HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!! May your day be as pain free as possible. May you enjoy the time that you have to spend with family, or the time that you need to be alone-relaxing and resting. Know that your family and friends love you, and while they many not truly understand the pain you feel or your need to be alone- they want to help you in any way that they can. And if you worry that your family and friends do not understand your pain and isolation, know that I identify so much with every state of mind that you have probably ever been in.
Please do not let the pain of any chronic illness leave you feeling guilty about what you can or can not do today or any other day. God has incredible plans in store for the millions of people (including myself) who live in chronic pain and with chronic illnesses. We are all learning to express empathy and compassion; and, I am determined to communicate as many details as possible about advocacy, medical and pharmaceutical research, the latest treatments and existing therapy associated with chronic pain and chronic illness.
Today my husband and I will have Thanksgiving lunch with family friends. My two 20-something daughters are spending the day watching their university's final SEC football game of the regular season.
I have been awake since 3:15 am this morning, so I need to rest before I go visit with our friends. I know that many of you understand how I feel right now- I exist most days with only a few hours of non-REM sleep.
My future posts will reveal how honored I am to represent my home state as Mrs. Mississippi International 2014 and will include photos about my journey before, during, and after the 2014 Mrs. International Pageant, being held in its new home- Jacksonville, Florida in late July 2014. I will also relay my story of the many years that I have lived with chronic illness and chronic pain from a point of truth and respect and will recommend websites, organizations, advocacy information, online community forums and public support groups that focus on the silence and the indifference associated with chronic pain and chronic illnesses.
It is my desire to "Bring a Voice to the Silent World of Chronic Illness." I invite you to share your stories of anxiety and apprehension that you live with on your bad days and to express your resoluteness and confidence on the days when you feel the strength to get out of your bed, leave your house, and face the world with a thriving, surviving reassurance of wellness.
My blog is an open forum for everyone associated with chronic illness - whether you are the patient or the caregiver. If you have questions or answers, words of advise or words of support as a sufferer of chronic illness, we all (as survivors of chronic pain) need your involvement to make this endeavor a success; if you are a spouse, child, parent, other family member or friend, your advice is also welcomed and needed as we collaborate on this joint venture to honor our loved ones who live in daily, silent chronic pain.
I LOOK FORWARD TO FORMING NEW FRIENDSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE CHRONIC PAIN COMMUNITY.
MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL.
Mrs. Mississippi International 2014
Angie Russell Irvin
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