One of the questions on some doctors intake forms is “what activities are you unable to do because of your illness?”

I always write the big things like kayaking and hiking, That really downplays how sick I am. And while these are things I do miss, they are not the things I miss the most.

Last night, I sat in the dining room for dinner and then in the living room to watch a movie with my family. That’s something I can’t always do.

Sitting upright for long periods of time is usually hard. Especially later in the day and evenings. So most nights, I have dinner in bed and the family hangs out with me there. We’ve done this for years and I’m sure they were all very happy to not have to cram into my room for family.

It’s the little things like sitting in the living room I miss the most. Things like going to the grocery store, walking on the beach, playing games with my kids, going to dinner with my husband.

I don’t know how to put those things on a doctor’s form – but next time, instead of downplaying my symptoms, I’ll be honest about how hard it is to do the simple things – the things I miss the most.