Chronic Illness: Starting over again

The hardest part of ending is starting over. Wouldn't you agree? 

When you're chronically ill, people tend to think you're sick and that you have been this way for a while. Some people may even believe that you should be used to how you feel because you're chronically ill. What people fail to realize sometimes is that even if you're chronically ill, that status can change drastically. You can become healthier and you can become sicker. Your health status can change dramatically, and when it does it is as though a particular image you held of yourself is disappearing or ending, and you need to start all over again.

When you become sicker or need to rely on new equipment, you may not have needed before; you say goodbye to a "you" that is no more. It's like saying goodbye to a piece of who you are. You see the end of a phase in your life that you may have liked a little more than the one towards which you're heading. Whether you're now using a wheelchair, oxygen tanks, or have a feeding tube, this "you" is new and takes some adjusting to feel comfortable in your new skin.

It's okay to be uncomfortable for a while. Just like when you get braces or a new haircut, it takes some time to settle into your new self and love it. The most important thing though, while on your road to loving your new body, is to remember not be hard on yourself. Do not hate your body because it is changing whether for better or worse. This body is what we were given, and life will be slightly brighter if you forgive your body and learn to live with it. Embrace it, love it, and find the beauty in starting again. It is by no means an easy task, but starting over never is.

 What has ended for you recently that means you're starting over? Share it with us in the comments!