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| Doing it can be a real challenge when your joints look like this! |
Not that kind of doing it, silly.
Although, I suppose what I'm about to tell you could be applied to
the bedroom as well. But what I mean is do it like in “Just Do It”.
You may not think it's possible, in all instances. I'm here to tell
you it is, with a few concessions, of course. To be honest, there are
quite a few things that come under the I just can't description
with Lupus. Still, I do and focus on what I can do in every
situation, every day.
I can keep the house relatively
sanitary. Although I may have to sit down much more frequently than
someone without a chronic illness, I can still do things like
laundry, dishes, sweeping, mopping, etc. And sure, there may come a
day when I cannot. But as long as I can, I will keep it up. Because
otherwise, I feel like I'm letting Lupus win and that just won't do.
It hurts when I type sometimes. I have
severe Rheumatoid arthritis in my right hand, caused by Lupus. I have
it all over, actually, but that hand is killer. I play a game called
type a bit, massage hand, type some more, repeat. But folks, I love
to write so I just keep plugging away at it.
I garden too. Conventional gardening is
pretty much out now. Bending repeatedly is not in my Lupus
repertoire. So, I have raised beds. I built them with my
grand-daughter the second I realized that gardening conventionally
was becoming a problem. I also do some bucket gardening.
Doing just about anything with Lupus
and the other chronic issues that I have requires some changes, but
that's OK. At least I can still function, albeit, a bit abnormally.
Abnormally, after all, beats the hell out of giving up and waiting
for death to take me.
Folks, if you have Lupus, or some other
crappy, pain in the butt condition, don't give up on moving
altogether. Don't give up on your hobbies, hopes and dreams. I know
that you may not even be able to do what I can do. That's OK. Do
whatever you can do. Even if, particularly on those bad days,
it's just to wiggle your toes while you watch TV.
After all, just because you have a
chronic illness, well, that doesn't mean you don't deserve a happy,
productive, fulfilled life.
And thanks to your chronic illness,
Lupus or otherwise, I'm betting you know just how precious life is!
