I’m learning to conquer the challenges of CAD with a little childhood cheer

“Schools out, schools out! Teacher let the fools out. No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks!”

I remember running home, singing that old rhyme, having finally escaped the drudgery of the elementary classroom. Three whole months stretched before me. Grabbing a book from my shelf, I went outside to hide under a tea olive bush and traveled off to the island of Chincoteague, Virginia, to cross the channel from Assateague Island for Pony Penning Days.

When I wasn’t reading, I would roam the woods near my house, splash through the creeks, or swim at the city pool. The outdoors were redolent with gardenias and honeysuckle. Often, I lay on my back and watched the big, fluffy cumulus clouds drift slowly through the sky. The summer days of my childhood were filled with joyful imagination.

Such are the simple things of a child’s summer. I contend now, however, with cold agglutinin disease (CAD) and the challenges it presents, including a lack of energy. Just this past Saturday, as I carried the center table decoration inside, with all the preparation details for our cookout complete, I was hit with an overwhelming fatigue. I went to bed and rested for two hours before the guests came. That was frustrating enough, but soon others took over the details, and my party did not quite progress as I had planned.

Feeling frustrated at my lack of energy, coupled with the constant need to be attentive to the climate, leads to an ongoing depression.

So I’m looking for ways to lead a more carefree, less stressful life and regain the calmness and joy of those past summer days. As part of this quest, I’ve recently learned about Be a Kid Again Day, which is celebrated on July 8. The National Today website claims, “A youthful attitude is the key to eternal happiness.”

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Being a kid again

At my cookout, I purposely enjoyed some of my favorite foods: rare steak, mushrooms, cheesecake, ice cream, and peaches. As we age, we tend to stick to the flavors we enjoy. I channeled my inner child and indulged my favorites freely.

I’m also making time to watch some of the cartoons I enjoyed as a child, laughing at the adventures of the Road Runner, along with the antics of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Huckleberry Hound, Deputy Dawg, and Quick Draw McGraw.

I am often tense from either waiting for the results of tests or worrying about remembering to take a sweater with me when I go into restaurants and grocery stores so I can keep warm. Tips to manage stress mirror in many ways the actions and attitudes of my youth. I’m also working at managing my sleep habits, as, all too often, I am plagued by insomnia.

Meditation also help me channel my inner child, while setting aside time every morning, like I did when I was in college, for prayer and reading the Bible can help me organize my thoughts and manage my response to stressful situations. I’m finding that to be as true now as it was in college.

Being able to keep in touch with my family and friends through the magic of the internet also helps me deal with feelings of isolation and maintain some of my childlike silliness.

Fun and games are also encouraged to recapture the fun of youth. They don’t have to be energetic, but just enough to encourage gentle physical and cognitive engagement. For me, fun activities include croquet and swinging on a garden swing.

Celebrating Be a Kid Again Day reminds me that life with CAD isn’t only about restrictions. Joy and playfulness remain accessible when I can tailor activities to my current symptoms.

Note: Cold Agglutinin Disease 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 Cold Agglutinin Disease News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cold agglutinin disease.