When I am introduced to someone new, the words and phrases people use to describe me make me feel small. They make me feel like I am not doing enough to “make myself better.” When they talk about me, they only seem to see the endless stream of tests, doctors and surgeries. They now see me as the girl with chronic pain. And it makes me feel like I need to push myself harder, when in reality I already push myself beyond my limit every single day just to try and have a sliver of the life I once had.
My illnesses are not usually fatal, and sometimes it feels like if you are not in danger of actually dying, people don’t feel the need to use their own energy and resources to help you. This may sound harsh, but I am finding it to be more and more true. When most people hear that someone has a chronic illness they know it is most likely going to “drag on” forever. From my experience, it can be hard to get people to support you if you are going to live with your disease forever and if there is no cure.
People with chronic illness often face a lifetime of pain, exhaustion and disability. A lifetime of people telling them to get over it and they they are too depressing to be around, along with failing to meet everyone’s expectations. It is also hurtful how family and friends can’t seem to understand how we can be fine one minute and then the next we are curled up on the couch in pain.
I know for some of the best people I have ever met, those who have struggled with not having a diagnosis for years, finally having a name for their symptoms and illnesses is incredibly validating.
Once you finally have a name for what is “wrong” with you, it makes it much easier to treat, or at least manage your symptoms and pain. But along with the names of your illnesses and symptoms also comes judgment; at least it does in my life. Some people research your illness and learn at least a little about it so they can help you deal with the emotional part of it and be there for you.
But then there are those who search Google and find places that, for a one time payment can “cure” your disease — or this new medicine on the market with amazing reviews online for being natural, articles by people who have “cured themselves completely using ____,” or how thinking positive and talking about your feelings you can convince your body you don’t have an illness and can therefore “cure” yourself. But then they get upset when you don’t read all the “research” they did or do everything they think you should be doing, because the internet says it will help you.
I have lived with my illnesses for a little over a decade now. Wow. 10 years. In that time I have come across others in support groups and online forums who sometimes say they wish they had a condition people were more familiar with or took more seriously. Most chronic illnesses have no cures, only treatments, and some people just assume it will be the same thing every day, so why bother helping if it is going to be a never-ending process?
For me there are not any words on the planet to adequately explain how difficult it is to live with an illness that no one believes is real. For people to not understand how you can look fine and be smiling on the outside, but be hurting on the inside. For people to not understand how you can do a certain amount of things one day, then the next have no energy to do anything; sometimes even getting out of bed is a challenge. For people who can’t understand how you can be fine one minute then the next you are in severe pain.
Not to mention many of us have to come up with the money out of our own pocket to pay for a medication that may help a tiny bit or not at all.
We are people first. We are still human beings who have feelings. It’s hard when people have stopped seeing us as a person, but now see us as our illness or our symptoms. It is hurtful for many of us. We just want some understanding. Some support to know we are not alone. I could really use some support, as I am going through this difficult part of my life. I do everything I can to be supportive of family and friends, even if I don’t agree with their lifestyles or choices. Is it so hard to expect them to extend the same courtesy to me?
For those of us with chronic illnesses, many people come to the conclusion that we are different, and we will never be like them because we have a different life then they do. Many people assume we will never want to hang out because we hurt all the time. So they stop asking us to go out places. They stop calling.
We fight every day just to get out of bed, while many others take the little things for granted. Many people think that because life is the way it is for them, it will always stay that way. They never think of what would happen if all the things they were used to suddenly weren’t around anymore. They are used to going places all the time, feeling healthy, being able to go on long road trips, go to bars, have a “normal life,” have a relationship. Not have to worry about every minute of every day and how it will affect you and your ability to do even the simple things.
My name is Karley and I live with chronic illness. I am a person first and foremost. I have a name, and I am more than my symptoms. I refuse to let my illness control my life and how people see me. I am doing the very best that I can with what I’ve got
I know what you’re probably thinking, “How can your Chronic pain/Illnesses teach you something?! Pain is pain, there’s nothing good about it!” And to be perfectly honest, I’ve struggled for years with trying to accept my illnesses. For years I let myself focus on the bad parts, the bad days, the medication overload, the sleepless nights due to pain. I couldn’t see that despite it all, my Chronic Pain has taught things about myself. Good things and bad.
