Who Am I?

"Who am I without my disease(s)? What makes me more than just my disease(s)?"

What poignant questions! I'm not even sure how to answer them, but I'm going to try...

Before my accident, I had finally reached a point where I felt comfortable and confident in who I was. But, that was short-lived. My auto accident in October 2008 changed my life forever. I suddenly couldn't do the things that I had been so good at. I struggled with doing things that were core to who I was. And, that threw me into quite a state of panic and depression. Suddenly, everything was different... and yet, I still felt like the "old me" was just trapped inside of a now-damaged body. But, chronic migraines... chronic pain... changes people.

I'm a woman of faith. I'm a loving wife, daughter, sister, granddaughter... I'm a perfectionist still trying to adjust to living life with chronic pain. I enjoy scrapbooking, writing, and spending time with those I love. I am blessed beyond measure. I enjoy helping others. I love with my whole heart. And, I hope my life reflects my deep love for my Lord.

I really need to give these questions some more thought, as I continue to grow and change. But, thanks for posing the questions.


This post was written as part of the Health Activist Writer's Awareness Challenge (HAWMC), and the April 2012 edition of the Patients for a Moment Carnival.

Things I Need & Love

Today's challenge is to write about 10 things I couldn't live without... for example, if I was stranded on an island. Well, living with chronic pain / illness can actually sometimes feel like being alone on a stranded island. My world is primarily within the walls of my apartment. I venture out as much as I can, but I spend the vast majority of my time here.

So, the things I need and want in my home now are the things I would need and want if I was stranded on an island. For this blog post, I'm going to change the prompt a bit. Here are 3 different lists: what I need / love the most, what I'd like to have, and what makes life worth living.

5 things that I need / love the most:

1. The unconditional love of our Father in heaven.
2. The strength and love of my amazing husband.
3. The love and support of my parents / family.
4. The encouragement and support of my (online) friends.
5. The hope that there will be days with less pain in the future.

5 things that I'd like to have:

1. A journal and pen.
2. Scrapbooking supplies.
3. Cell phone with internet access, so I can keep in touch with the outside world.
4. A soft pillow / blanket / bed.
5. Migraine meds.

5 things that make life worth living:

1. Faith
2. Hope
3. Love
4. Health
5. Laughter

This post was written as part of the Health Activist Writer's Awareness Challenge (HAWMC).