How DE affects daily life - good and bad

[Guest]

...I despise the notion the suffering will somehow be our salvation. Suffering is nothing more than a huge pain and source of furious frustration. The only benefit to suffering is when it ends. It will not make us better people nor will it be our saviour in the long run.

But sometimes I need to look at my DE beyond just the burning and itching and darkness. ...

...I know we are all feeling pain and frustration, but if every conversation about the affects of dry eye focuses on the pain then we're walking through a very dark tunnel indeed.

Well said... I couldn't agree more!

[Spoon]

Suil, you're post was not entirely negative. But this:

The only benefit to suffering is when it ends. It will not make us better people nor will it be our saviour in the long run.

is not right. Try telling that to Lance Armstrong. It is certainly character building to rise above pain/a condition or other adverse circumstances and keep a positive mindset. No doubt its difficult and i have huge respect for those that do it.

[regina]

well for me...

I use humor to help me feel better...even if its sick humor. It helps me laugh in times I want to cry and in the end makes me feel better.

Everyone is different in their suffering...one is not better than another. One should not judge how one feels and expresses their pain...or their joys!

So everyone....carry on how you see fit!

[Súil Eile]

Spoon,

I agree with you entirely. Suffering can make us a lot stronger than we could have imagined. But that aspect of my post was a response to the reaction I've heard several times over the past few years that sufferers should almost be grateful to be suffering as it shall redeem us in some way. I respect people's religious and spiritual beliefs, but in my opinion there is no justifiable reason for unnecessary suffering.

Edit: I didn't intend my post to be negative, I was just annoyed while I was typing it . I didn't start this thread to have negative rants, there were just things that I do now on a daily basis that only fellow DE folks would understand Like I've cleared all the crap out of one of my drawers to make it my 'eyedrop drawer'...receipts from 5 years ago would have stayed floating around if I hadn't done that so that's a positive thing. Plus I've changed my hairstyle so I don't have a fringe in my eyes and I've been getting compliments about it all week

[Perception]

...I've cleared all the crap out of one of my drawers to make it my 'eyedrop drawer'....

I have one of those! I bet many others on here do as well. It's nice to correspond with others that can understand.

[irish eyes]

My autologous serum drops have their own shelf in the freezer.

[rooneyandfergie]

On the good side:

My knowledge of the eyes has increased. I now know almost all of the artificial tears and eye drops for dry eyes.

Realisation that life is fragile and precious at the same time and that we shouldn't take anything for granted.

Has helped me to see who are my true friends and who are only there for the good times

On the negative side:

Not a day goes by without me thinking about my eyes

I constantly blame myself for not taking good care of my eyes in the first place to have caused this

Eyes are perpetually red and I have lost confidence due to that

Constant burning sensation in eyes, sinus issues, eyelid twitching, facial muscle weakness and discomfort around the eyebrow areas since dry eye

Spending a bomb on eye drops and inconvenience of having to apply drops frequently which aren't really that effective anyway

Had to forgo computer games and limit tv time

Less energy and lowered quality of life

Realisation that medical science is limited in its treatment options for this disease

Bad mood a lot of the times

[irish eyes]

Has helped me to see who are my true friends and who are only there for the good times

It’s not just about seeing who are the real friends when you are ill. Because of my eye problems, I find it hard to be a friend to others because I simply haven’t got the resources. And yet, this ought to be instinctive for me. I know I could be a better friend to others if things were different.

[DG65]

.....I know I could be a better friend to others if things were different.

I know how true this is. It's tough to commit the time I'd like to, and when I do, I find my attention is not 100% - I'm thinking about the pain, discomfort and how bad I'd like to just get back to my comfort zone.

I would have to say right now I have 1 friend that understands enough about my situation to not take it personally when I say, "I just can't right now." I don't talk about it unless they ask and I keep it as short as possible. But I guess I can't blame them... ya get told "no thanks" or "I can't right now" enough and they just stop calling. Oh well.

That makes the internet so easy - you interact when you feel comfortable enough to and retreat when you don't and nobody's the wiser.