**Pre-RSD and Post-RSD. Not much of a difference on the outside and much healthier post-RSD on the inside. Obviously, the photo of me in my UM running gear is the pre-RSD me!
That infamous statment, "But you look so good..." If I had a dollar for every time I was on the receiving end of such a compliment, I would be living in a studio apartment on Miami Beach, but despite the frustration many of us illness warriors feel when we hear that statement, I find it to be flattering because it is reflective of my hard work and daily pledge to sustain health.
I am often asked, "How do you stay so thin," especially since my exercise routine is down to a few minutes of yoga a week and my lifestyle is more than sedentary, but it's not about being "thin," it is about thriving in a less than desirable situation. Because of my looks, not only is my illness invisible, but I sit on the fence and move back and forth between the "disabled world" and the "abled world," needing special accommodations but looking like the me of yester-year.
Basically, it comes down to the fact that I choose health. I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I practice a raw, vegan, organic lifestyle when permitting. Often, we make these things seem so difficult, but they truly aren't. Just as I worked hard to get into graduate school, I work hard at creating health. It really is that simple, but it takes some serious honesty with yourself, 100% self-awareness, and a true, true desire to be healthy despite the obstacles in your life. This disease is no excuse, and I don't buy the story when it is used as one. I am in the driver's seat of my life, and therefore, I've started down the highway of health making no stops and never turning back. You can, too.
Oh, and speaking of health, I am addicted to LUSH's natural beauty products. They are made from organic, cruelty free fruits and veggies and are environmentally friendly and all natural for you. You MUST check it out! http://www.lushusa.com/shop/
3 comments:
Nice post, Maria!
A few things spring to mind reading through it...
First, I'm guessing that you are naturally petite and slim. Some folks like this stay slim even if on forced bed-rest. Some people will cry 'Lucky!' but I also know enough people with your shape (and lovely it is, for I can see you're slim but also muscled) to know that, under stress, they are more likely to lose weight - not in a good way. Your commitment to healthy nutrition, even while vegan, can indeed provide all the nutrients you need to keep your gorgeous, glowing complexion! (I'm a former esthetician; I notice these things!).
Yes, we can look good, which is often a mixed blessing of sorts. Because we can look so well and healthy, it can be hard for people to imagine, for example, why I need to use my disabled parking permit at the mall or grocery store - when I'm not necessarily using a mobility aid, too.
Or, if I'm able to walk a little farther one day, it doesn't mean I'm suddenly better overall, but that I'm just able to do a little more that day. The next day (or dayS) I might be 'paying for it' with a bad pain flare - and not having done anything especially athletic by any means!
So I really understand how you describe yourself as sitting on a fence between the 'disabled' and abled' worlds. Why would this gorgeous, healthy-looking young woman need X to manage at school, or to park closer?
Yes, the sometimes cruel irony of RSD/CRPS is that it's not very visible, yet causes so much dis-ability for us.
And I like Lush's yummy, fresh beauty-full products wonderful, too... except, and I'm sorry to say, but I just have to!!! that one thing really bothers me about their products.
See, I'm an all-natural freak about products for beauty and cleaning around the home. Nothing gets in here that doesn't pass my pretty strict standards, which came from resolve seeing the psychiatric-appearing symptoms my son would have after exposure to cleaning chemicals (like bleach -horrid, neuro-exciting properties!).
My opinion only here, based on much of my own research and experience:
Lush has SUCH great ingredients, like a dusting powder I got from them, made from chick pea flour and corn starch, essential oils and... fragrance! Fragrance or perfume/parfum is NOT natural and generally is from petroleum-based chemicals - the type of which have as many constituents as the warnings we see on cigarette smoke packages! The 'fragrance/parfum' is just something that is stronger-smelling, lasts longer and is, well, cheaper. But essential oils - real ones! - are strong and long lasting and need not be expensive for such a large company!
It is possible that in the US there are different labelling laws. I live in Canada where our Health Canada regulations state that, for labelling, if it does not say 'natural colour' or 'natural flavour' but just 'colour' or 'flavour', for example - it isn't (natural, I mean).
HOWEVER, considering the other aspects of their products - vegan, cruelty-free, fresh-made and yummy, you're WAY more likely to be having a minimal amount of anything nasty than with almost any other products out there!
Personally, I'd love to raid their store on a regular basis and would like to campaign to have them remove the one ingredient on their labels that isn't all-natural!
Sorry for the rant/novel-length comment here! I think I should use your reminder to me as a nudge to write/email the company to talk to them about my concerns! After all, until customers ask for things, companies rarely see the need to change what's working for them!
I've done it before with products containing 'real' ingredients, but then they add MSG!
Thanks for the thought-provoking post and getting me riled-up about something I care a great deal about. After all, if my lovely friend wants to slather herself in gorgeous creams and balms and powders and the like, I want to make sure she, too, is safe and healthy!
To your health!
Hey, Lisa! Thank you for the compliments! You should totally write them! I use their lip balm, lotion bar, face wash, toner, and face moisturizer. I loooooove these! Especially the lip balm. Delicious!
Hi Maria, sorry to be catching up on your blog so late - this is why I like blogging so much more than facebook, I can catch up on people's lives after if I need to take a break for a while :)
This is an AMAZING post. It's so hard to be able to feel so much pain and for people to be assuming we're fine. I've learnt that sometimes it's easier to get by smiling and nodding than continually being irritated when someone says "Oh, you look better". When it comes to CRPS, looks have very little to do with how much pain we feel!
Glad to read you had a fun trip to Miami also! You inspire me a lot by just getting out there and living despite the pain :)
-Caf x
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