I can’t even count how many times I have used the word “fine” as a response to everyone that asks “How are you?” Fine is the acceptable answer to the how are you question.

When living with a chronic illness, having a normal or pain free day is rare.

If I was completely honest about how I am on any given day, hour or moment I would be doing nothing else except explaining my woes.

For the most part, I believe we all bury what is really going on in our lives. People don’t want to hear our sad stories, when they probably have their own, plus it helps me stay positive by forcing a smile or a kind word.

My husband has an explanation for this:

“If we all took our problems and put them in a big pile, we would most likely take back our own.”