These last few months, I’ve been dealing with some extremely hard personal challenges. Its been emotionally and physically exhausting. But I’m still doing my best to move forward.
Here are some lessons my chronic pain has taught me.
When I was first diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitisthen later, Endometriosis, PFD, and most recently Epilepsy, one of the first things I did was search out some support groups. My ‘family’ now is spread across the world and I haven’t met most of them in real life yet. But we stand together and support each other.
My pain has taught me how to listen to my body and learn my limits. In the early days of my ‘journey’ I tried to keep the pace I had before I got sick and more often than not I ended up in bed for days after.
There is a joke, but not a funny one, going around the Spoonie communities. “Want to know who truly cares about you? Get diagnosed with a Chronic Illness.” There are only a few people in my life but they have continued to lift me up and help me because they truly care.
My Chronic Pain has taught me to believe in myself again. Being confident in what I can and can’t do has helped to allow myself to believe I can do anything, I just have to be careful and usually spread out over a week or more. But I do get things done.
My illnesses have also made me want to learn all I can about my illnesses and others that people I know have. I know it may seem strange but learning about other illnesses is a kind of hobby for me.
Just because I could do some walking around and hanging out yesterday doesnt mean I can do the same tomorrow.
The person hardest on me is myself. I judge myself harshly, put myself down for the things I can’t do. I usually end up pushing myself too far because I want to try and have a life outside of my illnesses.
I’m learning its okay to ask for help.
I want to help others like me who suffer from Chronic Pain and Illness. I even am starting my own Chronic Pain Support Group online, so everyone can join and not have to miss out due to transportation or illness.
I think one of the hardest things my illnesses have taught me is how to be patient with others and not become annoyed when they find out I’m sick but look fine on the outside. They all give you ‘the look’ of disbelief and some even come right out and call me a liar. It hurts.
There are a lot of ignorant people out there who think they know me and my illnesses better than I do based off a 2 minute internet search.
I’m learning to take life one day at a time, sometimes an hour at a time. And thats okay.
My experiences are different than those of someone with the same illness. No two people have all the same symptoms.
There are many others who suffer from Chronic pain and Illness, as well as invisible illnesses. You are not alone. I am not alone.
Taking care of myself is not selfish. Its a necessity.
I’m much stronger than I give myself credit for. My illnesses take a lot from me mentally, emotionally and physically. But somehow I still manage to push forward each day.
I have to become my own doctor as I know my body better than anyone. I’ve spent hours researching to find different treatments and ways to make my life a little easier.
I no longer try and justify my illnesses to others. I’m sick and while I’m doing the best I can, I should never have to feel the need to prove how sick I am.
I can no longer do what I used to, but I just do my best to adapt and find a way to still have fun.
You have to be truthful: you have to be open with loved ones about your condition, pain and feelings. So then you don’t battle alone and everyone knows the score.
What have you learned through your own journey of Chronic Pain and Illness? Let us know in the comments.
There’s only so many times you can say you’re in pain before people stop listening. After all, its Chronic. Never going away. Life long pain.
So when I stop complaining of my pain and make it sound like its no big deal, it doesn’t mean my pain is any less than normal. It doesn’t mean I don’t feel like I got run over by a truck or that my body isn’t on fire.
It just means I’m trying to be stronger. Trying to take it day by day. I don’t have another choice.
I’m still in pain. But I’m pushing through. I can do this. I have to.
And I’ll do it without complaining because I understand how annoying it can be.
It’ll be a lifelong journey and there’s only so many times I can say the same thing a million different ways.
Whenever I used to think of support groups, I would think that it meant there had to be something wrong with me or whoever was also there. I realize now how wrong I was back then.
I have met some of the best people in support groups for Chronic Invisible Illness. They just get you. They are there for you when you have a bad day. They get the feeling of wanting to do something but not having the energy. There isn’t anything you can say that they haven’t gone through right along with you.
Support groups can be a huge help no matter what you are going through. Just reaching out can make a huge difference.Never be afraid to reach out. You never know who you will meet.
As most of you know, I remake quotes as part of keeping myself busy and lately I have really appreciated having something ‘normal’, something fun that I choose to do. Something I didn’t feel ‘obligated’ to do.
