In a way, we who have seriouis health challenges are ambassadors for the patient population that still wants to be as active as possible, but not compromise health to do so. That is, we want to be part of the world, part of society, but cannot entertain environments or situations where we would set our health at risk of getting worse. For me, for example, being out in the sun or under glaring fluorescents is simply a non-starter when it comes to agreeing to events or activities during the day or extended periods indoors. I cannot risk a worsened flare or ill-effects from expsure to too much heat and UV rays.

But instead of complaining about this constraint, I do try to solve the problem and offer creative solutions to do so. If the event is at a friend’s house, for example, might I enjoy the event indoors instead? Or, if it is at a park, is there a building with adequate protection? I cannot play tennis during the day at all, but if my pain is not flaring, I might be able to do so after dusk (or just before, when shadows on the courts make it easy to avoid the last rays of the sun.

There are many constraints in a life that revolves around symptoms, doc visits, tests, and back again to hem us in. And there are many times when not even an accommodation is enough to enable us to take part in something we’d otherwise jump into eagerly. But, if we get a little creative (healthfully so) about what we can, at least for a little while, we can feel less constrained – and more like what we dream of: a participant in this beautiful, vast world beyond the proverbial sickroom.

Joy and peace,

Maureen