Giving Things Up

If you HAD to give up one or the other for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

Which would you rather give up?

Coffee or Chocolate

Sight or Hearing

Fresh fruits or Bread & Pasta (Carbs)

Salty snacks or Desserts

Watching TV or Watching Movies

Watching Sports or Playing Sports

Reading Books or Listening to Music

Driving or Walking

Vacations or a Steady Income

Your Large Intestine or Continence

A Social Life or Days without Pain

Medications or Full Psychological Function

Sleep or Sleep Aids

Exciting Adventures or The Ability to Breathe normally

Physical Strength or Mental Strength

Security or Your Dreams

Money or Medications

Walking or Seeing

Friendships or Better Health

Decisions like some of these have to be made by people with chronic illness. The difference is, we don't get much of a choice. Over time, we are at risk of losing all of this.
Luckily, we usually lose things slowly over time, so we have some time to adjust to it. We tend to get warnings - because once we are diagnosed with a chronic illness, it is often deemed progressive.
Some of these choices are even made every single day. We can't have both.
If I decide to meet up with friends, I am deciding to be in excessive pain in order to do that. If I take a vacation, I take huge risks medically and financially. When I take my medications, I can physically function better but my mental functions can be changed - like since I have been on pain relieving medications, writing and reading comprehension have suffered.

Making difficult choices each day is a reality.
It is amazing how much we take for granted because we never knew it was something we could lose.