On Moving, Anxiety, and 50k Blog Hits
I left Malaysia one month ago, August 2014. And by the way, moving is hard!
I ended up staying awake for 36 hours straight and loaded up on HC.
My electrical engineering mind still views life as an under-damped transient circuit. I hate the oscillation period that comes after a large life event as I try to stabilize. I want to fast forward to where I am already in my routine and life is good. That’s not how reality works.
I am happy to report that there were no scary adventures on my last three flights (KUL – NRT, NRT – LAX, LAX – DFW). There was one rude American Airlines flight attendant who initially refused to bring me water. Dear flight attendant, I have a chronic disease that involves salt wasting. Yes, I did bring my own water onto the plane. However, I did not expect to get trapped on the tarmac for an additional thirty minutes due to the long queue for take-off. I drank my water faster than expected. It is your job to bring me more water. Do not judge me when I ask for more water. Repeatedly. And don’t you dare tell me no. I will pull the “medical necessity” card on you, because water for me does constitute a medical necessity.
“Oh, medical?” she asked in a condescending tone.
“Yes. Would you like doctors’ notes to prove it to you?” I replied in a stern voice. She eventually backed down and brought me more water. The rest of the four hour flight was uneventful.
I then picked up the keys to our new apartment on August 29th, 2014.
I have moved more than the average American. Each move, I wrestle with at least one full out anxiety attack. This move was better than previous ones, but not without issues. Through the years, I have learned tricks and coping mechanisms that allow me to feel safer in my environment faster. One trick is putting stuff up on the walls as quickly as possible. I do not do well in a sterile white environment.
Also, I labeled the tanda so my guests would not be confused.
One of the last pieces in turning this apartment into a home included a reunion with my Olive Thief. It took about a week after picking up the keys, but the wait was worth it.
Somewhere between moving, resettling and returning back to America, my blog reached 50,000 hits! How exciting! I’m not sure where this journey will lead, but I do promise to continue sharing it with y’all.
Y’all just have to promise to join me in the fight to remain Clearly Alive.
Anonymous
I am so glad that you and your husband made it home safely. Thank you for sharing your personal story, It has helped me more than you will ever know. Reading your blog gives me hope. I am sure that others with Addison's disease feel the same way. Again, thank you and welcome home.
Amber
Thank you so much for your encouraging words! I do hope that my stories and lessons can be used to bless others, and it fills me with such joy to know that it's happening 🙂
Anonymous
Hi Amber, I've been battling Addison's for over 21 years. It's taken a lot of personal will power to maintain a somewhat normal life. Reading your blog posts reminds me so much of how just dealing with the daily issues that no one understands except for those with AD is at times overwhelming. As I get older it is harder to push myself to continue the day in and day out grind. I'm glad your husband is supportive of you. Keep up the good work of spreading the news. I live a very private life and no one at work knows my condition but my supervisor who is also my personal friend. In my experience people pity me instead of showing support. So I've chosen not to disclose my numerous medical conditions. I'm proud of you that you have the courage to shed some light on this disease. Keep up the good work!
Amber
Thank you so much for your encouragement! Comments like this remind me that I should continue to share openly and honestly, even when it is sometimes difficult.