When a cold is a trauma trigger

And other reflections from my current health journey

I have a cold this week, and yesterday, the trauma of it got to me. You see, I’m always sick, always fighting for balance in my body, sometimes frustrated by setbacks, and in particular, feeling tired and achy because of a cold sends me spiraling. I have to breathe and remember that I had a cold in September and went backpacking with it and was fine. I got Covid in November and came out of that with  minimal complications: my asthma was inflamed for about five or six weeks after, but that had passed. And then my oldest kid brought home another cold this past week and I found myself fighting up through despair once again.

You see, as someone with chronic illness that I fight regularly to manage, feeling sick is a trigger. At least, it is for me. 

I’m used to people being surprised when they find out I’m sick. Lately it’s been for better reasons, though the underlying theme of invisible illness is still behind it. I’m in the midst of a 30 day yoga challenge that until my son brought home …