Some thoughts on coping emotionally

[tiger]

Thanks for the kind comments all.  The morning after I wrote this I got a positive ANA test (whether that means anything remains to be seen,) and so it was a good exercise for me to go through.

slccom, thanks for your different point of view on many of these.

I'm not entirely happy with #4 and #5. 

The message I am trying to communicate is that I'd probably be best to achieve a mental state where:
A) I am not constantly yearning for the past.
B) I am not constantly afraid of the future.
C) I have faith and optimism for the future.
D) I am always accepting of my current condition and grateful for what I do have at any point in time.
And
E) Ideally, I would not have to revisit the entire emotional process every time my condition changes.

The real tricky part is balancing faith and optimism with acceptance of the worst case scenario.
If I am optimistic about the future then I feel good today (which can actually help create a better future through stress reduction.)
If I am accepting of the possible worst-case scenario then perhaps I will be less disappointed if things do not work out well.

Perhaps achieving both at the same time is the trick.  I'll be ok no matter what happens, but I am optimistic that things will work out well.

[slccom]

I like the last summary. You have a new reality, but it doesn't have to be your entire reality!

Sharon

[Peony]

Hello Tiger,

I wrestle with these things myself.  Thank you for sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hugs,
P.

[Nymph]

Hey, I wanted to let you know that I took a day off of thinking about my RA today, and it was so good for me! Too bad my RA won't take a day off of thinking about me! And I love you edit about your emotional goals. Best of joy and strength whatever the dx.

[Sleepy In Seattle]

When I have my darkest days, emotionally, I try to think about how far medicine has advanced in the last 20 years. I remember well when we thought AIDS was going to kill everybody....my mother remembers kids laying in iron lungs from the ravages of polio...

SO MUCH work is being done right now on immune-system-related issues...I do have hope that in our lifetimes some amazing treatments - if not cures - will be found.

Also, sometimes the body does amazing things. My father tested positive for APS most of his life, and just recently several tests came back negative. They can't account for it, but it's gone.

I know there are no guarantees, but there's some amazing science happening every day, and chances are some of it's going to help us! So I always have hope that this condition will not be permanent.