With Hereditary Angioedema, any extreme emotion can trigger a major episode.
Anger, frustration, anxiety, panic attacks, being frightened, excessively happy, excited - pretty much anything.
Really, to avoid a lot of episodes, ya kinda have to try and stay neutral. Alllllll the time.
Basically it wants me to be a robot.
And then even if I AM neutral, sometimes I get swelling anyways. Usually it is from some injury or a flare-up of another illness, but either way, it has a complete mind of its own.
Overall my swelling is much more controlled due to a pretty incredible medication. It is a blood product, so I am grateful to anyone who donates blood, I am directly benefitting from those generous people.
I can look at it in many different ways ... but there are two particular ways that come to mind:
A) I could look at these episodes as punishment for being happy. That I am not 'supposed' to get excited or really feel anything. On one hand it just SUCKS to be careful not to have too much fun just so I don't have a severe episode that could put me in the hospital.
B) I could look at these episodes as signs. That these episodes are just flagging me to prove how these moments are important or memorable. On this other hand, it reminds to appreciate what caused the episode. That it obviously means a great deal to me.
Sometimes I don't think I am nervous about something but then I swell - so it points out that I am clearly a little nervous.
It can be a warning.
Most of all, if I swell because of a situation that was positive, it is PROOF that I genuinely loved that moment.
It proves genuine happiness in various situations.
That is how I want to try and look at it.
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