Is not always what you imagine.
Sometimes behind that smile is pain.
Really physical pain.
Some days
I said it.
Not really the whole truth.
Its not just limited to some days. It happens everyday.
Some good, not being able to walk days. Others, just normal pain days.
Pain shouldn’t be normal.
But for me it is.
Everyday.
Struggling to walk pain.
Struggling to move.
Struggling to live life.
I’m struggling to type this. Every time a finger touches one of the keys on my keyboard, it hurts.
Really hurts.
I went to the toilet earlier. I had to use a wheelchair to get there.
I then had to ask my daughter to pull my underwear up. You see not only could I not bend but it hurt too much to hold it in my hand. I just couldn’t make a grasping hand.
It hurt.
It really hurt.
Yesterday, you would look at me and think wow she looks well.
Today, you would look at me and think I look old. Very old. Unable to stand up straight.
Today, you would say I look sad. Unable to move without tears rolling down my face.
Today, you would look at me and think I was broken.
But I will pick myself up and put on a smile.
The days you go out with a smile on your face, it still hurts.
It really hurts.
But you put that smile on and face the world.
Just because you see a smile, it doesn’t mean someone is not hurting.
Next time you judge someone with a disabled parking badge or using a disabled toilet. Step back for one minute and think, well done them. They are getting up and getting out. It may have taken every ounce of strength to do that. It may have taken 2 hours to shower and dress. But they did it. The have fought through the pain and are smiling.
Don’t judge.
You can’t always see the pain behind the smile.
It’s bloody hard, I suffer with chronic migraine. I lose approximately 20 days a month to chronic pain….and as a consequence am judged… its just horrible. Great post. I hear you.
So sorry to hear about your pain I can not imagine having pain daily and yes we shouldn’t judge for we don’t know what’s happening in the back ground.
I completely admire people like you who however tough life is you still push yourself to carry on living and doing what you want to do. My mum has had numerous operations on her ankle, bones fused together and had arthritis in her ankle and she struggles to walk sometimes and people give us funny looks when we’re in a disabled parking bay with my mums badges because sometimes she looks like she is walking relatively normally but people don’t see everything. Hope your arthritis eases up a bit x
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Sorry to hear about your pain Candace. Sending you virtual hugs. Hope somehow the days get better for you. xx
Dean of Little Steps recently posted…Three Types of House Viewers
I’m so sorry you are going through so much pain. You are a real life fighter! xxx
Absolutely agree, people are too quick to judge sometimes when instead they should take a moment to think about what it feels to be that person x
Thank you for articulating something that so many people have to live with every day. My Mum has fibromyalgia and she still manages to make time for her grandchildren when they want to play, even when she is suffering internally.
Catherine green recently posted…#LookAgain My Kitchen Renovation Challenge
Nobody knows what is hidden behind the masked smile upon someone’s face. We are all to easy to judge
Sarah | Boo Roo and Tigger Too recently posted…Boo Roo and Tigger Too {February 2016}
Aw hun here if you need to talk and it riles me that people judge just because someone looks ‘ok’. You never really know what someone is going through and just dismissing them because they look fine is wrong and ignorant.
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Awww hun x a great post to raise awareness of hidden pain. Hope you get some welcomed relief from your symptoms. We admire your get-up and go x
Baby Isabella recently posted…Going Nutty for Putty!
Beautifully written – I am so sorry to read of how you suffer. You are so right – we can’t and should not judge anyone else. Kaz x
Ickle Pickle recently posted…My Giant Fairy Tales Activity Book
I had this in the past because it was my young daughter who the badge belonged too. Some saw me and made comments and then I pointed out it was my daughter who was disabled. They then tended to look very sheepish.
Emma recently posted…Parity and raising strong children
people don’t often look past the smile, they dont bother to ask how you are. A smile hides a multitude of feelings
This is truly an inspirational blog. Well done to have smiled. I hope your pain is relieved. God bless. Afshan. 🙂
Sorry to hear you’ve so much pain. Before I blogged I didn’t know anyone who had chronic pain. Now I know of lots and it’s so important to increase understanding of how people have different problems and how to deal with it.
Sorry to hear about this. My wife has similar issues and it’s unimaginably distressing. 🙁
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awww, bless you. I’m so sorry to hear about your pain 🙁 i can relate because I struggle with pain on an (almost) daily basis too. I have a rare brain disease that causes headaches and visual problems. I can relate to your pain and how you’re feeling and it’s very hard to put a smile on. You are a very strong person. Sending hugs! xx
It must be tough on good days never mind the bad days. I’m always impressed by how you keep going. x
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Reading this made me feel so sad. I’ve been suffering from severe psoriatic arthritis in my left foot for the last couple of weeks, which has made it really difficult to walk. I’ve been so self-conscious hobbling from the tube to the office every day, but this has put it into perspective for me a lot.
You are incredible – I’m so sorry to hear how painful day to day life is for you, and I wish I could wave a magic wand and make it all disappear. But take solace in that there are those of us out there who are very sympathetic and understanding of disabilities – and I like to think that most people are! It’s just those idiot, closeminded people who just have no empathy or understanding. Keep smiling, when you can, and don’t beat yourself up when you can’t.
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I really hope you see some improvement soon, I have a chronic back condition and know how bad pain can be on a daily basis. Xx
This sounds absolutely horrendous and you have my utmost respect for dealing with it and smiling the way you do. You are an amazing woman!
Sarah MumofThree World recently posted…A parents’ evening to be proud of
I wish I could wave a magic wave and make it all go away for you. You are a very resilient and brave lady.
nessjibberjabberuk recently posted…A Taste of Gracewell
Very inspiring post indeed and you are certainly a strong woman. Still be able to do all these things and refusing to be held by challenges is indeed very inspiring.
Esther recently posted…7 Successful Women Bursting through the Gender Pay Gap
What a lovely post. Sorry to hear about your pain. Sending you virtual hugs x
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My thoughts are with you. You’re a very brave lady.
Sorry to hear you are going through this.
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I get it all the time I look well and my daughters does too. It’s hard to change people’s views but I’ll never give up trying.