Recently I got an email from an amazing fan who asked if I could make them this quote because this person is having a rough time trying to take care of themselves and at the same time trying to ‘blend in’ to normal society again. (Interrupting my own post to say if there’s a quote you’d like me to make, i do take requests) They can’t help but feel obligated to still try and do everything they did before they got sick or they were afraid someone very close to them would decide to leave if this person could not be ‘normal’ while dealing with a brand new life of Chronic Pain and Illnesses.
This person only recently joined in the ‘battle and journey’ of the world we know so well.
Being only recently diagnosed with Lupus has shattered this persons view of what is ‘normal’ and what is not.
Our ‘journey’ through our world of Chronic Illness is hard enough with a lot of support. This person however has almost no support at all.
I know what its like to feel like we have to not be who we truly are because we fear judgement and scorn. And even worse-we fear that those closest to us will decide sticking around for ‘the sick one’ is too much. Then they leave. It’s happened to me countless times in my now almost 10th year of this so called ‘journey’.
If you take away just two words from this rant, let them be “I’m Here” because I am. No matter your past, your illness, even if you’re not Chronically ill, color of your skin, your background, etc. None of that matters to me. None of it.
I promise; if you reach out to me like this brave person did-I will always be reaching back. No matter what.
If you have a topic you would like to see featured on here, feel free to contact me on any of my Social Media Sites and I will write about it for you 🙂 I also take requests for quotes and you can see my gallery of quotes I’ve made here
Reach out, you never know who may be touched by you. Your words may be just what they need to make it through a rough day.
I promise if you reach out to me, I will always be reaching back. Because no matter what your brain or other people try to tell you, You. Matter. Always.
I was listening to the radio one day and they started talking about labels and how people see each other and it really hit home with me so I wrote this blog post which happens to be my most popular post and the first post shared worldwide on The Mighty and IC-Today!!
This blog post was hard for me to write but its also the post that got me some amazing opportunities like being a contributor for Chronic Illness Bloggers (You can see my listing on CIB here) and I just partnered up with Antidote which you can read more about in my recent post here
“No one really talks about what happens if you’re sick and you don’t get better but you don’t die either. You get to live in the margins because its either/or- you’re getting sick or you’re getting better. There’s no in between in our culture. No room for the chronically ill.
-Unknown
Since being diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis, Endometriosis and Pelvic Floor along with Depression and Anxiety, I feel like most people have stopped seeing me. They seem to only see the disabled girl with Chronic pain and diseases that have no cure.
When I am introduced to someone new the words and phrases people use to describe me makes me feel small. They make me feel like I am not doing enough to “make myself better.” When they talk about me, they only seem to see the endless stream of tests, doctors, surgeries. They have stopped seeing me and now see me as “The girl with Chronic Pain.”And it makes me feel like I need to push myself harder when in reality I already push myself beyond my limit every single day just to try and have a sliver of the life I once had.
My illnesses are not usually fatal and sadly I’ve come to realize that if you are not in danger of actually dying then people don’t feel the need to help you or use their own energy and resources to help you. This may sound harsh, but I am finding it to be more and more true. When most people hear that someone has a “Chronic Illness” they know that it is most likely going to “drag on” forever so there is no reason to try and help you if you are going to live with your disease forever if there is no cure.
People with chronic illness face a lifetime of pain, exhaustion, and disability. A lifetime of people telling them to get over it, of people telling them they they are too depressing to be around, a lifetime of failing to meet everyone’s expectations, but that is not enough to attract anyone’s attention. Nobody would ever tell a cancer patient to just get over it and stop dwelling on their illness, but people with chronic illness hear this practically every day and that is ridiculous. It is also very hurtful to hear and some of us hear it over and over from our family and friends who cannot understand how we can be fine one minute and then the next we are curled up on the floor or the couch in pain.
I know for some of the best people I have ever met, those who have struggled with not having a diagnosis for years, finally having a name for their symptoms and illnesses is incredibly validating.
Once you finally have a name to what is wrong with you, it makes it much easier to treat it, or at least manage your symptoms and pain. But along with the names of your illnesses and symptoms also comes judgements; at least it does in my life. Some people research your illness and learn at least a little about it so they can help you deal with the emotional part of it and be there for you but then there are those who search google and find places that, for a one time payment can “cure” your disease, or this new medicine that is on the market that has amazing reviews online for being natural or articles by people that have “cured themselves completely using ____” or how thinking positive and talking about your feelings you can convince your body that you don’t have an illness and can therefor “cure” yourself. But then they get upset when you don’t read all the “research” they did or do everything they think you should be doing because the internet says it will help you.
