Accepting chronic illness

[limbogirl]

hello al,

this is my first post here. I only discovered steve pavlinas website about a week ago and have been doing a lot of reading.

Here is a bit about myself before I post the questions!!....About 2.5 years ago I completed a PHD in biology and then promplty fell ill. I have been strugglign with ill health since then. I have lost a lot of freinds and have not worked since then.... I have changed a lot in terms of how I live, what I eat etc, and have had to deal with a lot of difficult emotions that go with chronic illness such as losing self worth, how do I defince myself, what does this all mean, why do some suffer ill health, etc etc etc..........

I am still struggling with compeltey accepting my illness and my limitations....how do I make sense of my life and create a meanigful life? can anyone help with any suggestiions or point me to any posts that might help?

thanks so much

[Shamou]

Hello and welcome aboard limbogirl...

Very sad to hear about your plight... I will probably come back to this thread later... but all that I could say that could help you is being said so much more eloquently in: "TED Talks Dan Gilbert: Why are we happy? Why aren't we happy?"

I invite you strongly to view it... it's free and last 20 minutes... but it could change your life...

My very best wishes...

.

[Sam988]

limbogirl, isnt there any way to cure it? could you tell what kind of disease you have?

[limbogirl]

hello,

thnaks for replying. Well, I got food poisoned and very bad IBS after that. I lost 12 kg in 2 months. Unfortunatley I also have polycystic ovaries and something called joint hypermobility syndrome. After the weight loss, the hypermobility became very bad and now most of my joints click in and out of place (bascially my body doesnt make good quality collagen to hold the joints).....so I am almost constantly in pain. Am exhausted most days as I cant slep well due to pain. I have tried jsut about everyhting one can for IBs and though its a lot better, I still cant eat vey much or a large variety of foods.......plus to top it all off, my gp did a test and found out I have quite high levels of mercury in me. I have had my amalgam filligns removed and am tryiong to get the mercury out of my body!

so I guess its a lot of different isuues........I think the physical changes all this has brough plus having irritable bowel has compeltely taken away my sense of feeling attrctive and sexy as well.... dont knwo how to get that back.

thanks for helping

[Liara Covert]

Hi Limbogirl.

It may help to read thingd by someone you admire who has lived unexpected chronic illness or injury. Consider Christopher Reeve, Michael J. Fox, or others.

I would highly recommend you read about Morris Goodman : The Miracle Man.
Morris Goodman
(his reaction to his accident has really transforemd his life because he decided to shape his attitude in positive directions)

Here are 5 quick ideas (you can also visit my website for positive thoughts)

1) Let go of expectations. Health issues change your life yet, you always have choices about how you will react to your new conditions. You can decide to focus on what you can do and discover what is feasible.

(2) Focus on supportive relationships. You will find some people feel awkward or don't know what to say around you. Maybe they no longer sense they have things in common with you. Don't worry about them. People who care about you for who you are see through the illness.

(3) Remind yourself about joy in your blessings. No matter what your apparent predicament, other people are worse off and you could be too! Think about what you can do to uplift your spirits and bring more joy into your life.

(4) Use talents and skills you can. . If you're no longer able to work as you once did because of your illness, you may feel like your skills are going to waste. Consider your health actually offers opportunities to discover hidden talents you didn't know you had. Take some time to discover yourself. Finding things you can do will boost your esteem and energy level.

(5) Communicate with other people who have had similar health issues. You encourage yourself as you encourage others. You know how hard it can be to endure illness and to sense nobody understands. Share what its like to feel vulnerable and prove to people and yourself you can survive and teach people to get something meaningful out of everything.

[dnadadur]

Hi Limbogirl,

I am very sorry to hear about your plight. I recently started reading, 'Evolve your brain' by Joe Dispenza. He describes how he recovered from a terrible accident that left about 8 of his verterbrae crushed. He says that he did that without any medications and surgery. He says he is now able to lead a normal painfree life. I finished only the first couple of chapters so far and is an inspiring read. In the later chapters, he also discusses some of the techniques that we can use to awaken the bodies inner intelligence that helps it cure itself.

I hope that this helps. Best of luck to you.

Regards,
- Desika

[limbogirl]

heloo all,

thank you so much for writing back. I have been reading your web blogs, and it has been so helpful. I will put all the books recommended on my reading list.

[Seibiant]

Hi,
Dealing with a chronic illness is always going to be difficult and emotionally draining but it also brings with it a chance to change and grow. When I was ill I told myself that every extra day the illness stayed with me I was getting stronger mentally. It's no fun and there was plenty of despair but it pushes you to rethink your view of life - it seems you are already asking questions about spirituality etc. Also never give up hope of recovery and healing - no matter now bad things seem, there are people out there who can help you, whether they're doctors, alternative healers etc.

