Coming to terms with your situation

No matter if you are newly diagnosed with your condition or if you have known about your diagnose throughout most of your life, there will be times where you face difficulties.
The difficulties can be anything from an injury needing to heal, your condition having progressed so you're forced to make big changes to continue feeling well, or maybe you're facing a major surgery.

Whatever obstacle you're facing, always hold your head up high, don't let difficulties drag you down and make you depressed!

An injury will heal, it just needs its time to do so, and the time needed may be much longer if you live with a connective tissue disorder. Never feel ashamed of showing your condition out in the public! If your condition has progressed so to the level where your mobility is compromised, there's absolutely nothing wrong with wearing visible joint bracing, using a cane, crutches or walker even if you're young, or use a wheelchair even though you are physically able to put one foot in front of the other! Let people stare if they wish, it's not your problem! If anyone asks you, see it as an opportunity to educate and spread awareness about your condition, who knows, maybe the person asking is just curious? Or maybe he or she also lives with an invisible illness or know someone who does.

It can be difficult to accept needing to use aid to get around, a cane or walker "that's for old people!" and wheelchairs have a bad reputation which it doesn't deserve. While yes, if you get a standard hospital wheelchair, it may be more pain than gain from it, but if you get a wheelchair that's been custom built for you, to fit your measurements and needs, there's no stopping you unless you approach stairs and there's no elevator or the elevator is broken! Many wheelchair manufacturers also offer different color options, fabric options and wheel and caster options so you can get the nicest ride in town if you wish!

As for a cane, crutches or walker, not only old people use them! Young people do as well, and there's so much more than the standard grey aluminum kinds out there. Get a nice cane or set of crutches and if need be, pimp the hell out of it to make it represent who YOU are!

If you need to wear bracing on your joints to support and protect, there's a lot you can do to make your braces look nicer, or opt for bracing that both looks nice and has the function that you require from it. The opportunities are endless really

Do whatever it takes for YOU to be as mobile as possible and protect your joints and yourself from injury! There's no right or wrong when it comes to choosing whether or not to use a medical, as long as you use your equipment right and for the right reason it can truly enhance your ability, but there's nothing wrong with choosing to not use a device either. Each to their own as I always say.

If you're facing a major surgery, sometimes you have a choice to delay or avoid, sometimes you don't. When it comes to surgery, a planned surgery is always better than having to have the same things done as an emergency. With a planned surgery you can prepare for it both mentally and physically which may give you a more smooth recovery.

Surgery is some pretty scary stuff, but don't let your fear stop you from having it if the surgery means you'll get a higher quality of life, or even have your life saved by it! Just try other options first if possible, surgery should be considered a kind of last resort due to the risks.

If your condition has left you unable to work, try to find other things to fill your days with. Maybe you're good at crafting things or play an instrument? Find your talent and use it! Getting laid off from work due to poor health isn't the end of the world, and being young and disabled doesn't mean you'll be stuck between four walls all the time. There are so much more to life if you just choose to see the opportunities rather than locking yourself up in a cocoon of self pity.

Whatever your obstacle may be, always remember to hold your head high, be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished, face things with a positive attitude, don't let negativity take over and remember to LAUGH!