As a woman of a certain age with a few different conditions that experience more than a bit of brain fog, I find myself forgetting things a lot.

In the spirit of adapting and overcoming instead of focusing on parts of myself that I’ve lost, I try to stay focused on solutions. It is one of the key traits of my personality. Problem solving in the scope of things that I excel in is kind of my thing.

But back to that adapting part.. for the brain fog, I have been calendaring anything and everything. Trash needs to go out? Reminder set. Heartworm pill for the pup. Calendar. Bloodwork, doctors appointment, payment to the home builder? Calendared.

It seems to be working and allows my “gotta get it done now” anxiety a bit of a break.

Where I have not mastered this is with knowing the limits of what my body can do. I recently got a shower chair for myself because sometimes I get tired and dizzy in the shower. For some reason it’s a bit tougher for me to just accept that I need this help.

Thankfully I am still able to walk and move around with relative ease. I am doing everything I can to preserve that, because I do hang out in subreddits for chronic illness and hear how bad it can get. Stories of people unable to function at all and relatives telling them to try harder etc.

I must say, the curse of chronic pain and illness has definitely been made easier by having a supportive partner/friends/family who either do or are trying really hard to understand. My empathy goes out to those without a strong support system.