Chronic Illness Things

<p>I like to think of my diagnosis as something I have to care for, rather than something I am or have. It doesn&#8217;t define me &#8211; although its so consuming it often feels that way. Having a chronic diagnosis is like being given a badly trained, enormous, ill-tempered and exotic dog. Think Newfoundland crossed with&hellip;</p>

<p>In my experience, having a chronic diagnosis is like being given a badly trained, enormous, ill-tempered and exotic dog. Think Newfoundland crossed with a Mastiff. Now imagine knowing nothing about caring for dogs, having no time to train one and living in a small space with a your family of 4.  Your job is to keep it healthy, train it somehow, stop it from destroying everything, still do all your usual life stuff and leave the house dressed and with your hair brushed.</p>