Chronic Coping

Living with Interstitial Cystitis, recurring kidney stones, depression and migraine.

[gravehop187]

[yourbigsisnissi]

Destroy the idea that you have to be constantly working or grinding in order to be successful. Embrace the concept that rest, recovery, and reflection are essential parts of the progress towards a successful and ultimately happy life.

[portraitoftheoddity]

^ From a therapist-friend, in case any in-therapy-friends ever worry about this. 

[quiteliterallyhotsauce]

[findingfeather]

And this is because it would be really shit of them to open up your entire brain into hysterical Upset and then boot you out without helping you find equilibrium, but there is probably someone right after you. Just to fully articulate.

[star-anise]

Yeah exactly. When I do therapy I always keep an eye on the clock so I know when I have enough time to keep opening up big issues, vs. when I have to work on getting them back to stable so they don’t leave my office and walk straight into a wall.

[im-in-way-2many-fandoms]

Thank fucking God holy shit

[meantfortheshore]

[moremetalthanyourmom]

Okay but after seeing this I started doing it too and it’s amazing how many men I’ve run into bc they expected me to move

[youcangofindatree-deactivated20]

Gotta try it

[clevermanka]

I work (and walk) on a college campus. I’ve lost count of how many men I’ve smacked shoulders with.

[emmagrant01]

Recently, I was standing outside my son’s classroom waiting to talk to his teacher. I stood on one side of the hallway, not even close to the center. At some point, a man came walking along. I was standing right in his path, but the hallway was empty, so I logically expected him to swerve around me. Instead he kept walking right toward me, got to me, and stopped, as if waiting for me to get out of his way. I didn’t; I just smiled politely at him. He finally walked around me, clearly annoyed that I hadn’t leapt out of his manly path.

Now I’m wishing I’d leapt aside, taken off my jacket and laid it on the floor before him, then bowed deeply and said, “My Liege!”

[mercurialkitty]

I also work at a college campus. I smack shoulders sometimes, but I find that if I stare straight ahead and follow the advice below, people get the heck out of the way.

[songbirde108]

Honestly this post changed how I carry myself when walking alone in public, or in a situation where I’m the one leading. People definitely move for the murder gaze.

[onethingconstant]

Confirmed. I once had to rush back inside a convention hall as the con was closing in order to a retrieve a sick friend’s medication, and I didn’t understand why people in the crowd were jumping out of my way (literally—one guy vaulted a table) until I realized I was dressed as the Winter Soldier and doing the Murder Walk because that’s just how I walk in those boots. I got the meds, got out, and made a mental note.

I repeated the experiment later, wearing the boots but otherwise my usual clothing and mimicking the expression I thought I’d had at that moment. People parted like I was Charlton Heston.

I now wear that style of boots whenever possible. I recently had a man do a double-take as I walked by and ask me, politely, where I had served because I “looked like a soldier.” I’m not current or former military. I was wearing a flowy purple peasant top and looked as un-soldierlike as possible.

Moral of the story: wear comfortable shoes, square your shoulders, and walk like you’ve been sent to murder Captain America.

[naeonnoir]

WALK LIKE YOU’VE BEEN SENT TO MURDER CAPTAIN AMERICA

[retroasgardian-deactivated20180]

[spiduhgirl]

It’s called the Murder Strut.

[elegantmess100]

IT’S BACK!!!!!! I was searching for this to show my daughter the other day and couldn’t find it. I’m so glad IT’S BACK!! I will always reblog the Murder Strut!!

[b3gayd0crim3]

A guy on a bike went around me because he could tell I had no intention of moving. Thanks to this post.

[linkedsoul]

One day and I bumped into a guy while doing the Murder Strut and he apologized to me even though I was the one who had bumped into him.

It works wonders.

[noping-out-deactivated20241117]

In case you were wondering, yes you can do this in a wheelchair. Same look in your eyes and let ‘em know you will run them down. Just picture yourself in a sports car accelerating towards someone with the intention of flattening them.

If there’s anything more satisfying than watching Abled men leap out of my way when they realize I’m not moving for them, I can’t think of it atm.

[chasing-asterion]

[seperis]

Walk like you’ve been sent to murder Captain America.

Wheel like you’re gonna win the Indy 500 and don’t care how.

Your crutches are short swords; walk like you can see them buried in the bodies of anyone who crosses (in front of) you.

Tumblr: teaching women how to be Moses and part the fucking Red Sea with the power of their minds.

[taraljc]

I had never seen these updates to the Patriarchy Chicken Game before and they are all a goddam DELIGHT

[marithlizard]

Patriarchy Chicken and The Murder Strut, dance names for the new millenium. 

