Hey guys...
This is a different kind of update. But I need to tell you guys something that is really important to me (and might be important to you as well). I'm also going to put this into my Author's Updates book.
I have a chronic illness, I'm a little bit of a Spoonie.
The definition of a Spoonie is as follows: "The spoon theory is a disability metaphor and neologism used to explain the reduced amount of energy available for activities of living and productive tasks that may result from disability or chronic illness. "Spoons" are a visual representation used as a unit of measure in order to quantify how much energy a person has throughout a given day. Each activity requires a given number of spoons, which will only be replaced as the person "recharges" through rest. A person who runs out of spoons has no choice but to rest until their spoons are replenished."
I've been diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, or Hashimoto's Disease (or just Hashi's). Basically, my immune system is weak, and cannot tell the difference between me and an attacking cell. The thing that makes this worse for me is actually gluten, so I avoid it as much as possible.
I don't have it as bad as others, which is why I am so scared to tell you guys about this. All the time, I think "You could have cancer." "You could be dying." But that's the thing. I could hurt myself more if I ignore this.
I was diagnosed about two years ago, and at that moment my mom (who also has Hashi's) and I didn't know the extent of how bad this is.
Let me just show you some things that I go through because of Hashimoto's.
-Fatigue and sluggishness
-Increased sensitivity to cold
-Constipation
-Pale, dry skin
-A puffy face
-Brittle nails
-Hair loss
-Enlargement of the tongue
-Unexplained weight gain
-Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
-Joint pain and stiffness
-Muscle weakness
-Excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia)
-Depression
-Memory lapses
I have also been diagnosed with a few other things. Another list (I like lists, they're pretty):
-Anxiety (caused by Hashi's)
-Depression (caused by Hashi's)
-Hyperlaxity (my tendons are loose and my joints give out occasionally)
-Asthma
-Allergies (Wheat, Peanuts, Scallops, Sesame, 3 types of Grass, 4 types of trees, 8 types of weeds, mold, etc)
-Slight OCD
With all these, I have to deal with a lot of stuff. I'm only 17, the stress is agonizing sometimes. I take a lot of pills, I carry a lot of things around in order to help me. But, I'm going to be safe.
If you ever feel like you need someone to talk to about this kind of stuff, feel free to message me. I am so willing to talk to you guys about this kind of stuff. I'm working on getting better, but it honestly... Might not happen.
And that's okay.
Take care of yourselves guys. It's worth it in the long run ❤
