I hate crying. In fact Im not sure anyone would say they like to cry. It is an emotion relating to sadness and distress so one we never want to experience if possible (There is the odd occasion that laughter renders us crying in which case it’s not so bad).
I am not much of a crier and it takes a lot to make me cry. Giving up my job really left me pretty low but I didnt ever cry about it. I was upset and close to tears but never actually cried. I am the same in clinic appointments I get upset but never shed a tear.
The few last weeks I have found really tough. I have cried a lot which is when I realised just how tough I was finding dealing with my health just now. The first time I cried was with my physio when she said that the feeling probably wouldn’t come back in my leg but the work we did would help my knee to compensate and it would learn to feel what my foot is not. Things like walking will be easier as my knee learns to recognise the impact when walking etc. I just couldn’t help but cry.
My leg has been the cause for me crying more in the recent weeks than anything else has. I was speaking to my mum briefly about stuff and she has been helping me apply for ESA too. I almost ended up in tears and after she left I ended up in a lot of tears. For years I have dealt with my asthma and it has upset me but not left me in the turmoil that my leg has. I know more about asthma that most of the professionals do, what I don’t know about asthma is probably not worth knowing, but my leg I have no clue what is going on and no one can give me an answer about what is wrong with it or how long it will go on for. All anyone has said is that the feeling most likely will not come back as there has been no improvement in sensation so far.
I am trying to stay positive about it and also trying to learn to adapt and be as independent as possible. I don’t want to sit and wait for this one day to suddenly get better which would be great but if it doesn’t get better then at least I am able to be ok for myself and make the most out of my physio sessions.
What I wish I could do is to let my emotions out more. I felt a sense of relief after crying and letting it all out. I always thought this blog was my way of coping and making sense of everything that goes on with my health. I have some posts which I write that are kept secret which I want to be just for me so I can get it out but not for the public. The posts are not really constructive and more a jumble of my thoughts- or a more jumbled version of my thoughts.
Particularly in the UK we like to have that stiff upper lip and not show our emotions but this is not good for us. We need to show emotion otherwise we eat ourself up inside. It is not weakness so shed a tear. Particularly when we are living with chronic illness that in turn causes other conditions it is hard work. Life without illness is hard work, illness just adds to that work and it is work we cant leave in the office. It comes with us everyday, every night there is no relenting.
It is ok to cry wether it is publicly or privately you are not weak for crying. It can be cathartic and actually help unload some of the stress we feel which in turn can potentially mean our conditions can become easier to manage especially if stress if a trigger to cause conditions to flare up.
ANONYMOUS-ASTHMA 