[chronic-coping]

Read until the end, this is glorious.

[spooniestrongart]

[artofthecatt]

oh snap

[moaccyrk]

REBLOG.

FOREVER.

[thepanthercave]

This is an actual Therapist Recommended method for dealing with a runaway “inner critic” and this comic is perfect ❤️

[colourofoctober]

Chronic illness is not fair. It's okay to be upset. You don't have to be "strong" all the time.

A reminder to myself and anyone else who needs it. xxx

[cwote]

You got this!

[surviveitall]

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, everybody in the car so c'mon let’s drive

To the pharmacy around the corner, I’m in pain and I really don’t wanna

[anxietyproblem]

[thedisabledlife]

[Image Title: So Pretty.

Panel 1: A crowd staring at a young girl in a wheelchair. The girl asks “Mama, why are these people staring?” to which the mother responds “Well… you’re just SO beautiful they have to look!”

Panel 2: The little girl is staring at herself in the mirror with big shining eyes, thinking to herself “My gosh she’s right! I’m GORGEOUS!”

Panel 3: That little girl is all grown up. She’s in a coffee shop, and notices a man staring at her from another table. The woman in the wheelchair says to the man “Sir please, I know you can’t help yourself, because I’m even more stunning than Venus herself, but you’re making a fool of yourself. Look away.”

Panel 4: The man looks at her with an unimpressed expression, and replies “Actually, I was just curious about the chair… but whatever.” The woman in the wheelchair sighs and says “As if!”]

Mama always said we’re beautiful, but our chairs are real show stoppers! 

[chronic-coping]

Love the "As if!" 😂❤️

[chronicallyjessica]

"Sweetie, you're too young to have all these medical conditions"

[potsiefaerie]

I Stood Up and Immediately Regretted It: a Memoir

[chronic-coping]

[chronic-coping]

[bananonbinary]

one of the hardest things to learn as a depressed former Gifted Kid™ is that half-assed is better than nothing. take the 50%, 40%, even 20% job. scrubbing your face is better than not taking a shower at all. picking up your clothes is better than never cleaning. nibbling on some bread is better than starving.

DO THINGS HALFWAY. NOW YOU’RE 100% BETTER OFF THAN YOU WERE BEFORE.

[redheadhatchet]

One of my college professors used to say “anything worth doing is worth doing poorly.”  I didn’t understand that for years because I didn’t do anything poorly, I couldn’t do anything poorly, I had to Do Everything Perfectly.

But brushing your teeth for 30 seconds is better than not brushing them at all when that 2 minutes seems exhausting.  Doing ten minutes of yoga is better than 10 minutes of sitting when 30 minutes of cardio sounds impossible.  Changing my clothes is good when a whole shower is impossible.  Standing on the porch for a few minutes is worth it after being in the house for three straight days because I don’t have the energy to go anywhere.

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly… because doing it poorly is better than not doing it.

[thefibrodiaries]

Why is it our job as disabled people to educate our doctors on our conditions and tell the what medication, treatments and specialist referrals we need? Why do we have to research information before seeing a doctor if we want the right help? With the amount they’re paid shouldn’t they do their own damn research?

[eenymeenypia]

OMG THIS! WHAT OTHER PROFESSION WORKS LIKE THIS?  If you don’t know the answer, it’s your job to research it after I leave. And why do I have to come in and spring my information on you?  Why can’t I email you LIKE ANY OTHER PROFESSIONAL and say, I need to see you about this vitamin d research, AND THEN HAVE YOU RESEARCH IT AND BE PREPARED WHEN I WALK INTO MY APPOINTMENTS.

I don’t understand how they get away with this.  If it were any other professional, it would be unacceptable.  If you went to a lawyer and they were like, welp, I don’t know exactly about that but here’s my bill.  Come back when you have more information on what statutes I should look into, THAT LAWYER WOULD NOT HAVE A JOB!

[qjusttheletter]

the best part is we also have to pander to them. 

don’t use too many technical/medical terms - you’re a hypochondriac or you have munchausen’s, no legitimately ill/disabled person could possibly do extensive research. don’t make them feel inferior or ignorant - if you get on their bad side, your entire health care could be compromised. don’t get frustrated when they don’t know something - that’ll make them feel ignorant, see previous. 

we simultaneously have to be up to date on all the latest information re: conditions, symptoms, possible causes, etc, while letting our doctors feel like they’re doing a Good Job. 

[notsograndadventures]

Full offense, Doctors don’t deserve the pay they get. They don’t.

[hickorynut94]

Omg this.

[thisisableism]

It’s really scary that getting healthcare often depends on how well you balance pandering to them and presenting them the information.