So you think you have it bad?

Take a moment to imagine.

Imagine feeling like your bones are being hit by a hammer.  All day, every day.
Imagine shooting pains throughout your body.  All day, every day.
Imagine restless leg syndrome throughout your body.  All day, every day.
Imagine the worst sunburn you ever had all over your body.  All day, every day.
Imagine a fatigue that will bring you to your knees.  All day, every day.




Imagine having to cancel plans at the last minute with friends or family.
Imagine being stuck in bed for days at the whim of Mother Nature.
Imagine not being able to do laundry or cook dinner for your family.
Imagine not being able to attend your son's birthday party because you overdid it.
Imagine the frustration of people around you when you can't do things.  
Imagine how many people drop out of your life because you're not around.
Imagine how many think you're faking because they can't see any damage to you.
Imagine the isolation, EVERY DAY, that you go through.

This is what having a chronic illness is like.  People start off being supportive, but very quickly lose patience when the illness never ends.  They want a conclusion, just like you do, and when they don't get it, they drop out of your life until your world gets very small.


We don't like the world we live in, believe me.  And we would like to see it end, like other diseases.
But it doesn't happen.  Every day is like the last.
The few friends and family we have left in our lives wonder why we're depressed.  Tell us we should get over it.
Tell me, if you knew every day was going to be like the last, and never end, would you be able to get over it?  Would you have anything to live for?


Please don't shudder and tell me that you couldn't live like that. Because millions of us do.  We have to.  We try to make the best of our lives and enjoy the small moments of happiness that we can capture.  But it's not easy.  We have no end in sight.  We have no light at the end of the tunnel.  All we have is our own inner strength and the people who truly love us and still lose patience with us.

Before you start thinking you've come to the end of your life because of a brief illness, think about having that illness every day.  Then, go find a friend with a chronic illness and hug them.