Until quite recently, I have avoided thinking too much about chronic illness and it's impact on my life. I didn't want to become one of those people. You know, those people whose chronic illness or disability becomes the soul of their identity. I thought it was either/or. I didn't understand that identity could be a spectrum that is continually fluid.
This process of not only thinking about my identity and chronic illness, but documenting my thoughts in a cohesive way has been incredibly therapeutic. I reflect, write, re-write. I have drafts of thoughts, feelings, and events that I may never share because I can't figure out how to coherently express it. No matter what, it's helped me process through a myriad of emotions that have been long lingering under the surface. I feel like I'm letting parts of me free.
