Systemic Mastocytosis Television Commercial

I had already posted about this television commercial on my Facebook newsfeed about a month or so ago but thought I should probably share it here too since this is where I write about my illness and living life with a chronic illness.  

In that Facebook post, I had mentioned that I had never seen a commercial about my primary illness before seeing this commercial.  I've had this illness for more than two decades and very few people know anything about this illness including many medical professionals so we've always been hoping for some awareness.  I've always felt that if there was more awareness, then there would be more understanding.  If there was more awareness among the medical professionals, then I wouldn't have to educate medical staff in emergency departments every time I land in there hospital.  There is so little understanding and familiarity of this illness even among medical professionals that both Sheila and I must carry around an emergency care directive from my oncologist.

Far too many of us have been to countless doctors in an attempt to get an answer to what is happening to our health.  We, those stricken with this debilitating illness, are also aware that very few friends and relatives understand this illness, how it affects us every single day and how it can make us seem a bit flakey due to constant cancelling of plans at the last moment.  Finally seeing a surprisingly accurate commercial on television during prime time is definitely a step in the right direction but has created an unexpected problem for me.  

First, let me say that it is great that there finally is a commercial out there that shows the severity of this illness in just a mere 30 seconds.  It also shows how it negatively impacts planned activities and events.  I cancel plans more often than getting to follow through with those plans.  It is nice to have the hope that if some friends see this commercial they might understand why I rarely show up to planned events or why I seem flakey when I cancel not once or twice but most times.  

As much as I've been hoping for some prime time awareness being released out into the public, this commercial has created an issue for me.  Until now, I've done a very good job at putting this illness out of my mind so I'm not dwelling on it everyday.  Now I have this commercial that constantly reminds me of the hospital visits (stress), the medications (even more stress), the cancelled plans (sorrow and grief), the loss of a career (grief), the loss of a social life and many friends (grief) and especially the severity of this life-threatening illness (some fear, anxiety and grief).  Constantly being reminded of something I was good at pushing to the back of my mind and into my subconscious until needed is not good for my own emotional well-being.  Now, every time I see this commercial (multiple times a day), I get a bit upset and anxious at being reminded that I'm not well.  It reminds me of the severity of this illness.  This commercial puts a knot in my stomach and gets me a bit upset every single time I see it.  

I wish we had a way to block certain commercials.