Getting Personal
I don't often get super personal...
This has taken me a while to write - as I gather my thoughts, trying to work out how best to explain without sounding like I am complaining.
I've known since I was a teenager that I suffered from chronic pain. I didn't know until last year why. Last year I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a connective tissue disease. This syndrome has honestly stolen so much from me - my energy, my time, even friends. I have days where I am bound to the bed or couch, barely able to move. I am stuck between being couch bound in pain, or couch bound on pain meds.
I was able to find a compounded medication that has been a LIFE CHANGER for me. It has taken the couch bound days down significantly which has been absolutely amazing. My kids have their mom back. I have my life back. I started on the medication last year when I re-started my photo business, allowing me to get back to what I loved most.
I had surgery on my ankle in January of this year, as many know, which halted things a bit for me. But now 7 months later and having graduated from physical therapy (woot!) I am having more good days than bad, finally. For once in my life, I have a stable right ankle that doesn't constantly give out on me or roll. It's honestly still amazing me - I just don't roll my ankle any more!
Unfortunately, flare-ups still happen. I still have chronic pain, and sometimes it gets so bad I am couch bound for days. The nerve pain can be absolutely debilitating for days or even weeks at a time. It's pain that sometimes is so severe, that my brain barely recognizes it as actual pain, and instead I am just exhausted, unable to get up, wondering why. Then it's like my brain just gives up and I am left with a wave of sudden severe pain, sending me into tears.
I mention all of this because I am just coming out of one of those flares - I am massively behind in editing, leaving clients in the dust for way longer than I ever wanted to. I have 6 more galleries to edit, all from 3+ months ago. I can usually get a gallery edited within 1-2 weeks, but this time, I just can't. I have spend a solid 2 weeks unable to do any editing because my kids come first, always. During these flares, it takes everything I have just to be a mom to these kids, with nothing left to give my business. It's been weeks since I have posted on social media, it has been weeks since I have touched my business to do list.
Just as soon as I started to come out of the fog, one of my children was officially diagnosed with Autism and ADHD, starting a cascade of crazy. So much to arrange, therapies starting, therapies ending, so much chaos.
As we enter the back to school season, transitioning out of the summer fun schedule, I aim to get back to routine. Back to work. Back to getting those photos done for all of you! I have some exciting blog posts planned and some exciting content to share!
Stay tuned!!
