July 17, 2024
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Welcome to Faces of Bezzy, a series spotlighting members of the Bezzy community. There’s nothing like hearing and learning from others who’ve walked in your shoes. Chat with other community members, learn something new, or maybe even make a lifelong friend.
One day, I woke up, and I couldn’t get out of bed. I called my doctor, and he said that I sounded depressed. He told me to go to the hospital and to see if I could get some counseling.
I had to wait for months for an appointment. At the same time, my doctor could not diagnose the rash that I had on my body, so he sent me to a dermatologist.
The dermatologist said that I had inverse psoriasis (IP). I have it on my scalp and nails, so he put me on methotrexate, folic acid, topical cream, and gel.
I did finally get an appointment at the hospital for an assessment. The doctor said that I have clinical depression. My family doctor gave me a prescription for sertraline for depression. I’ve also had bowel and nerve issues.
I couldn’t go to work, so I went on unemployment for 4 months.
I first started experiencing these symptoms about 6 or 7 years ago, and it’s been terrible living like this. I haven’t been back to work for 4 1/2 years.
I can’t eat gluten and dairy. I figured that out by myself. I had to cut it all out of my diet.
It hasn’t been easy. That’s for sure. On days when I can do things, I really do the best that I can. Most days, I’m too tired and in too much pain to do much.
My place gets very cluttered. My dishes don’t get done for days. I take it one day at a time.
When I get around to doing some cooking, I make a big batch of food so that I’m prepared for a while. I snack on things during the day. Sometimes, I’ll have a sandwich, soup, or a bag of salad. I get things that are easy to prepare.
I wish I knew what caused it and what to do about it. I wish I had a better idea of how I could live and work with this.
I did work right after my diagnosis, but then anxiety and depression crept up on me. From that day forward, I could not work, even after counseling.
Everything has been a challenge. I deal with it one day at a time and one thing at a time. What really helps me get through my challenges is to be grateful for what I do have and not take life for granted. I think it helps to enjoy the smaller things in life.
I also have a spiritual side. With prayer and having God by my side, I can get through anything that life has to throw at me.
This has not been an easy thing because my family has cut me out of their life and so have a lot of my friends. I have tried to tell them about my condition, but they’re not interested. They don’t want to listen to me. Now, I only see my family on Christmas Day.
Most of my friends think I’m too much with so many health issues, and they don’t know how to deal with that.
The Bezzy community has helped me a lot. Many people in the community are going through the same things that I am feeling.
It’s helped to read comments from others in the community about how their lives have changed and how they cope with multiple health issues.
When I’m feeling down and really lost, I go to the community. I find it takes my mind off my problems. Sometimes, I can help someone else and make that person feel better. That’s a huge positive thing for me.
When there is no one else I can talk to, there is the Bezzy community.
Fact checked on July 17, 2024
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