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The Lymphie Life

In a “mood”

Alexa Ercolano

February 23, 2011

Reflections

Hello, lymphies..

I’m in what I like to call “a mood” tonight, where I feel particularly down-and-out. I’ve been feeling a little depressed these couple days about my lymphedema. I worry that I don’t do enough to manage mine, and that it will get worse over the years – that it’s out of my control. I’m scared by the hopelessness of it, and the permanence. I’m scared of the future with this condition.

What do you do when you’re feeling particularly low about your condition? How can I cheer up? :(

I found this picture on the internet, and it makes me feel a little better. It’s a nice little mantra to repeat to yourself during particularly tough times, and one that I’m going to try to live & learn:

Be well, and good night <3

Post Tags: mood, sad, vent

Written by

Alexa Ercolano

Alexa is a writer, book hoarder, and cat enthusiast from Baltimore, MD. By day, she works in the marketing and communications department for a large health system; by night, she runs The Lymphie Life. Learn more about her here!

7 responses to “In a “mood””

cosmina

February 23, 2011

i feelt depressed for so many times ! i know how u feel ! what we can do to feel equa lor how can they consider us equals ?

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1. alexae67
  
  February 23, 2011
  
  I think the best we can do right now is to take good care of our bodies and ourselves, and happiness will follow. It’s easier said than done, though! :(
  
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Tim Brookes

February 25, 2011

Alexa, I think this is already a valuable activity and may grow into something really worthwhile. One thought: you might want to reach out to others to write guest blogs/columns. The more richness and depth/variety of content you can provide, the better.
Tim

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Barbara Pilvin

February 26, 2011

Lymphedema doesn’t make me depressed or hopeless; it makes me angry. There is no reason for lymphedema to still be such a mystery even to the experts, and for its treatment to be so archaic, so time-consuming, so labor-intensive, and so imperfect, in this era of incredible discoveries and developments in knowledge of the ways in which the body functions and malfunctions and in which science and medicine can help minimize the malfunctions. For those of us who got nothing better than “just live with it” for decades, until it became not just disfiguring, painful and disabling but potentially deadly, anger is undoubtedly the norm. It’s just a question of how we channel that anger. Keeping quiet so as not to bother others is no longer the option we were always told was the only option. I write and talk about it, but some people seem to walk around with their feet in their mouths: some weeks ago I was explaining the disease to a colleague, who blurted out, “Well, at least you can walk.” Since she tends to blurt things out a lot, I didn’t yell at her…but believe me, I wanted to!

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1. Clare
  
  March 1, 2011
  
  Be thankful that there is some treatment now – there was nothing available for my primary LE until the last few years. For the previous 50, most physicians just were stumped. Fortunatey, I knew it was neither hormonal nor weight related, so I didn’t suffer like so many have. Now we at least have theraoists and garments to help us.
  
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Aria

February 26, 2011

I feel like this at least once a month. Whenever I feel depressed or angry or just down on myself, I call someone (my mother or my best friend) who truly appreciates me for who I am and not just what I look like. After getting reassurance from an outside source, someone who most likely doesn’t have the condition but knows a little about what I’m going through, I think of all the things I’m grateful for in my life and of all the people in the world who I want to help. People who are starving, dying of CURABLE diseases like TB, and others who are victims of structural violence. This reminds me of why I have to keep on working, studying, and volunteering. There is a purpose that is more than this condition. I am more than my condition.

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Kelly Miller

March 9, 2011

i spend almost all day on my feet and my legs use to get really tired, then my doctor told me to try a pair of compression stockings and now i able to move around for much longer without all the discomfort in my legs

Sincerely,
Kelly Miller

Webmaster – Compressions Stocking – SupportSockShop.com

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