1. The illness I live with is: Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) & Pachymeningitis
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2012
3. But I had symptoms since: 2008
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Coping with daily headaches while raising a young child
5. Most people assume: That it can be fixed/it's "just" a headache
6. The hardest part about mornings are: getting out of bed with the pain in my head
7. My favorite medical TV show is: ER/Grey's Anatomy
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: Tablet/E-Reader
9. The hardest part about nights are: Trying to get some sleep
10. Each day I take 20 or more pills & vitamins. (No comments, please)
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: have tried acupuncture and massage therapy wtih no success
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: something visible that has a cure
13. Regarding working and career: I haven't been able to work since I started having symptoms, just after graduating from 2 college programs. (Computer programming and Information Technology Support Services)
14. People would be surprised to know: the pain is worse than the worst headache/migraine you've ever had, I deal with the pain using over the counter medications which only lessen the pain, they don't stop it.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: there is still no cure for the pain that I live with daily
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: have a child in 2009
17. The commercials about my illness: I haven't seen any commercials regarding IIH
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: working
19. It was really hard to have to give up: a regular pay cheque
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: baking cakes Check them out! A Piece of Cake
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: spend the time doing things with my daughter that I haven't been able to do!
22. My illness has taught me: take each day as it comes and try not to plan too much, but make the most of the better days.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "Why can't they just fix it!"
24. But I love it when people: understand that I can't always be there for whatever event is going on. I have to take each day as it comes and go from there.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: We love you Mummy! (from my 2 girls Krystal (27) and Rachel (6) )
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: enjoy the good moments when you have them
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: the number of medical personnel that have no idea about IIH.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: take my daughter for a day so I could rest.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: awareness needs to be raised for the number of patients out there that haven't been diagnosed yet, and to increase understanding both privately and professionally for those already facing this condition and for those to come behind us.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: happy that I've been able to raise some awareness in at least 1 more person. Thank you for taking the time to hear what I've had to say!
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2012
3. But I had symptoms since: 2008
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Coping with daily headaches while raising a young child
5. Most people assume: That it can be fixed/it's "just" a headache
6. The hardest part about mornings are: getting out of bed with the pain in my head
7. My favorite medical TV show is: ER/Grey's Anatomy
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: Tablet/E-Reader
9. The hardest part about nights are: Trying to get some sleep
10. Each day I take 20 or more pills & vitamins. (No comments, please)
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: have tried acupuncture and massage therapy wtih no success
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: something visible that has a cure
13. Regarding working and career: I haven't been able to work since I started having symptoms, just after graduating from 2 college programs. (Computer programming and Information Technology Support Services)
14. People would be surprised to know: the pain is worse than the worst headache/migraine you've ever had, I deal with the pain using over the counter medications which only lessen the pain, they don't stop it.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: there is still no cure for the pain that I live with daily
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: have a child in 2009
17. The commercials about my illness: I haven't seen any commercials regarding IIH
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: working
19. It was really hard to have to give up: a regular pay cheque
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: baking cakes Check them out! A Piece of Cake
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: spend the time doing things with my daughter that I haven't been able to do!
22. My illness has taught me: take each day as it comes and try not to plan too much, but make the most of the better days.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "Why can't they just fix it!"
24. But I love it when people: understand that I can't always be there for whatever event is going on. I have to take each day as it comes and go from there.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: We love you Mummy! (from my 2 girls Krystal (27) and Rachel (6) )
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: enjoy the good moments when you have them
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: the number of medical personnel that have no idea about IIH.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: take my daughter for a day so I could rest.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: awareness needs to be raised for the number of patients out there that haven't been diagnosed yet, and to increase understanding both privately and professionally for those already facing this condition and for those to come behind us.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: happy that I've been able to raise some awareness in at least 1 more person. Thank you for taking the time to hear what I've had to say!
