What's my superpower?
Anyone who endures high pain on a consistent basis will have this superpower:
I can sit in a crowded Emergency Department, be entirely panicked on the inside and legitimately fearing for my life, and yet sit calmly and look content at the exact same time.
I have had various episodes of throat swelling with Hereditary Angioedema. While these episodes have not resulted in the complete obstruction of my airway as of yet, and do not progress like anaphylaxis, being unable to breathe properly is terrifying.
I guess, in my experience, it could be more relatable to an asthma attack. Progressive stridor breathing and gasping for air that gets worse with emotional/physical distress - that could freak anyone out.
And yet, I can be sitting there gasping for air in line to see the triage nurse and appear as though nothing is wrong with me. I am usually cracking some joke with Rj or just actively focusing on keeping myself calm.
Part of the trick of keeping calm is knowing that there is something they can do, and it is quick-acting. The other trick is simply having faith that I will be taken care of.
I have had life-threatening Pancreatitis and have been told that I am crazy until they see my bloodwork come back. I have had a near fatal stomach bleed and commented how the taste of vomiting blood was at least better than the taste of bile.
My superpower is looking completely normal and calm in times of specific medical distress.
Now put me in the spouse position when my hubby is sick? Totally panicked. Put me in the fur-mom position when Dex is crying while getting surgery? Total mess. But when it comes to my own situation, I can seem pretty calm.