Whining

I find it interesting, sometimes a bit annoying, and somewhat amusing that people think I'm whining when I comment on social media that I have a migraine or am having mobility issues or that when I post something like When You Look At Me. It seems like no matter how much I explain, people just don't understand.

When I post these things, I'm mostly trying to point out the humor or the fun I find in living with chronic illness ... or warning family and friends that I may be incommunicado for a while dealing with a migraine or other issue. Or commenting on what a beautiful day it is...and that I got to have a medical procedure that improves my quality of life - a blessing, not a tragedy. 

I find it fun to decorate my crutches. I find it simply a fact of my life that my health has its ups and downs and I'm on a downswing at the moment while I await my change in medication to take effect. I don't see a post of my newest DIY project (decorating my crutches with duct tape) as sad or whining. Just having fun preparing for life happenings. My life happenings just happen to involve mobility devices and getting through life as I anticipate a new medication taking effect. 

When I write blog posts about living with chronic illness and pain ... or about parenting, for that matter... I write them not to whine about my life, but to let others in similar life situations know that they are not alone. To help them see things in a different, and hopefully more positive light.  And to perhaps give some perspective to people who are blessed to live their lives in healthy bodies. 

Trust me, if I was whining, I'd have a lot more to whine about. For example, I, at this very moment, could whine about the fact that I got 2 hours of broken sleep last night between 1:30 and 7AM.; that just sitting here typing this, I have ice on my swollen throbbing knee, heat on my seized up hip, and it feels like a knife is wedged between my shoulder blades; that in addition, my neck hurts, my head is throbbing, my right hand hurts, and my feet are sore; and that although I'm looking forward to attempting a hike tomorrow, I'm scared I'm going to have to turn back after just a few minutes due to the pain.

And I could post similar things every single day  ... and much worse things on bad days. Yes, today is a relatively good day for me, all things considered. 

I'm not whining. I promise. At least not usually. Not until I get to week three of a migraine... or am craving chocolate or cheesecake and don't have any. Then I might just be whining.