When I first began my blog [lovekarmafood] while I’d experienced several back
surgeries, including a fusion and total left hip replacement for avascular necrosis, I had
only been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I knew little about it and I was not only struggling with the diagnosis and what it meant, but the symptoms, which seemed to jump around all over the place. Fast forward 5 years later and I’ve added Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis to the list. However, I’ve also learned that just about every issue I’ve had since I was 25 years old is also considered an arthritis condition: avascular necrosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, impingement syndrome, tennis elbow and rotary cuff tendonitis. Many of these conditions also resulted in surgery and because I did not know the right questions to ask, I’ll never really know if the surgery was truly needed for a few of these conditions. [https://www.disabled-
world.com/health/autoimmunediseases/arthritis/arthritis-types.php]
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To sum it up neatly, lovekarmafood was created for three reasons: 1.) To offer
friendship and support to those struggling with chronic illness and pain. I love
connecting with people through my blog. I am always open to chat via email or even on
Skype or Discord to any who need it. 2.) Education about certain chronic illness,
autoimmune disorders and issues that cause chronic pain that includes lesser known
symptoms you might be experiencing and validation that your pain is real. I saw on
many boards created for certain illnesses that there were many who knew little about
what was going on with themselves. All they had was this diagnosis but not any
information around it. I also so this exchange of symptoms, that people were unsure if it
related to their illness or something new. I wanted to give them a place where they
could read about it easily and understand better. 3.) Hope, Humor and Solidarity: Hope
that there is a better tomorrow, Humor through sometimes very difficult moments, and
Solidarity through association; all of us who find ourselves in this similar situation can
strengthen one another through this regrettable association. Though I wish I didn’t have
to meet so many who find themselves facing chronic illness/pain, I’m glad to have met
them and I am infinitely glad that we can share our stories with one another. These
stories have the ability to elevate the spirit, while also inspiring someone who may have
felt their days of inspiration were at an end.
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My journey has taught me the meaning of the mantra that graces the front page of my blog: Face it. Embrace it. Defy it. Conquer it.
You can’t move forward in your journey without that first step. Facing it and your illness is the first step. In order to be your most authentic self you must embrace all that is you. Your illness and the source of your pain is you. Embrace it. Don’t allow your struggle to strangle you. Don’t allow it to suck the joy from your life or steal away what gives it meaning (and while things may get tough) Defy it. Finally, over-come it. Conquer it. You are more than the sum of your illness. You are more than the autoimmune disorder. It might be a part of you, but only a part of the beautiful story that is you. There are days where it is not easy for me to live by that mantra, but it plays in my head over and over again. I have learned to forgive myself for the anger and tears and self-pity, because I am only human. Tomorrow is a new day
and with it there is hope.
-Liza
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