I have only had my illnesses coming up on 5 years, but in that time I have come across so many others in support groups and illness forums that sometimes say they wish they could have a disease like cancer because people with cancer get support from family, friends, even sometimes people they just met. People seem to care more about cancer and they don’t care much if at all about chronic illness because it will go on forever. It’s Chronic. Most Chronic Illnesses have no cures, only treatments so some people will just assume it will be the same thing every day so why bother helping if it is going to be a never ending process?
For me there are not any words on the planet that adequately explain how difficult it is to be disabled by an illness that no one believes is real. For people to not understand how you can look fine on the outside and be smiling but be hurting on the inside. For people to understand how you can do a certain amount of things one day then the next have no energy to do anything, sometimes even getting out of bed is a challenge. For people who can’t understand how you can be fine one minute then the next you are in severe pain. Not to mention the insurance companies will pay for cancer treatment, they won’t pay for most chronic illness treatments or medications. Most of us have to come up with the money out of our own pocket to pay for a medication that may help a tiny bit or not at all.
We are people first. We are still human beings who have feelings and hate that some people have stopped seeing us as a person, but now see us as our illness or our symptoms. It is very hurtful for many of us. We just want some understanding. Some support to know we are not alone. I know my expectations of family and friends can just be silly, but is it really too much to ask for some support even if they don’t believe that I am sick? I could really use some support as I am going through this hard part in my life. I wouldn’t wish my life on anyone, and I do everything I can to be supportive of family and friends even if I don’t agree with their lifestyles or choices. Is it so hard to expect them to extend the same courtesy to me?
The words people use to describe others are important. Based on descriptions and words from other people, when you meet someone new you usually have already formed an opinion based on what others have told you about them. For those of us with Chronic Illnesses, most people automatically come to the conclusion that we are different, that we will never be like them because we have a different life then they do. Most people assume that we will never want to hang out because we hurt all the time. So they stop asking us to go out places. Stop calling. Because in their mind we are disabled, therefore we spend all our time sleeping or trying to feel better. They have already made up their minds about us based on one word. Disabled.
They fail to see how hard we try to still have even a tiny fraction of the life we had before our diagnosis and symptoms started coming around uninvited.When they hear the word disabled most people assume that we sleep all day, don’t get anything done, never go anywhere. They never bother to ask us what our days are like, because what they know about disabilities is what the internet has made us seem like to the outside world. Lazy. Selfish. Attention seeking. Pain pill addicts.
It never occurs to them that if they bothered to even look up our illnesses that we can still do a lot, just not all at once. Hearing the word disabled used to describe someone, most people immediately think of someone in a wheelchair or someone with severe limitations in their movement and their lives. When they see someone like us who looks fine on the outside but still ‘claims’ to be disabled, they get this look on their face like we are horrible people because we are ‘lying’ about our illness. They don’t understand how can we be sick if we look fine on the outside. Society has made us ‘disabled people’ seem like we are just wanting money and free medical care and pain medications from the government. And its rare that someone actually tries to form their own opinion of us instead of believing the internet or the opinions of others that claim they know more about our diseases than they do. They believe the internet or other people because it is easier than getting to know us and trying to form their own opinions of us. It is easier to just believe what they are told rather than having to spend time with us when they ‘have better things to do’
We fight every day just to get out of bed while they take the little things for granted. Most people think that because life is the way it is for them that it will always stay that way. They never think of what would happen if all the things they were used to suddenly weren’t around anymore. They are used to going places all the time, feeling healthy, being able to go on long road trips, go to the bars, have a ‘normal life’ Have a relationship. Not have to worry about each and every minute of every day and how it will affect you and your ability to do even the simple things that they do without even thinking of it as a challenge. For them, that is just the way it is for them. They never think life would be any different.
