Jay Cutler's New PR Girl?

Anyone who knows me is clear that I am not a Chicago Bears fan. And I'm not a Jay Cutler fan. And maybe everyone is finished eviscerating Jay Cutler for getting hurt in the NFC Championship game and then not continuing to play or not "acting injured enough" on the sidelines afterwards. But I'm still angry, and NOT at Cutler. Who do these people think they are to say he should have gone back into the game, despite what was later diagnosed as an MCL tear? I have had my fill of people telling ME about MY chronic illnesses and how I should behave and feel in the midst of them. This includes family members, doctors, pastors, and friends. I actually live inside my body and experience what it is like to have chronic illness that interferes with my life 24/7. And I've been doing it for over 17 years! I might know a little bit more about what I can handle and what my limitations are than other people.

First of all, I have personally injured my MCL, ACL, and LCL multiple times in my life. If you haven't had an injury to a knee ligament, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. It is very painful, and for the first hour or so after the injury, you may feel nauseated, dizzy, and disoriented. Depending on the severity of the injury, you may be able to stand or bear some weight on the leg, but you can't pivot or shift your weight. And a partial tear is much easier to recover from then a more severe tear. So if you have a tear, you're an idiot to go back out there and injure yourself worse, possibly ending your career.

Secondly, Jay Cutler has diabetes. For a diabetic to be a professional athlete is a feat in and of itself. My husband has been a diabetic for over 30 years, and I've been a part of his life for half of that time. A diabetic's body operates completely different than a healthy person's, and small things can have a huge effect. A sudden injury can even suddenly bring on insulin shock due to stress, adrenalin, etc. Could this have something to do with why Cutler appeared to some to be "disengaged" on the sidelines after his injury?

The point is, you don't know what's going on with someone else's body. I've borne the brunt of the most ignorant comments and thoughtless questions about my chronic illnesses. People want to know why I don't "just" exercise or eat less since I'm overweight. Little do they know that I gained 70 lbs in 6 months from one narcolepsy medication, had untreated or improperly treated thyroid disease for 15 years, my body produces 5 times the amount of insulin it's supposed to in response to food - which causes me to store food as fat rather than burning it as energy, and when I perform mild physical exercise like standing or walking for short times and distances my muscles go limp suddenly due to cataplexy. Not to mention that I eat healthier than 99% of the population. You skinny people would DIE if you had to eat the way I need to just to have the energy to bathe and dress myself!

Why don't I drive? Why don't I have a job? Why don't I attend 12 church services a week? Why isn't my house clean and my laundry done? Why don't I have children...do I not like kids? Why do I need a wheelchair to go to a mall or ballpark? It's GOTTA be that I'm just too fat and lazy, right? After all, I'm "too young" to have all these health issues. I'm probably faking it for attention. Or maybe I'm just depressed. Probably I'm not right with God. And I don't have enough faith to be healed. Blah blah blah blah blah.

The bottom line? We can't look at someone and know what's going on "under the hood." And it's really none of our business unless we really care enough to be a part of that person's life as an encourager, a helper, a real friend, and a prayer warrior. If you're just a critic who attacks people because it makes you feel better about yourself or an "armchair quarterback" who didn't have what it takes to make the playoffs, just keep your mouth shut. I say this with all the love of Jesus and a healthy dose of plain truth. Sow some seeds of kindness and compassion. You never know....some day you or someone you love may have an injury or illness. And when that day comes, you may need that harvest in your own life.

"Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble." -I Peter 3:8

Overcome

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” - Genesis 32:24-28

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it. -Revelation 2:17

I found it interesting that both in the story of Jacob wrestling with the Lord and receiving his new name of Israel, as well as in the passage in Revelation, the word "overcome" is used in reference to receiving your Secret Name. Just a neat reminder in my devotions this morning that God gives us a new name when we overcome adversity in our lives. I recently read an amazing book about discovering your Secret Name and learned my new name: Treasured. You can read the story of my journey to find my Secret Name here.

Have you overcome adversity in your life? Do you know your new name?

What if I Had Cancer?

I have a confession to make: sometimes I wish I had cancer. How twisted is that? And what would possess me to say such a thing? Of course, although I've had close family members waste away and die from cancer, I've never experienced it myself. I know it's a horrible and serious disease that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. But as crazy as it sounds, there have been several times in my life that I've found myself being jealous of people with cancer. Shocking?

About a year before my health took a serious downward spiral, a friend from church was diagnosed with breast cancer. You would not believe the outpouring of love and support shown to her and her family by our church! People came over to clean, brought meals, and offered to take her to doctor appointments. I'll never forget the time she was sharing the stories about the support from our church family and, knowing my own chronic health struggles, innocently asked, "People come over and help you out too, right?" There certainly have been a couple of people that have helped out before. But as far as the kind of constant support she was getting? Not even close.

Several months later I was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy, and my cataplexy was so bad that I was constantly falling down all over the house. I couldn't prepare meals, shower, dress myself, or do any household chores on my own. We asked our church for some help and in addition to being told we lived too far away from the church for people to serve us, a church leader admonished us, "It's not always your turn to be helped; sometimes it's your turn to help." Huh?! Anyone who truly knows us would realize what an ignorant statement that was. And we'd been faithfully attending and serving in that church for over 3 years.

So why was my experience so different from my friend with cancer? I'm not entirely sure, and I'd love some feedback from you. But here's what I've come up with so far.

1. I'm not dying. People seem to equate cancer with dying. I guess they feel that since you may die, they should serve you while they can. On the other hand, the long-term, daily struggles in the life of someone with chronic illness are largely ignored. Maybe it seems like too long a commitment?

2. I seem like I can handle it. I've always been a strong, independent person. I am a problem-solver, and I don't give up easily. Maybe people think, "If anyone can work through this, she can."

3. I don't know how to ask for what I need. I've had a few people offer to help, but I feel badly asking for and even accepting help because of what I've experienced in the past. Who wants to be helped grudgingly, our out of a sense of duty? Or what if I ask for help this time, and then I really need help another time but I've used up my "Ask for Help Card"? After all, maybe it's not my turn to be helped.

All I know is, everyone has a limit, a breaking point. We live on the edge of ours all the time. After two months of a major health setback we are about to fall off at the moment. But is it safe to ask for help? Or do I suffer alone and hope for the best? What do YOU do when you need help getting through the struggles of life with chronic illness?

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up." -Ecclesiastes 4:8-10

Coming Back Stronger by Drew Brees: A Book Review

Who doesn't love a good comeback story? Add in football, and it's even better. Drew Brees, the quarterback of the Superbowl XLIV champion New Orleans Saints is no stranger to adversity. But all his life, when faced with adversity, he determined to make a strong comeback. Whether it was going through the divorce of his parents, fighting for a starting position on his high school football team, suffering an ACL injury that nearly ended his hopes for a college scholarship, or leading his Purdue team to the Rose Bowl, overcoming each of these hurdles now seems to be a foreshadowing of his NFL career. When a severe shoulder injury effectively ended his position as starting quarterback for the San Diego Chargers, and he found that most NFL teams considered his NFL career over as well, he refused to admit defeat. Instead, he found a home with a team and a city that needed a miraculous comeback as much as he did. And they both came back even stronger.

No matter what adversity you face in life, you cannot help but be inspired by the story of Drew Brees. His courage, faith, and determination to conquer life's challenges is both a testament to his character and an infusion of hope to anyone who's ever faced hardship and dared to mount a resurgence for victory.

Buy your copy of this amazing story here!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”