Who said being chronically ill couldn't be fun? continued

11) Being chronically ill is definitively a good excuse to buy piles and piles of fluffy pillows and funky pillow cases (many from the appointments at IKEA with the detours to the doctor)! Oh, and don't forget blankets! When ill, tired, cranky, in pain, etc. there is nothing better than having a big squashy comfort item to curl up with. Speaking of comfort items, throw in the money to procure some big mugs for tea and soup as well.

12) When it comes to buying things, don't forget scarves and jewelry. I might look like crap half the time, but at least I can distract people with my new accessories. Cause, you know, every girl wants to look sexy and hip, right?

13) Wearing all the fabulous accessories only the chronically/severely ill can wear. I know some people who were terribly jealous of my PICC line covers. As glad as I am to be rid of the PICC line I do miss the bright colours and nifty patterns.

14) Driving the scenic route on the way home from the hospital, making it possible to go to all the lovely shops you like along the way! That one place has such good scones... =D

15) Seeing how many hours you can sleep at a time. Looking back I find this fairly amusing, but it was actually pretty scary at the time. I remember there were times last year I would sleep for 16 hours straight, wake up to eat and 3 or 4 hours later go back to bed for another 16 hours. It really messes with your head, although you do get some pretty amusing dreams!

16) Counting the ceiling tiles while having an MRI or WBC scan. Add counting the tiles while sitting in a waiting room as well. It really helps when you have to wait for several hours or there is a humongous line ahead of you for blood work, or when the blood work nurses are just really really slow...

17) The odd sense of pride I get when I know more about osteomyelitis then some of the specialists. And surprising those specialists when they bring up big words and terminology and then I tell them exactly what that word means before they can explain it.

18) Having awesome come backs to the snide comments of other people when they say things like "But you look so well," or "Oh, you must be better to be out and about."

19) Simply smiling politely and staring back when I catch people gawking at my leg. Nothing makes a person more self conscious then knowing that you see them staring at you.

20) And last but not least, being able to joke about what is wrong with you. You know the song that goes "there's a hole at the bottom of the sea"? Well, I have my own version.

There's a whole in the middle of my leg,
there's a whole in the middle of my leg,
Oh there's a hole, there's a hole,
there's a hole filled with pus in the middle of my leg."

Morbid, I know. But I find joking the best remedy when I am nervous and afraid for what happens next.

And there is the second half of my list. Morbid and warped I know, but it's the truth. Being chronically ill isn't all depressing you know.