This line from the prophet says it more succintly than I can!
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven? And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
- Kahlil Gibran

[hymalaia]

Originally Posted by limbogirl

hello,
plus to top it all off, my gp did a test and found out I have quite high levels of mercury in me. I have had my amalgam filligns removed and am tryiong to get the mercury out of my body!

That damned mercury poisoning again. I'd look into the Andy Cutler protocol for curing this one. Many people have had success, much more so than some other methods used by both holistic and allopathic doctors. His website, containing excerpts from his book, is here:

"Amalgam Illness:" Diagnosis and Treatment of Mercury Poisoning, Fibromyalgia, Allergies, Chemical Sensitivity and Chronic Fatigue

Other good links

Mercury Detox: Information, Tools, and Resources (lots of info on the Cutler protocol)

Viewing list of forums
(forum for mercury poisoned people)

The advice I'd offer is that you should never "accept" ill health or limitations. That's like setting them in stone. Do everything in your power to reclaim your health. If your disease had a cause, then it must have a cure, but to find it you need to take some responsibility. Under no circumstance rely on the medical establishment to find a cure for you. Do your own research on your problems. With the internet there are many sources literally at your fingertips. If information overload becomes a problem, ask for intuitive guidence from whatever your source of spirituality.

I think the reason many people get sick is cause they take their health for granted, and need to learn to appreciate it in order to lead a meaningful life. Think of all the healthy people who never achieve anything near their full potential in life. Look at your illness as an opportunity for spiritual growth. If things seem to be getting too hard, ask the universe to give you a break. This may not work but for me it sometimes does. Good luck.

[John Hill]

Wecome to this forum, you will a get a wide range of advice here that will give you the opportunity to choose what information feels appropriate to you.

Your chronic illness is due to a chronic thought pattern, how this came into your life is due to the law of cause and effect. Trying to trace it back to its origin would be impossible but you can work on the problem as it is in your life today.

The magic healing power of your subconscious mind is the one power you have at your disposal every moment of the day to overcome any physical or mental conditions you have in your life.

John

Attracting People.com

[limbogirl]

hiya,

I have been seeing a councellor who is trained a sa psychologist but who is also deeply spiritual and says she is psychic. She mentioned that my illness is smething I have amnifested and she also said that it is something I had in a past life, and that I will continue to have it till I learn the lessons I am supposed to from it. I dont as yet know if I beleive in past lives and reincarnation, but its got me worreid. I am worreid I won be ale to figure out what it is I am suppoed to lean from this......

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by limbogirl

hiya,

I have been seeing a councellor who is trained a sa psychologist but who is also deeply spiritual and says she is psychic. She mentioned that my illness is smething I have amnifested and she also said that it is something I had in a past life, and that I will continue to have it till I learn the lessons I am supposed to from it. I dont as yet know if I beleive in past lives and reincarnation, but its got me worreid. I am worreid I won be ale to figure out what it is I am suppoed to lean from this......

I am not a psychic but I have to point out that you seem to have problems in concentrating on the situation at hand... it could have something to do with your situation...

.

[geekchic9]

Hello,

I've been reading this thread, and I must say I disagree with some of the advice on it. I have bipolar disorder (manic depression), and right now, it's considered incurable, and unless something changes in the future, I most likely will have to be on medication for the rest of my life. But that's OK with me -- I've learned to accept and even thrive with it.

When people online find out what I have, they usually tell me that I can think my way out of it or something. "Use positive thoughts." This is really nonsense. That's like saying, in my opinion, that I can think my way out of diabetes or other chronic, serious diseases. The only difference between diabetes and my illness is that my illness primarily affects my brain and diabetes primarily affects the pancreas. They're both imperfect organs, so disease can affect both of them. Anyone who tells you that you can think your way out of such chronic diseases is 99.9999% of the time trying to sell you something. Don't waste your money.

However, I do agree with learning all about your illnesses and joining support groups in order to learn how to cope with them. I also really like Liara Covert's 5 quick ideas she listed in her post.

I am still struggling with compeltey accepting my illness and my limitations....how do I make sense of my life and create a meanigful life? can anyone help with any suggestiions or point me to any posts that might help?

Well, why is there pain and suffering in this world? There are a ton of explanations that many religions offer in an attempt to answer this question, but the most accurate one that I have found that stands the test of time is that there just is pain and suffering. Life isn't fair or unfair, it just is. While this has been very difficult for me to accept, I find it ultimately to be the most convincing argument.

I hope this post helps in some way.