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Kudos!
You have great strength, and are spreading it around by posting here. I am so very happy for you, and admire how you keep rising to the challenges. I am sorry to learn of your hearing loss. It sounds as though you're taking it in stride as you do the dry eye, Sjrogens, and everything else. Thank you so much for writing this post. I'm kind of at a low point, and this is giving me courage to face what is, and move forward. Many thanks for your original post, and the updates.
Maria
You have great strength, and are spreading it around by posting here. I am so very happy for you, and admire how you keep rising to the challenges. I am sorry to learn of your hearing loss. It sounds as though you're taking it in stride as you do the dry eye, Sjrogens, and everything else. Thank you so much for writing this post. I'm kind of at a low point, and this is giving me courage to face what is, and move forward. Many thanks for your original post, and the updates.
Maria
Its been sometime since I last visited, I happened to get a dry eye newsletter email, and made me think it would be nice to pay the site a visit. Back in 2007/2008 dry eyes were the center of my life. Nowadays its a part of my life but very far from the center. I wanted to give an update just to pay back the site for all the encouragement it gave me and hopefully encourage a few others that it really does get better. I work full time, currently in a happy relationship, watch movies/read books everything I did pre-Sjogrens and more. I have done all this with dry eyes and a hearing impairment. It makes me a better and more unique person and although certain things could be easier who can't say that. For so long I fixated on my impairments rather than my capabilities that it crippled me much further than Sjogrens did itself. But I can say that when I decided, with help, to regain control of my life I have been rewarded 10 fold. There were so many times that I wanted to just throw it all way now I look back and realize that if I did I would of missed out on all the wonderful things I have and will enjoy. I am also grateful that my experience helped open others eyes on some very important issues. For the doctors who treated me I hope I changed their perception on what a typical Sjogrens patient looks like or that dry eye is a real illness that can have rippling effects on a persons life and state of mind. I think both patients and physicians alike should be prepared to deal with the emotional effects of dry eye and its a disease not just strictly limited to the ocular surface. I also hope I changed people perception of depression. Prior to my dry eye I was someone who people didn't expect would ever need or seek emotional help and could handle stressful situations. It shows you anyone can become vulnerable to depression. It is a very severe disease in itself. I was fortunate to have people intervene and after getting the help I found my footing again. I just want to send my thanks and let the newbies especially know that its ok to be sad, its ok to be mad, its ok to be overwhelmed (when you feel that click off these websites though, give your mind and eyes a break) but its very much essential to keep pushing on eventually you will find the regimen that works. Keeping on going is the best medicine
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