The Other Side of the Coin
Intracranial Hypertension, Hashimoto's Disease, and Sacroiliitis. I battle with these health conditions every day. Just because I'm a care partner doesn't mean I am immune to getting my own health issues. It's probably not uncommon for care partners to be dishonest or in denial about their own health. It's easy to get caught up in taking care of someone else and forget or choose not to take care of yourself. There's times where I think "I got to take care of mom, I'll deal with me later". Care partners are always putting needs of others before themselves.
MS isn't entirely hereditary. There are no test you can take to see the risks of developing it. There is no bio-marker. But it's believed to be hereditary in about 3% of people. Personally, I think the numbers are higher. MS runs in my family. I've seen it run in other people I know. However, it's not uncommon for autoimmune disorders to run in families. One person might have MS, one person might have Crohn's, and one person might have Rheumatoid Arthritis. Surprise! Surprise! It runs in my family!
Hashimoto's Disease is the autoimmune disorder of the thyroid. Your thyroid attacks self. The thyroid can affect hormones, weight, memory, body temp, hurt functions, and so on. It's not just your weight that is affected. I personally suffer from "cog fog", brittle nails, hair thinning, weight gain, difficulty swallowing, and extreme fatigue. Fatigue and "cog fog" are the 2 areas I personally can relate to with my mom and MS.
Intracranial Hypertension is a brain disorder that cause cerebral spinal fluid and pressure to build on your brain. Headaches, dizziness, balance, coordination, and vision changes are typical side effects. Spinal taps and shunts are typically used to treat and drain the fluid. Fun! I'm lucky enough not have experienced either but I know my day is coming. I never had headaches before. I maybe had 5 my entire life and that's being generous. 2015/2016 I started getting them weekly. I went in for an MRI to test for MS actually. Good new, not MS. Bad news, Intracranial Hypertension. I don't call that good news. It's beyond painful. It's unimaginable pain. I call what I get a headache for an easier way to explain to people what I'm going through, but migraines make what I get look a party. I'm down for the count. And it's not just like I can take some Ibuprofen and everything will be okay. I take prescription pain killers and I'm bed for hours, if not days. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
My latest diagnosis I received was Sacroiilitis. It's inflammation of the joint where the hip and spine meet. I have pain that goes from my hip, to my butt, down my leg, to my feet. There are many days where I have to roll out of bed or brace myself against the wall just to stand up. I started using a cane to help take off some of the pressure. It's funny how you see things differently and how you're treated differently when you start using assistance devices. I truly understand what my mom goes through now. The first time I used a cane I cried. Not because I feel like less of person, but I now the struggles she goes through every day. I felt what she feels every day. I know the pain she goes through. I know the limitations she has. I know how others see and judge her. I also got to witness firsthand how others look at you and how they treat you. I was out shopping that first day, and I got all kinds of looks and glares. The "she doesn't look sick" glare. The "better her than me" glare. The "handicap" glare. The "don't touch her, she's got cooties" glare. It was interesting because just a day or two before that when I wasn't using a cane people weren't looking at me like that. But as soon as that cane came out, it was like BAM! YOU'RE DIFFERENT! YOU'RE LESS OF A PERSON! I'm fortunate that I don't think of myself in this matter. I don't take it personally because a) I don't care what you think of me, b) you have no idea what it's like to walk in my shoes, and c) if you think that way about me it's probably because you got some issues you need to work out with yourself. Make its because you're a shitty human being. Sorry, not sorry.
I always joke with my mom and say "come on old lady" when we're walking together. She thinks it's cute. It's become a term of endearment in a way. You got to laugh and make the most of everything. You got to be able to make fun of yourself. Now she says I don't have room to talk when I say that to her because now I'm old lady too. We're just two old ladies walking hand-in-hand in this thing called life.
MS isn't entirely hereditary. There are no test you can take to see the risks of developing it. There is no bio-marker. But it's believed to be hereditary in about 3% of people. Personally, I think the numbers are higher. MS runs in my family. I've seen it run in other people I know. However, it's not uncommon for autoimmune disorders to run in families. One person might have MS, one person might have Crohn's, and one person might have Rheumatoid Arthritis. Surprise! Surprise! It runs in my family!
Hashimoto's Disease is the autoimmune disorder of the thyroid. Your thyroid attacks self. The thyroid can affect hormones, weight, memory, body temp, hurt functions, and so on. It's not just your weight that is affected. I personally suffer from "cog fog", brittle nails, hair thinning, weight gain, difficulty swallowing, and extreme fatigue. Fatigue and "cog fog" are the 2 areas I personally can relate to with my mom and MS.
Intracranial Hypertension is a brain disorder that cause cerebral spinal fluid and pressure to build on your brain. Headaches, dizziness, balance, coordination, and vision changes are typical side effects. Spinal taps and shunts are typically used to treat and drain the fluid. Fun! I'm lucky enough not have experienced either but I know my day is coming. I never had headaches before. I maybe had 5 my entire life and that's being generous. 2015/2016 I started getting them weekly. I went in for an MRI to test for MS actually. Good new, not MS. Bad news, Intracranial Hypertension. I don't call that good news. It's beyond painful. It's unimaginable pain. I call what I get a headache for an easier way to explain to people what I'm going through, but migraines make what I get look a party. I'm down for the count. And it's not just like I can take some Ibuprofen and everything will be okay. I take prescription pain killers and I'm bed for hours, if not days. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
My latest diagnosis I received was Sacroiilitis. It's inflammation of the joint where the hip and spine meet. I have pain that goes from my hip, to my butt, down my leg, to my feet. There are many days where I have to roll out of bed or brace myself against the wall just to stand up. I started using a cane to help take off some of the pressure. It's funny how you see things differently and how you're treated differently when you start using assistance devices. I truly understand what my mom goes through now. The first time I used a cane I cried. Not because I feel like less of person, but I now the struggles she goes through every day. I felt what she feels every day. I know the pain she goes through. I know the limitations she has. I know how others see and judge her. I also got to witness firsthand how others look at you and how they treat you. I was out shopping that first day, and I got all kinds of looks and glares. The "she doesn't look sick" glare. The "better her than me" glare. The "handicap" glare. The "don't touch her, she's got cooties" glare. It was interesting because just a day or two before that when I wasn't using a cane people weren't looking at me like that. But as soon as that cane came out, it was like BAM! YOU'RE DIFFERENT! YOU'RE LESS OF A PERSON! I'm fortunate that I don't think of myself in this matter. I don't take it personally because a) I don't care what you think of me, b) you have no idea what it's like to walk in my shoes, and c) if you think that way about me it's probably because you got some issues you need to work out with yourself. Make its because you're a shitty human being. Sorry, not sorry.
I always joke with my mom and say "come on old lady" when we're walking together. She thinks it's cute. It's become a term of endearment in a way. You got to laugh and make the most of everything. You got to be able to make fun of yourself. Now she says I don't have room to talk when I say that to her because now I'm old lady too. We're just two old ladies walking hand-in-hand in this thing called life.
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