how do you motivate?

[rnewman]

Ok, so during a flare I dont want to do ANYTHING- and Im sure that I dont have to explain why here. The pain, the uncomfortableness....Im lucky I went to class last week. Now I am feeling a bit better, but so tired! How do you all motivate after a flare? I dont feel like doing anything, not even cleaning my room! I have for once been getting decent sleep, exersizing, and eating ok....and I dont feel like doing ANYTHING. I gave up coffee, and while that wasnt the answer to everything, it helped me in situations like these where i jsut want to sit on my.....

Lazy Rachel

[Meghan]

I know the feeling of not wanting to do anything.
I am in college--should be studying, but am not.
I am 20--diagnosed at 16
I would love to talk, but i prefer email
[email protected]
hope you feel more motivated in a while

[JennCA]

I would love to talk to someone as well. I am 23 and have been going to college on and off. I am only taking one class right now and it is thorugh the internet. It is hard enough for me to get the motivation to do stuff for just this one class. I also work full time as well and have a fairly active social life. It was hard for me to sit in class last semester. I was embarrased about having to get up all the time to go to the bathroom. I would love to chat. My email is [email protected]

[letsdesign]

Hi. I know how all of you are feeling. I am turning 22, was just diagnose almost two months ago, and am trying to graduate in may. My parents want me to come home because I am in constant pain, and constantly miss class because I can't get out of bed. I am giving up on every single food that could hurt me as of today. My professors are not very understanding, I am fighting too. I would love to e-mail too. mailto:[email protected][email protected]</a>

[ycart79]

I know how you all feel. I am almost twenty three and have had IC since i was 16-17. I am in my last year of univeristy and it has been horrible. I find worse than feeling crappy every day and never wanting to do anything is the looks you get from people. I find myself constantly trying to justify feeling sick to my family friends but none of them understand. When i have a a bad flare up not only do i have to use the bathroom constantly but i also find that i feel nausated constantly and anyone who does not have IC thinks that i am lying. I hate feeling like people think i am bad or something for missing classes. After four years though i have tricks of the trade for making it through classes and making it to them. If anyone wants to share/learn techniques i am always up for chatting.

[carolinagirl0805]

It is so nice to be able to talk to other people that are going through the same thing that I am. I am 20 and I was diagnosed on Wed. but I have pretty much had a flare up since Dec. I know exactly what you mean about being embarassed about getting up during class to go to the bathroom. I have a 50 minute class that I have to go pee right before class, in the middle, and right after. I am at the edge of my seat waiting for the class to end because my nerves are torn up from wondering if I am going to be able to make it to the bathroom. It is just really hard to go to school and have this problem. At work you can go to the bathroom whenever you need to but with classes its different. My friends and family don't really understand what I am going through because I never feel like doing anything. Because I know I will be worrying about my "pee problem", as they call it, all night. I just want to feel normal again and not have to worry about anything but making good grades and getting dates. I still have one more year of school after this one so you should be glad you're graduating this year. If anybody has any tips please let me know.

Kelly
[email protected]

[scb]

You want to hear something funny. I was once taking this Speech class which was 50 min. long and at that time, I was going to the bathroom right before class, halfway through and then right after class.
Well, it was the end of the semester and we were giving our final speeches and we were only ten minutes into class when I had the biggest urge to go to the bathroom. I mean, I was getting muscle spasms and pain in my urethra, but I didn't want to go just yet. I could envision a situation where I go ten minutes into class and then have to go again thirty minutes later, still during class. It was bad enough getting up once a day to go, but I thought twice would definitely point out a problem (why do we worry about these things so much?).
Anyway, I was getting antsy and when I have to go and I can't, I usually pinch my arm or my leg to divert my mind from the pain in my bladder. Well, I couldn't take the pain much longer. I waited until this girl finished her speech and I got up to go.
The professor looks at me and says, "Oh, Stephen, are you ready to give your speech?" There was this uncomfortable pause and I said "Well, I was going to the bathroom, but OK." Why I agreed to give the speech, I don't know, but I guess I was nervous and slightly embarrassed.
I don't remember giving the speech, because all I was thinking about was the pain while I was up there speaking. The professor wrote on my critique that my speech had an energy to it that made it exciting to listen to. I got an A. If only he knew that my energy came from the fear of possibly urinating on myself in front of an auditorium full of people.
As much as this condition has depressed me and put me through pain, it has this way of putting me into situations that make me laugh when I look back on them. Of course they are not funny at the time, but some of the funniest things in life are like that.