I have CP and feel exactly the same way. Funnily enough it was also true for me when I was diagnosed with depression in 2000. MH wasn't as well understood or accepted and I didn't know how to explain social or professional 'inconsistencies'. We can only hope that the acceptance of CP advances the same way as MH has but quicker. Kindness is key.
Kindness is definitely key. I'm so sorry to hear how difficult your path has been. And yeah, I hope societal understanding continues to evolve. It's mission critical.
It’s a shame how many ways we’re expected to “prove” our pain. I am so sorry you’re going through this. There’s a community of people suffering in silence that you’re giving a voice to here. 🙏🏾🖤
Really relatable Michelle. Thank you for sharing. You say you wrote about it before, but I just discovered your blog so for me it is an blessing that you choose to write about (again).
I feel your pain, your frustration and even your wishes. I wish I had a visible condition as well sometimes. Just not a broken leg, because I had that 8 years ago, I broke it in 3 places. Although my experience was exactly that, that people react differently, I also experienced best friends ghosting me because they didn't want to take care of me. In my experience with pain and suffering, it is een really though and brutal way of teaching me to become an expert in feeling and acting on what I need, every day. Feeling my boundaries and protecting myself like I would a child. Without feeling guilty and a burden. It a big lesson, a process, which brings me closer to myself and therefore I can be closer with the people around me.
I hope my sharing gives someone else the feeling that they are not alone in this. Like a pay it forward for your sharing :)
This was such a powerful read. Thank you for always showing up and sharing from the heart! I’m also grateful for the opportunity to interview you for Words As Sanctuary.
I recently started using Joe Dispenza’s meditations! I’ll report back if they’re helpful but the testimonials on people healing from within are amazing! Hope it may help you!🙏🏼 You’re in my prayers
I understand your exhaustion about writing/speaking about your pain and I also deeply appreciate when you do it anyway because it is so relatable to my own experience and that makes me feel seen and less alone. But I genuinely feel you about how hard it is to keep going over it, to keep having it be a thing that needs to be said/written. Acceptance is hard and not something that we hit just once, but rather have to keep returning to. Thank you, Michell. Bless you.
Laci! Thank you so much--both for these kind words, and for seeing me. I love your framing of acceptance as something that we have to keep returning to.
“With an invisible disability, every limitation becomes something to justify, every accommodation something to negotiate. You’re not just navigating your injury; you’re navigating others’ skepticism about its very existence.”
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Michell. It’s incredibly validating to see someone shed light on such a common reality, one that people with chronic pain, or in my case, mental health struggles, face. Pain is pain and it should never require justification.
I have CP and feel exactly the same way. Funnily enough it was also true for me when I was diagnosed with depression in 2000. MH wasn't as well understood or accepted and I didn't know how to explain social or professional 'inconsistencies'. We can only hope that the acceptance of CP advances the same way as MH has but quicker. Kindness is key.
Kindness is definitely key. I'm so sorry to hear how difficult your path has been. And yeah, I hope societal understanding continues to evolve. It's mission critical.
It’s a shame how many ways we’re expected to “prove” our pain. I am so sorry you’re going through this. There’s a community of people suffering in silence that you’re giving a voice to here. 🙏🏾🖤
Thank you so, so much
This was so beautifully transparent Michell. ♥️
thank you so much!
It is refreshing to just be... real.
ain't it?
This is so, so real. Thank you for such a vulnerable and relatable post.
I deeply appreciate you for this -- thank you.
I have the same problem and for years i suffered a lot of pain. Look for a quiroprat (quiropraxia). They do miracles.
Really relatable Michelle. Thank you for sharing. You say you wrote about it before, but I just discovered your blog so for me it is an blessing that you choose to write about (again).
I feel your pain, your frustration and even your wishes. I wish I had a visible condition as well sometimes. Just not a broken leg, because I had that 8 years ago, I broke it in 3 places. Although my experience was exactly that, that people react differently, I also experienced best friends ghosting me because they didn't want to take care of me. In my experience with pain and suffering, it is een really though and brutal way of teaching me to become an expert in feeling and acting on what I need, every day. Feeling my boundaries and protecting myself like I would a child. Without feeling guilty and a burden. It a big lesson, a process, which brings me closer to myself and therefore I can be closer with the people around me.
I hope my sharing gives someone else the feeling that they are not alone in this. Like a pay it forward for your sharing :)
This was such a powerful read. Thank you for always showing up and sharing from the heart! I’m also grateful for the opportunity to interview you for Words As Sanctuary.
Thank you so, so much Dhayana. I really enjoyed our interview!
I recently started using Joe Dispenza’s meditations! I’ll report back if they’re helpful but the testimonials on people healing from within are amazing! Hope it may help you!🙏🏼 You’re in my prayers
thank you, Kaitlin!
I understand your exhaustion about writing/speaking about your pain and I also deeply appreciate when you do it anyway because it is so relatable to my own experience and that makes me feel seen and less alone. But I genuinely feel you about how hard it is to keep going over it, to keep having it be a thing that needs to be said/written. Acceptance is hard and not something that we hit just once, but rather have to keep returning to. Thank you, Michell. Bless you.
Laci! Thank you so much--both for these kind words, and for seeing me. I love your framing of acceptance as something that we have to keep returning to.
"But I do wish for a world where we'd approach each other with more grace." -- Amen to that.
Amen, indeed
How can I support you today?
I so deeply appreciate you asking -- just knowing that you read and resonated with what I'm saying means a lot!
🧡🧡🧡
<3
I’m sorry you’re experiencing this. CP is real. My husband suffers from CP. He is over having to explain. I love the way you captured this in writing.
“With an invisible disability, every limitation becomes something to justify, every accommodation something to negotiate. You’re not just navigating your injury; you’re navigating others’ skepticism about its very existence.”
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Michell. It’s incredibly validating to see someone shed light on such a common reality, one that people with chronic pain, or in my case, mental health struggles, face. Pain is pain and it should never require justification.