What would they do if one day they woke up and they were suddenly sick with a chronic illness and their whole lives were about to change forever? What would they think if one day they suddenly could no longer go places without planning for every minute of it? Or having to start taking many medications? Of their friends who suddenly walk out of their lives after learning of their new life? Of feeling exhausted 24/7? Of needing a wheelchair? Of needing support to walk up a flight of stairs or even just a few steps? Of not being able to do even the simplest of things they used to do before they got sick?
They judge us each and every day. With their words. The looks. The whispers and the giggles as we struggle to walk upright or walk funny due to our pain. If they woke up one day and their whole life had changed, would they finally see that we are people too? We are not just The Disabled People.
We have feelings. We matter too. Just because we are different it should not make us ‘outcasts’ in the eyes of someone ‘normal’
We fight every single day just to get out of bed and put on a brave face. We do the best we can with what we have. There are people in my life that do not think of the hurtfulness of the words they use to describe me. I am not just the disabled girl they know. I am a person first. My illness is not who I am. It is a part of me, but it does not mean that I have to let it control me.
My name is Karley and I suffer from Chronic Illnesses. I am a person first and foremost. I am not the disabled girl. I have a name and I am more than my symptoms and illnesses. I refuse to let my illness control my life and how people see me. If they cannot see past the disabled parts of me, they have no right to be in my life anymore. I am a person. I have feelings. My illness is not who I am. I am stronger than my disabilities. I am doing the very best that I can with what I’ve got.
Instead of seeing me as disabled or having chronic illnesses that have no cure, try using my name instead. I am a human being. I have a name. or have you spent all of your time being so focused on the labels that surround me and my life that you don’t even know my name?
After writing this post, I made this. Because we do matter. We all do. No matter our limitations or illnesses.
Since being diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, endometriosis and pelvic floor dysfunction, along with depression and anxiety, I feel like most people have stopped seeing me. They seem to only see the disabled girl with chronic pain and diseases that have no cure.
When I am introduced to someone new, the words and phrases people use to describe me make me feel small. They make me feel like I am not doing enough to “make myself better.” When they talk about me, they only seem to see the endless stream of tests, doctors and surgeries. They now see me as the girl with chronic pain. And it makes me feel like I need to push myself harder, when in reality I already push myself beyond my limit every single day just to try and have a sliver of the life I once had.
My illnesses are not usually fatal, and sometimes it feels like if you are not in danger of actually dying, people don’t feel the need to use their own energy and resources to help you. This may sound harsh, but I am finding it to be more and more true. When most people hear that someone has a chronic illness they know it is most likely going to “drag on” forever. From my experience, it can be hard to get people to support you if you are going to live with your disease forever and if there is no cure.
People with chronic illness often face a lifetime of pain, exhaustion and disability. A lifetime of people telling them to get over it and they they are too depressing to be around, along with failing to meet everyone’s expectations. It is also hurtful how family and friends can’t seem to understand how we can be fine one minute and then the next we are curled up on the couch in pain.
I know for some of the best people I have ever met, those who have struggled with not having a diagnosis for years, finally having a name for their symptoms and illnesses is incredibly validating.
Once you finally have a name for what is “wrong” with you, it makes it much easier to treat, or at least manage your symptoms and pain. But along with the names of your illnesses and symptoms also comes judgment; at least it does in my life. Some people research your illness and learn at least a little about it so they can help you deal with the emotional part of it and be there for you.
But then there are those who search Google and find places that, for a one time payment can “cure” your disease — or this new medicine on the market with amazing reviews online for being natural, articles by people who have “cured themselves completely using ____,” or how thinking positive and talking about your feelings you can convince your body you don’t have an illness and can therefore “cure” yourself. But then they get upset when you don’t read all the “research” they did or do everything they think you should be doing, because the internet says it will help you.
I have only lived with my illnesses for five years. But in that time I have come across others in support groups and online forums who sometimes say they wish they had a condition people were more familiar with or took more seriously. Most chronic illnesses have no cures, only treatments, and some people just assume it will be the same thing every day, so why bother helping if it is going to be a never-ending process?
For me there are not any words on the planet to adequately explain how difficult it is to live with an illness that no one believes is real. For people to not understand how you can look fine and be smiling on the outside, but be hurting on the inside. For people to not understand how you can do a certain amount of things one day, then the next have no energy to do anything; sometimes even getting out of bed is a challenge. For people who can’t understand how you can be fine one minute then the next you are in severe pain.
