spoonfulsofchronic

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A reminder for anyone who feels like they should be doing more. ❤️ When you live with chronic illness, it’s so easy to measure yourself against a version of you that had more energy, less pain, fewer symptoms - or against people whose bodies simply don’t demand what yours does. But surviving the hard days counts. Resting when you need to counts. Trying again tomorrow counts. Your best doesn’t have to look impressive to be enough. You are not failing at life. You are living it on hard mode, and you’re still here. 🫶🏼 Save this for the days you need reminding. ❤️ #chronicillness #chronicpain #ankylosingspondylitis #spoonie #endometriosis

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Hi, I’m Steph. I’m 34, I live in the UK, and I own more pyjamas than regular clothes — because, frankly, I spend most of my life in them. I live with a delightful collection of chronic illnesses: Axial Spondyloarthritis, Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, Fibromyalgia, Hidradenitis Suppurativa, and until 2021, SVT (which I evicted with a cardiac ablation). Most recently, Endo tried to take me out with a bowel obstruction. I held off going to A&E for 72 hours because I genuinely didn’t know if it was serious, or just “my normal,” and I was terrified of being dismissed again. That’s the reality of living in a body that constantly lies to you. Every day comes with pain, fatigue, medications, swelling, bleeding, and trying to figure out if I should rest or run to A&E (again). I rely on my amazing parents, who have been my constant support system — I literally wouldn’t be standing without them. Living alone isn’t possible, and neither is pretending this life is easy. Getting diagnosed was a battle. Nearly all of my answers came through private healthcare after years of being gaslit, misdiagnosed, or ignored in the NHS system. I was told I was “too young,” “too anxious,” or that it was “just women’s issues.” Spoiler: it wasn’t. I’m proof that medical gaslighting exists — and it can be dangerous. Before illness took over, I was a horse-riding, outgoing, sociable person. Now, I work hard just to get through the day — but I’m lucky enough to love my job as a physio, which gives me purpose and a reason to keep going. Still, I miss out on a lot. Social life? Practically extinct. And the pressure to “just push through” from able-bodied people who don’t get it? Exhausting. Every time I think I’m on the up, something new hits — and it’s back to square one (a.k.a. my bed). But here I am. Still here. Still sarcastic. Still trying. I share my story to raise awareness, to be brutally honest about the messy, painful, absurd reality of chronic illness — and maybe to help someone else feel seen. If you’re navigating this kind of life too, or just want to understand it better, you’re in the right place. #ankylosingspondylitis #ankylosingspondylitisawareness #chronicillness #chronicpain #chronicillnessawareness #chronicpainawareness #invisibleillness #invisiblepain #invisibledisability #invisibledisease #endometriosis #endometriosisawareness #fibromyalgia #fibromyalgiaawareness #hidradenitissuppurativa #adenomyosis #adenomyosisawareness #hidradenitissuppurativaawareness #invisibleillnessawarness #invisiblepainawareness #invisibledisabilityawareness #invisibledisabilityawareness #spoonie #spoonielife

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My endometriosis journey. Endometriosis has ruled my life since I was young I just didn’t know it until 2019 at the age of 29. It is a multi system disease that has been grossly understudied and underfunded and here I am in 2025 told the usual methods of control don’t work and it will grow back and I will continue to need surgeries. All whilst just trying to live my life and build a career I love. #chronicillness #chronicpain #chronicillnessawareness #chronicpainawareness #invisibleillness #invisiblepain #invisibledisability #invisibledisease #endometriosis #endometriosisawareness #adenomyosis #adenomyosisawareness #invisibleillnessawarness