Listen to your body.

The best advice I was ever given was to listen to my body. I know when things are going well because I feel relaxed and in control of my health, be it good or bad at the time, I know what my body needs.

I know when I need to eat, drink, rest, sleep, take medication.

But sometimes, things get out of synch and I don't know what language my body is talking let alone how to fix/help it.

I had a pretty good rhythm and routine worked out with my cluster headaches but in the last few months I have been blindsided by Addison's disease.

I don't understand the many issues that this illness will present and create in my life yet but I know that just like with cluster headaches we will create a nice little routine and relationship to stay as well as possible. (I hope so anyway! I'm doing my best to understand all I can and need to do to stay well!)

However as I've said in a previous post, I have a nice give and take relationship with my body. One that I quite often vocalise, I'm often heard talking to my cluster headaches negotiating with them or reminding them we had a deal "I'll rest and relax today if you give me 2 hours off this evening!" I'm not saying it works but there is certainly some value in it, even if I just feel like I've got an element of control.

But now what's happened to this conversation? this dialogue that was going so well between me and my body that was going so well?  It's halted, broken. Not only do I not understand what my body wants or needs as it's talking a foreign language I also don't trust it.

We had a deal, I was keeping up my end of the bargain, eating, sleeping and drinking as required, taking all the meds and treatments I was told to and making huge life changes like giving up work. But apparently that wasn't enough and my body chose to let Addison's in... To let it take over and cause me new problems and issues.

Well that's the way I look at it when I'm feeling angry, sad, scared and sick. There is another perspective...

I listen to my body because it's usually, ok not usually... It's always right. And it is yet to fail me.... When I have been fighting hard, spending days in theatre or nights on cardiac care wards... No matter how hard I have been fighting, my body has been fighting harder.

 I have fought hard every day to get out of bed... But I've woken up everyday!

 I've got into bed every day exhausted and in pain... But I made it through another day.

All thanks to my body

I listen to my body ... Because it's never let me down.