TO KISS OR NOT TO KISS

It's that time again, the new years eve festivities are over and reality sets in.  We make lots of resolutions to ourselves and make promises: to be a better person, exercise more, eat less, lose weight, go to church, etc.  What's your new years resolution?

As I look back over the years (before lupus), I've typically gone for resolving to take a vacation, spend more time with family & friends, exercise more or go on a date.  But, having lupus puts a whole new spin on things.  Living with a chronic illness can cause a lot of stress (actual and perceived stress) and make the simplest tasks seem insurmountable.

For example, last Thursday I woke up with a lot more pain and stiffness than usual.  My physical therapy appointment the previous day was a bit rough and I really just wanted to go back to bed.  I had a lot on my "to do list" and could already foresee it wasn't going to happen.  My hair needed washing (was way past its "sell by" date if you know what I mean), write a blog post and walk Giggles, my dog. On top of that, the cable guy was coming the next day to install new Internet service, which will allow me to blog bigger, better and faster; and the office needed to be decluttered and cleaned.  My current service provider, AT&T, has been so slow and unresponsive that I had to abandon my blog when I initially tried to go public, in 2016.  

From Bad to Worse

My day went from bad to worse when I heard a loud bang come from the laundry room .... uh, oh! That can't be good.  When I walked into the hallway, the laundry room was already filled with smoke, it was pouring out of every seam in the washing machine, there was a putrid electrical burning odor and it sounded as if someone had thrown in a bucket of wrenches and turned on the spin cycle! 

Note to self: don't ever leave the house with appliances running!  A fire could've easily started  and put me and Giggles in danger.

I wasn't wanting to add shop for new washing machine to my to do list; especially, on Dec. 30th!  That's not how I envisioned ringing in the New Year!  So, when life throws you a curve ball how you respond can mean the difference between having an emotional meltdown or maintaining your cool and taking action to resolve the problem.  And in the spirit of full disclosure, I did have to take a 2 hour nap first to avoid any potential emotional meltdown.  Then, my law enforcement training kicked in.  It's commonly known as KISS .... Keep It Simple Stupid!


It means go back to the basics.  Weed out all of the unnecessary "BS" and focus on what's really important.  Ask yourself, what's the mission?  What's your goal?  And all of the extraneous stuff or secondary details will disappear leaving you to focus on what's really important.  If it helps, consider putting it to pen and paper.  This will help you focus on one thing at a time and prioritize. 

We can't always control what happens to us or  prevent accidents from happening, but we can manage how we respond to them. 

Developing lupus and fibromyalgia was beyond my control, but now I have a plan on how to deal with it.  Sometimes, the unknown is stressful in of itself.  Having a plan of attack, or a go-to idea, can instantly relieve the pressure of the situation and make it clear on what to do next.

So, when you feel overwhelmed by your illness or circumstances you're in are out of control .....insert any scenario: doctor appointment, symptoms flaring, meds making you sick, overdue bills, kids need picking up from school, spouse out of town, can't afford your prescriptions, no food in the fridge, out of sick leave, dog needs walking, or when the washing machine catches on fire; just think four little letters.  KISS!
       
Lupus Brain Fog

The KISS concept is also very helpful when dealing with the cognitive symptoms of lupus.  Cognitive impairment, also known as brain fog, affects approximately 20 - 60% of people living with lupus.

Please join me in the next blog post where I talk about coping with the cognitive symptoms of lupus.

Just remember .....  KISS!