also considered an invisible disease by many, and has what I like to call an “Umbrella Effect”. By this I mean I have rarely found a person who has Lupus that does not have another auto-immune or connective tissue disease.
To use me as an example: I have Lupus, but it also comes with RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) and Ethers-Danlos Syndrome (involving hyper-flexibility amongst other factors).
under this umbrella (meaning in the realm of auto-immune AND/OR chronic invisible diseases)
Osteoperosis is connected as well and combines with my AS (Ankelosing Spondilitis).
A big reason I say these are all connected, aside from them being ‘connective-tissue’ diseases/disorders; All of what I have is SYSTEMIC. Systemic means if one thing flairs up… let’s say my RA then ALL OF THE OTHER preverbial wires get tripped and EVERYTHING FLAIRS UP.
Many of us with Lupus feel a stigma or simply as though we are alone or not acknowledged. To that and my fellow WARRIORS I say “You are NEVER ALONE and we must continue to fight stigmas and educate.”
One of my new favorite platform’s I have found on Social Media is called OFMINDFULMANNER. Whilst they are new, they are amazing and will never let you feel invisible or alone in ANY WAY. You Can also find them on instagram at ofMindfulManner
Speaking of STIGMAS let’s get into the next on the May list: Mental Health Awareness.
I have mental health conditions. I have had friends joke and say after they hear what I deal with daily, they would have metal health conditions as well!
I hear that!!!
I am only ready to disclose what I am diagnosed with – not the reason why right now as that is it’s OWN blog post which I will be writing. Having said that I am diagnosed as having PTSD as well as lesser Anxiety Issues. I was once diagnosed with Borderline Personality: HOWEVER, the Psychologist and Psychiatrist have been a bit flippant with ME, as I only am speaking for me right now, and have rescinded and changed their minds. I have been off medication for the “Borderline” and have been doing MUCH BETTER. Of course I do believe that too much medication is never a good thing.
Last, but absolutely not least, is that May is Stroke Awareness Month. This one is newer to me. The others I have spoken about I have dealt with for years and are not the only things I deal with, but just what is involved with May Awareness.
I was recently diagnosed after having multiple mini strokes or TIA ‘s and episodes where I fall and have small seizures as Epileptic. Now I know we are speaking of Strokes, but my strokes are involved in my Epilepsy. There are MANY forms of Epilepsy out there and mine just happens to involve strokes as well. I was tested and could see where my brain lit up as I had a seizure or TIA .
I am a Cancer Survivor and this diagnosis of Epilepsy scares me. I never thought I would feel that massive lack of control again. Because I have had 2 DVT’s (Deep Vein Thrombosis) in my leg and 7 PE (Pulmonary Embolisms) … The fact that there is a part of my brain that could have an embolism at anytime is scary.
It should be scary.
What should NOT be scary is this blog post. We all have various issues in our lives that we can worry about and some that make us want to crawl in a closet and cry for days. I think being transparent about that is JUST AS IMPORTANT as us getting back up.
I do not let these things define me. Although, I would not be telling the truth if I didn’t say that they do shape who I am as a person.
I do not say that as a bad thing.
In fact it is because we can cry or admit we have bad days that the good, nay, GREAT days come and are incredibly valuable.
We are not alone. We have each other. I have been told “Sara, you shouldn’t have lived through this or that…”
Well, I have. I believe that is because of a fighting spirit. I know I have learned that I have depths of strength I never would’ve known had I not been diagnosed with these and other diseases/disorders.
No, this has not been easy to write ,but it ABSOLUTELY MUST BE TALKED ABOUT. We must make ourselves and others around us AWARE.
WE ARE THE STRONG. WE FIGHT FOR OUR LIVES. WE LIVE TO SEE THE NEXT DAY.
HAPPY MAY AWARENESS MONTH for those who live with these and other diseases and disorders. For those who know someone who has any of these listed and so many more – Take the time. Learn and Spread Awareness.
We live with these issues, not suffer with them. We fight and because of that, in the end I believe Awareness will spread if we speak about it and we will come through it, even if it is a lifelong disease.
In Peace and Positivity,
SaraSmile
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