By Siobhain Simper in The Mighty.
As you may be aware, living with a debilitating chronic illness is no fun: the challenges thrown at you by a disease which dictates your every move can be overwhelming. But today, I’m choosing to celebrate the bright side. By putting a positive spin on some of my worst experiences of living with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), I want to highlight the empowering, edifying, and downright funny aspects of life as a spoonie.
1. Downside: I’ve had my dignity stripped from me by being showered by nurses and having them inspect my everything — from the toilet bowl to sanitary pads to the food left on my plate. Nothing will take away the memory of having a nurse prod and and poke at my business in the toilet bowl, nodding approvingly.
Silver lining: Hey, with no dignity left, I have nothing to fear! Public nudity? No problem! Clothing malfunction? That’s a laugh. Even the most uncomfortable of doctor’s tests is a breeze now. The most painful procedures are nothing compared to the awkwardness of having a cannula inexpertly inserted, or a tube put down your throat.
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