Comments on: Getting through a “flat” day….

By: bazza

bazza — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 09:41:11 +0000

Yeah Lill, After 23 yrs around the kids and knowing their personalities so well, I’ve learned to “read” them as they walk in and know that with the approaching “storm”, today isn’t a day they want a joke but rather just a little fussing over to let them know what they are feeling is real nad some assurance that they have been there b4 nad will get over it.

By: Lily

Lily — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:31:24 +0000

Hi Greg! Thanks for your comment. I appreciate your thoughts. I guess here I should clarify what I mean by “flat”. I do not actually mean depressed or down (although it could be relevant in either of those situations which is why I used the term so broadly), I mean “flat” as in not acutely sick but not really well either. There is often a middle ground before chest exacerbations (this is the case with Cystic Fibrosis but I am sure it is the same for many other illnesses also) where you are not really crook yet but you know what is on the way. That was my experience on Wednesday – the storm I am watching coming in is a chest infection which has caused me to be abit “flat”, I mean “flat” as in impending infection, low grad temps etc. “Flat” is a term that myself and my medical team use to actually describe a physical feeling. Many people living with chronic illness will know what I mean by “flat” but I have also tried to make this relevant for the many readers I have that don’t live with chronic illness who may have other definitions of “flat”. Flat to them is a very different feeling to “flat” for us! I agree about listening to your body, it is a skill that I know many people with chronic illness possess in bucket loads. Here I was listening to body telling me that I needed some down time, abit of pampering and lots of fluids! I have suffered from clinical depression in the past and am now very aware of the signals my body (and soul) sends me before an episode but that is a post for another day! Thanks again for your feedback! Lily*

By: Greg Katz

Greg Katz — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:02:04 +0000

You said something very revealing at the beginning of your share. You mentioned that you could feel the “flat” coming on , like we know a storm is coming in when watching the weather. Obviously the only person who can change the weather is Mother Nature, but I’m wondering what power we have to alter the course of our own lives. If something is “coming on” what might be the tools to avoid the storm? I love your suggestions once you’re in the storm, but the body and our soul give us clues…I’m just wondering how we can listen better before we have to use the remedy.