Monday, June 9, 2014

Still a 20-something

One thing every disabled person I know struggles with on some level is socialization. Let's face it: simply getting around and performing ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) is more exhaustion when you're struggling with a portion of your body not working. The more exhaustion and pain a person faces, the harder it gets to get out there and have a normal social life. 

From the get go, I've refused to let my health issues stop me from getting out there and having fun on occasion. I know this isn't possible for every person who struggles with disability, but so far, it's been possible for me. I make sure I make it to library Knitting Group days and I occasionally hit up the local spinning group for some fun spinning wheel and drop spindle chatter. But some of my favorite memories? Having a night on the town with my girl friends. 

Our usual bar of choice is a local dueling piano bar. I can't drink, but watching drunk people try to sing is flat out hysterical, especially when you add in the antics of the piano players. Last night, however, we tried something different- we went to a drag show. Now, despite the fact it was a lesbian bar, I assumed (and I know my girlfriends assumed the same) that it would men dressed as women performing. Turns out, it was women dressed as men, mostly, with only a single guy dressed as a woman. It was still fun, just very different music than I expected. All of the performers did a great job, especially the woman who danced last, despite it being her very first night on stage. My girlfriends and I sang along, slipped the performers singles (it's apparently tradition when watching a drag show to give the performers a single dollar bill when they dance by), chugged pop to wash the smoke out of our throats, and gabbed.



Jessie and I at the show. (Jessie is on the right, I'm on the left.)

I did learn something new about my body, though. I'm not normally around cigarette smoke. In fact, I'm allergic, but thanks to spring time allergy meds, I didn't react beyond the burning throat and lungs. The big surprise of it, though? Apparently, the exposure to 7 chain smokers in one tiny bar for 2+ hours will set off my CRPS and trigger a flare in pain levels. I'm hoping this is temporary and I've spent the day resting to see if it will help. Fingers crossed. 

5 comments:

  1. Hi Cassie-

    I came across your blog recently through a Google search along the lines of "fibrous dysplasia twenty-somethings," because I, too, am a twenty-something with FD (poly, in both arms). After reading a few posts, I realized we have more in common than I thought! Like you, I have a rather lengthy list of health issues in addition to FD (Narcolepsy, Hashimoto's, severe allergies). As weird as it may sound (or maybe not), I feel comforted by reading your blog, and I've already subscribed in Feedly. I look forward to reading more in the future!

    ~Nicole

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nicole-
      Doesn't sound weird at all! I belong to an amazing support group for chronically ill/disabled people who knit/crochet (believe it or not, it's a big group, lol), the Chronic Bitches, and I love the feeling of support and comradery that comes with knowing other people out there deal the same and similar challenges.

      I'm glad my blog helps. I started writing it because there's so little info out there on both FD and RSD/CRPS type II. It sort of dawned on me one day that *someone* has to be willing to share, or there will never be more info available. So, I share!

      Many (((hugs)),
      Cassie

      Delete
    2. That group sounds awesome! I'm a knitter, too. In fact, a friend's mom taught me when I found out about my FD (age 12) and had to stop playing sports/taking dance classes, and I've loved it ever since!

      Your logic behind blogging makes perfect sense. Thank you for being brave enough to share :)

      Delete
    3. You knit? Awesome! Are you Ravelery (www.ravelry.com). If you are, feel free to look up both me (my username is Daapatemysoul) and the CBs. If not, you should join! Rav is the coolest knitting website ever. And I do mean ever. It serves as a massive set of forums, pattern database, yarn database, and it has ways to queue/favorite patterns, you can buy pattern straight from the site, you can catalog your yarn on there, and you can create project pages for your projects that contain links back to the pattern and yarn used. I don't know how I survived knitting without it, tbh.

      Delete
    4. I just sent you a message on Ravelry :)

      Delete