I have a cold.
And while part of my brain laments how awful and full of cold I feel, how I can't think straight, and knows that curling up with a blanket and hot drink is the only way forward, another part of my brain is quietly relieved.
Yes. Relieved.
For the past week my PoTS has been playing up more than I'd expect. Nothing specific, just unsettling. I don't mind bad patches when I know I've overdone it, or the weather is too warm, or I haven't been doing my physio or I'm sat like a sack of potatoes - because I know why I'm bad. I've learnt roughly how my body reacts to things and it's really empowering. So when it starts being grumpy and not responding to my usual strategies and I can't work out why - this is really unsettling.
But my PoTS and EDS aren't mysteriously spiralling out of control - the brewing infection totally explains the past week. I just have a cold. Which, even better, is just a normal thing that people get all the time.
So while in one way I feel awful, in another way I am greatly reassured.
And I shall go back to my sofa, curl up contentedly with my tissues and vitamin C, and let my immune system work it's magic.
And while part of my brain laments how awful and full of cold I feel, how I can't think straight, and knows that curling up with a blanket and hot drink is the only way forward, another part of my brain is quietly relieved.
Yes. Relieved.
For the past week my PoTS has been playing up more than I'd expect. Nothing specific, just unsettling. I don't mind bad patches when I know I've overdone it, or the weather is too warm, or I haven't been doing my physio or I'm sat like a sack of potatoes - because I know why I'm bad. I've learnt roughly how my body reacts to things and it's really empowering. So when it starts being grumpy and not responding to my usual strategies and I can't work out why - this is really unsettling.
But my PoTS and EDS aren't mysteriously spiralling out of control - the brewing infection totally explains the past week. I just have a cold. Which, even better, is just a normal thing that people get all the time.
So while in one way I feel awful, in another way I am greatly reassured.
Hope you are feeling better now, Hannah? I have experienced the same sense of relief when the recognised symptoms of a cold have finally broken out – once you start coughing, sneezing, being properly bunged-up, or having a sore throat. It is almost cause for celebration – hurrah, 'tis 'just' a bad cold, it will get better with TLC plus plenty of cups of hot honey, lemon, ginger, and cinnamon.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for all your stickmen cartoons – I gave my GP the link to your blog and shop to add to the practice's info-sheet on JHS/EDS and he was very impressed by your talents and all the useful resources you've created!
xJ
Still coldy - but doing OK provided I'm very careful. And I'm so glad you said about it being almost a cause for celebration, cos that is EXACTLY how I felt!!
DeleteThanks for spreading the word about my stickmen - I'm hoping to release the new HMS/EDS book by the end of October. Really excited about it 'cos it's a huge improvement on the last one.