Difficult Time

[dare2dream11]

Hi All!

So over the past couple months it has been getting harder and harder to deal with Chiari and other related medical issues. Just six months ago I was living life and doing all sorts of fun and exciting things through the pain, but it is becoming more and more difficult to get the motivation to get out of bed now a days. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to motivate yourself to get up and going when you know it is going to be a painful day? I have both chiari pain and severe nerve pain in my legs from the damage caused to my spinal cord. It has just become too much. I used to be an athlete and the idea of going out for a run, bike ride or ball game would get me up and out the door, but now those are all things that I miss and make me frustrated.

[selmaS]

  Hi as jiggle mentioned it is like a death...of ur old life, but it is the birth of ur new one with Chiari...I know who wants to celebrate that, but once u r done grieving ur old life u will find new things to inspire u to get up...

I found I can paint and I love it, I also do all sorts of crafts, I am making a baby quilt right now....so, on Friday's Fribble thread we share what we r working on and then post pics...

Once u r ready u will find ur way...do not try to go back to what u had or were, u need to reinvent who u are.

[jiggle93]

Hi Dare2,
I'm not sure if this will help you at all, but this is how I deal with my Chiari and related health issues....
I thought of it as a loss, much like the death of a loved one. I had to cycle through the grief of loosing all the things I used to do and how I used to feel.  This took time, and I couldnt rush it...much like an actual death, the waves of emotion would come randomly.  
They say there are 5 stages to grief: 1-Denial and Isolation, 2-Anger, 3-Bargaining, 4- Depression, 5- Acceptance.
I have gone through all 5 of these, and can tell you that sometimes I still struggle with what I can no longer do. But for the type of personality I am, (as well as my family history) I have to put my own spin on it...meaning- I force myself,(or have a family member help me) find a silver linning at the low points as to not hold on to the anger. I come from a "victim" mentality family back ground so for me, I just cant stay there as I have seen what that does to a person. Not that I view anyone elses journey or struggle that way, just how I personally survive!  I still get frustrated...daily...but when I cant do, I find what I can do...even if its miminal!  And when I'm in bad pain, I say ok- today chiari wins- I'll lay low and hope that tommorrow I can be better...this is the hard one as the day sometimes stretches into many days....but I have hope for each next day!
Please dont be too hard on yourself, none of us would go through this garbage if we had the option. We are all on here to support each other and offer an outstreatched hand, but in the end you have to live with this on your own and will have to find your own way through it.  Each one of us is different even tho we share common illnesses.  
Again, this is just what has worked for me thus far....but it is a process, so we'll see how long this works before I have to re configure!  
Wishing you a better day!
Jiggle