My Chronic Illnesses as Candy Bars

Having multiple Chronic Illnesses isn't very fun.

But, you know what is?

Candy!

So I am going to try and choose a candy bar to represent each of my main diagnoses 

(Lyme, POTS, EDS, CFS, Fibromyalgia).

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Lyme- Take 5 by Hershey

Lyme throws so many symptoms your way, it's hard to tell what's going on at any given moment.

It affects every body system, and it's co-infections bring along their own lists of complications.

It is called the great imitator for good reason.
With so many symptoms attacking every body system, it is easily confused with other illnesses like lupus or MS.

I chose the Take 5 bar to represent Lyme because it has pretzels, peanuts, peanut butter, caramel, and chocolate.

It's like the candy bar is attacking all your taste buds the way Lyme attacks all your body systems.  

You get salty, sweet, crunchy, smooth, everything all in one candy bar. 
Too bad lymies don't eat sugar.

POTS- Curly Wurly by Cadbury

When you live with POTS, aka, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, your heart rate and blood pressure do a funny little dance, spiking and falling at inappropriate times.

It causes a host of symptoms, most noticeably fatigue and faintness, but it doesn't stop us because we won't let it.

The wavy curls of the Curly Wurly bar remind me of the rising and falling heart rate and blood pressure of a POTS patient.  

They go up and down and up and down, and sometimes, as people with POTS, when we get up, we also fall down.  But, we always get back up again!

EDS- Laffy Taffy by Willy Wonka

EDS, or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, is a genetic disorder that makes the connective tissue more elastic.

Our tendons and ligaments are extra stretchy, so it's harder to keep our joints in the right place.

If the joints move too much it can cause damage to the cartilage, tendons and ligaments, or bones.

The Laffy Taffy represents the stretchy connective tissue.  

FYI: I have EDS type three (hypermobility) and that's what I've described here.  There are other types including types that involve vascular impairments.

CFS- Zero by Hershey

CFS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, is debilitating, and not well treated or managed. 

I chose Zero because when you have CFS you have zero energy.  

You also have zero patience for people giving you advice on how to manage your condition.

You definitely have zero time for doctors who tell you there is nothing wrong with you or who refer you to mental health services.

CFS was one of my first diagnoses and there is just zero out there.  

I don't tell most doctors I have CFS the first time I meet them, because if I do they make certain assumptions about me right away.

When you're living with CFS it's easy to feel like there is zero help or hope for you, and that needs to change.  

 

Fibro- Milky Way by Mars

When the fibro, short for Fibromyalgia, pain flares, there are other symptoms too, one of which is brain fog.

Brain fog is a symptom that can be attributed to most of the chronic illnesses I am diagnosed with, so when I experience it, I can't be sure which illness is causing it.

Regardless, Fibromyalgia sufferers like me, often find themselves spacing out.

I'm not sure where I go when I stare into space (it feels like nowhere) but the Milky Way wouldn't be a bad destination.

I certainly have my head in the clouds these days.

I hope you've enjoyed this fun post about a not so fun topic.  Maybe you had a laugh or learned a little.  What candy do you think best suits your chronic illness?  Why?  Tell me in the comments, I'd love to know!

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Wishing you Healing Hugs and Hope,