Staying Positive as a Foggy-headed Warrior

“Welcome back to the Sjögie Show. I’m your host, Rena Newman.”

Oops, sorry. I was daydreaming.

Hello, friends. Have you seen the Wonder Woman meme? You know, the one that says, “I am Wonder Woman. I wonder where I left my keys. I wonder where I put my purse …” Well, that’s me! And today’s topic is … ding-ding. You guessed it: brain fog.

What is this haze?

I confess, I’ve looked for my cellphone while I was on it more than once. Also, my mind can go blank and cause me to stop talking mid-sentence during a conversation. It truly amazes me that I can both hyperfocus and be a complete space cadet queen. (Earth to Sjög-renie.)

For a while, I thought this head haze was a result of bleaching my hair, or was perhaps related to all the medications I take. I also believed it was due to — what? Oh yeah, attention deficit disorder?

“Head Haze Holiday.” (Courtesy of Derrian Childress)

Clouding of consciousness

It turns out that Sjögren’s brain fog exists. High-five!

My question now is, can this brain haze actually cause someone (I won’t name any names) to get inside a stranger’s car, sit down in it while talking, and then realize it’s the wrong car? Ahem. Yes, that really happened.

Maybe the fog has intensified, since I’m also fighting repetitive thoughts due to obsessive-compulsive disorder.

This Sjögie-Aspie life comes with never-ending fun.

What’s funny is I’m dealing with some thick mental fog right now and am having a hard time finishing this column. Where are my glasses and house shoes? I “wonder.” I need a glamorous eyeglass chain. There may be an Amazon shopping trip in my near future.

Staying positive

Living with this autoimmune disease is frustrating. It would be easy to allow negative thoughts to invade my mind, but I enjoy a challenge. Every day I try to focus on the good and remind myself to use positive self-talk.

I’d like to end this segment with a chant. If you have Sjögren’s and are foggy-headed, say this with me:

It’s only the fog, it’s not me.
My illness does not define me.
Others do not define me.
I am a warrior. 

Until next time. Remember to stay strong, laugh, yell, or cry if you need to, and never lose hope.

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Note: Sjögren’s Syndrome News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Sjögren’s Syndrome News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Sjögren’s syndrome.