Invisible Illness Awareness Week

So it's time for those of us with invisible illnesses to stand up and talk about what we got through. I'll be annoying you with stuff about this all week, don't worry. ;) For those of you wondering, an invisible illness is a disease or condition that doesn't affect outward appearance to a noticeable degree. This includes such fun things as cancer, mental illness and scores of other conditions. Some estimates are that half the current population of the US have some form of invisible illness. So why don't we ever talk about them?

Find out more about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and the 5-day free virtual conference with 20 speakers Sept 14-18, 2009 at www.invisibleillness.com

To kick off the week, have a meme!

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is:

• Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Bamboo spine
  • Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
  • Plantar fasciitis
• Avascular necrosis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Estrogen Dominance Syndrome
• Adrenal Fatigue
• Sleep apnea
• Dysthymia
• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

( More than you ever wanted to know )

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because:
I'm tired of being constantly expected to not talking about it. I'm tired of being afraid of being perceived as whining, complaining or attention-whoring if I talk about the pain. I'm tired of living with the spectre of setting myself up as a target if I'm honest about how I feel.

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel:
Impressed that you actually plowed through it instead of just skimming by! Thank you!