10 Day Sickie Challenge - Day Seven

Four Tips For Sickies
1.  Write about how you are feeling - whether good, bad, sick, angry, whatever - either in a blog, a diary, or a forum.  We all understand the emotional, mental, and physical pain of the illness but don't forget to treat your spirit too. Take the time to let some of the pain, the anger, and the frustration out and let yourself at least begin to heal. 2.  Read other Sickie's blogs.  If you allow it, life through someone else's eyes can change your perspective and also give you a better perception of your own condition. You may even pick up some good tips/tricks/treatment methods that you've never heard before that might can make a difference for your own problems - who knows, you might even make a friend along the way. 3.  For those of you who are not allergic to animals, pets can be major therapy (i.e. dogs and cats).  They help with blood pressure, anxiety, can help boost immunity, and most importantly, they love you unconditionally and they don't judge you for any decision you make - sickie related or not.  Its been my experience that my animals know when a person doesn't feel well.  They can sense it.  Mine usually stay nearer to me whenever I am feeling less than okay.  They honestly try to give me as much support as they can.  4.  Make an extra effort to say thank you to your support system. Its just as important for a Sickie as it is for a bariatric patient, if not more so for Sickies to have a strong foundation on which to stand.  

Four Tips for Bariatric/Weight Loss Surgery Patients 
1.  Go to your local support group meetings if you have any available.  Some of the best support will come from other people who are experiencing the same thing and some of those bonds you form there can last a lifetime.2.  Its okay to mourn food and grieve the part of yourself that goes away with all of the changes. 3.  Make an extra effort to say thank you to your support system.  I know at times I am a bitch, hard to deal with and can be extremely moody. My hormones are changing because of the changes in my system and my depression level goes up and down.  I may cry, I may scream, and I may be silent.  Be good to the ones that are there for you during everything.  Try to remember, they may not quite understand what you're going through, but they are trying and they would do anything to help you but just may not know where to start. 4.  Love yourself - who you were, who you are, and who you are going to be.