Many thanks to Laura Brown for this post showing how important it is to keep perspective on our illness and to see the positives. You can read more of her blog over at http://lauralyme.tumblr.com which also links to her fundraising campaign for Lyme disease treatment.
A Question of Perspective
Even before I became ill, a phrase that would often trip from my tongue was ’it’s all a question of perspective’
I’m a huge believer that you can change your attitude about any situation purely by looking at things from a different perspective. Here are my perspectives….
- I am thankful that although it is not as good as it could be…neither is it as bad as it could be.
- I can no longer do everything for myself, but unless I’m experiencing a ‘crash’ I can still do some things for myself.
- I cannot join in with my children’s noisy playtimes, but they can come and sit with me to play a quiet game or do a piece of homework and I still see them smiling and watch them growing and hear their news of friends and school and football.
- I can’t speak for very long or write very well, but I can type, and I live in an age of internet, e-mail, texting and digital photography, so I can still communicate and be a part of society.
- I have transient paralysis if I do too much activity, but I am not permanently entirely paralysed.
- I am facing uncertainty in my future – but I am facing it with a fabulous family and some close friends standing right by my side.
- The NHS do not adequately test for or treat my illness – but I can find resources online to educate myself.
- I have dark days, but I still my have my sense of humour.
- I sometimes don’t know the word for a spoon, but I still have my intellect!
Laura Brown