Hidden illness

Scardycat

Reaching out because hoping just typing this will.make me feel better.

I do my hair and makeup every day even when in pain. My illness is hidden accept for the woggle walk. I have my grandchild who is 1 years and this morning I had her big brother who is 6. I love them dearly but I find it so difficult to meet their demands. I'm tired all the time my fingers and wrists hurt, I ache all over my body and my shoulders feel broken. My family don't understand when I complain they are too much for me. I feel like they think I'm lazy when I'm not. I get frustrated and angry having to explain over and over again my condition and how it affects me on a daily basis. I don't know what to say or do to get them to understand, that this is not My fault.

Hairobsessed123

Big hugs 🤗 @Scardycat !

I know the feeling well ! I’m an the same hair and makeup ect !

my tip don’t do hair or makeup have a day off and let people see how it affects u it’s ok to not do the hair and makeup on bad days !

And tell them to come on here and read how pain affects simple daily tasks xx

Poppyjane

Hello @Scardycat and a warm welcome to the online community,

I hope writing your first post, reaching out to others who may feel some of the same symptoms and emotions as you, helped you. You are not alone in feeling as you do, many of us who are dealing with a similar situation to you get frustrated and angry. Some of that is directed at ourselves because as you say it is not OUR fault and some of it is at others who cannot understand the strain and drain on our inner resources that the disease leaves in our bodies.

We are here to offer you and your family support and hope that now you have taken the first step by explaining your feelings to us that you might feel able to show that message to your family as a trigger to a greater understanding of your condition. You do not say what type of arthritis you have and what treatment you have been given . I hope you will feel able to share more of your story with us in the future and encourage members of your family to use the community to increase their awareness of the ways that those living with arthritis are affected on a daily basis.

Do take time to browse round the community especially the "Living with Arthritis" section ,it is full of questions and tips of ways to cope that our members share. It is a safe and friendly place to gather information and give support to each other, so we hope you will join us here again soon.

Take care

Poppyjane