My life is very unpredictable, this is due to my multiple chronic illnesses. I live with Fibromyalgia, Hashimoto’s disease, Graves’ disease, Celiac disease, Raynaud’s syndrome and Cold Urticaria, and never know what a day is gonna bring. Will I feel fine? Will I be able to get out of bed? Or will my body decide I won’t be able to walk today? Who knows? It’s the crazy symptom lottery in the game that never ends.
So when I’m having a bad day, and I am not able to do much or even get out of bed, there are not many things that make me feel happy, at peace or positive in the slightest. I’m a vey positive person, and my default it to see things from the bright side. But I’m not a robot, and do also have times where happiness and positivity are hard to find.
On those days the emotions go from despair to feeling worthless, inadequate and plain sad. Sometimes even angry. Even though I’ve had these chronic illnesses most of my life, living like this is still difficult. I’ve learned to cope, but will never really get used to it.
Loving purrs on the way!
The thing that gives me the most comfort when I am having a bad day, or a longer flare are my loving pets. My cats lay with me on the bed and give me unconditional love. They don’t tell me I need to be more positive, or try harder. They simply stay with me and love me. I’ve got a calico cat and a black one. They both love to cuddle, even though the black one is only 6 months old.
On a bad day, I’ll cuddle up with my little balls of fur for hours, stroking them, listening to their purrs. Somehow it has a healing effect on me. I just feel an overwhelming sens of peace, love and pure happiness. Regardless of how tired I am or how much pain I’m in. It doesn’t make the fatigue or pain go away, but it softens it for sure.
Am I a crazy cat lady?
Sometimes I feel like a crazy cat lady, talking to me cats like they are humans. Telling them all my problems and feelings, like they really understand what’s going on. Or do they? Animals are smarter then we give them credit for, I believe. They feel it in the air when something’s up, and act accordingly. In my case, they don’t leave my side and give me purrs and cuddles.
I have a loving family who support me through it all, but even they can’t give me what my furry friends can. Unconditional, healing love and devotions, without distractions.
Do you have pets that make you feel the same way? I would love to hear about them in the comments.
YES! Our pets or Emotional Support Animals can be just what we need any day, especially on those flare days (which for spoonies is frequent). I have 3 cats (definitely a crazy cat lady now) and my chronically ill daughter has one also. Two of her doctors actually recommended an ESA for her. Not only do our animals offer us comfort and offer psychological support but also it is a scientific fact that petting fur and cats purrs have a physiological effect on serotonin production in the brain that lowers stress, increases blood circulation, aids digestion, and more! These sweet companions provide so much to us all: unconditional love, endless solace, and someone for us to care for even in our infirmity. I have always been an animal lover since childhood, long before I knew or understood being ill. Now, I am a definitive animal advocate, especially when it comes to chronic illness emotional support animals.