RSD and the Health Continuum

RSD and the Health Continuum

When we were in nursing school, we were taught that our health was more like a continuum with illness on one end and wellness on the other end like this:

Now the balance of this continuum depended on our state at the time.  Our normal situation could vary.  For instance, if someone were diagnosed with a permanent condition such as RSD, then this would be their normal or where they stand as in fair, average or good health.  The continuum would shift in the direction of average to good health from fair to poor health as this condition becomes our new normal.  If I caught the flu or got cancer on top of my RSD then the balance would shift towards fair, poor, very poor or even extremely poor depending on my prognosis or  even though I still had RSD because in addition to the RSD, I was sick.  Some people would consider RSD being sick but for me, this is my normal.  If I were to have an exacerbation or flare up of my RSD that was out of my normal for my RSD, then this continuum would again tip towards the below average, to fair side.

Health is not black and white.  I can still have this “abnormal” condition and still in good health for me for me one day and be sick or in below average or in poor health another either with something different like a cold, the flu or even an exacerbation of my RSD.

If you think of RSD in this way, it is easier to integrate it into your daily life and not think of yourself as a “sick person” every day but realize that this is part of your every day life and help to accept RSD.  I’m not saying that we will ever forget that we have it.  What I am saying is that it can’t be the center of our lives.  Until it isn’t and we find other things to do and other intests in our lives; we truly won’t be healthy.

Now the balance of this continuum depended on our state at the time.  Our normal situation could vary.  For instance, if someone were diagnosed with a permanent condition such as RSD, then this would be their new normal/well. The continuum would shift in that direction.  If I caught a could then the balance would shift towards sick even though I still had RSD because in addition to the RSD, I was sick.  Some people would consider RSD being sick but for me, this is my normal.  If I were to have an exacerbation or flare up of my RSD that was out of my normal for my RSD, then this continuum would again tip towards the sick side.

Health is not black and white.  I can still have this “abnormal” condition and still be well for me one day and be sick another either with something different like a cold, the flu or even an exacerbation of my RSD.

If you think of RSD in this way, it is easier to integrate it into your daily life and not think of yourself as a “sick person” every day but realize that this is part of your every day life and help to accept RSD.  I’m not saying that we will ever forget that we have it.  What I am saying is that it can’t be the center of our lives.  Until it isn’t and we find other things to do and other interests in our lives; we truly won’t be healthy.