Not to mention many of us have to come up with the money out of our own pocket to pay for a medication that may help a tiny bit or not at all.
We are people first. We are still human beings who have feelings. It’s hard when people have stopped seeing us as a person, but now see us as our illness or our symptoms. It is hurtful for many of us. We just want some understanding. Some support to know we are not alone. I could really use some support, as I am going through this difficult part of my life. I do everything I can to be supportive of family and friends, even if I don’t agree with their lifestyles or choices. Is it so hard to expect them to extend the same courtesy to me?
For those of us with chronic illnesses, many people come to the conclusion that we are different, and we will never be like them because we have a different life then they do. Many people assume we will never want to hang out because we hurt all the time. So they stop asking us to go out places. They stop calling.
We fight every day just to get out of bed, while many others take the little things for granted. Many people think that because life is the way it is for them, it will always stay that way. They never think of what would happen if all the things they were used to suddenly weren’t around anymore. They are used to going places all the time, feeling healthy, being able to go on long road trips, go to bars, have a “normal life,” have a relationship. Not have to worry about every minute of every day and how it will affect you and your ability to do even the simple things.
My name is Karley and I live with chronic illness. I am a person first and foremost. I have a name, and I am more than my symptoms. I refuse to let my illness control my life and how people see me. I am doing the very best that I can with what I’ve got.
Before I even begin writing this post, I’d just like to say thanks to all of you who have been reaching out to me and who continue reading my blog, (despite the spotty postings) lifting me up through this heartbreaking time in my life. It means the world ❤️and I ask you to please be patient with me. I know this article may seem very jumbled and way longer compared to previous posts
Hey, internet family! I know I have been MIA for the last few months (that’s putting it lightly 😬) but I’m doing my best to get back into my writing in general, as well as on here.
I recently got an email from a long time follower, who challenged me (as well as told me that they’ve been missing my blog posts and just wanted to check in with me to make sure I’m doing okay) to start writing again, and then sent me this link to a different bloggers article that had a huge list of questions to answer.
They told me that I need to go easier on myself as I’m dealing with a whole heck of a lot right now in my personal life. (Which, I admit, is the understatement of the year 🥺) and that if, and when, I decide to start writing again, to take baby steps and not force myself into rushing back to writing just because I worry about losing traffic on here because my postings have been spotty at best lately.
I want to pause right here to say that when I originally started blogging, my goal wasn’t to become ‘popular’ or to earn money writing.
I started blogging for a few reasons; (but I won’t get into that right now as this is already a long post 😂; but let me know if that’s something you would like to find out about)
She went on to say that it probably wouldn’t be easy to just jump back into writing, so she said maybe the first step could be just answering questions on my blog and slowly work my way back up.
I think that is a great idea! Baby steps.
While I currently have the list she sent me in the email, I thought I’d ask if any of you have a question or two in mind.
Let me know down in the comments or you can reach me HERE. Facebook is the best way to reach me as I can respond a lot faster.
I will leave this post up for a week and please feel free to ask me anything you’d like to know 😊
I’m excited to see what the responses are from all of you 😊. In a week, if I haven’t received any responses, I’ll be filling out the questions from the article I linked above. There are over 300 questions though; so I will be answering them a handful at a time.
If you have a topic you would like to see featured on here, feel free to contact me on any of my Social Media Sites and I will write about it for you 🙂 I also take requests for quotes and you can see my gallery of quotes I’ve made here
Reach out, you never know who may be touched by you. Your words may be just what they need to make it through a rough day.
I promise if you reach out to me, I will always be reaching back. Because no matter what your brain or other people try to tell you, You. Matter. Always.
I was listening to the radio one day and they started talking about labels and how people see each other and it really hit home with me so I wrote this blog post which happens to be my most popular post and the first post shared worldwide on The Mighty and IC-Today!!
This blog post was hard for me to write but its also the post that got me some amazing opportunities like being a contributor for Chronic Illness Bloggers (You can see my listing on CIB here) and I just partnered up with Antidote which you can read more about in my recent post here
“No one really talks about what happens if you’re sick and you don’t get better but you don’t die either. You get to live in the margins because its either/or- you’re getting sick or you’re getting better. There’s no in between in our culture. No room for the chronically ill.
-Unknown
Since being diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis, Endometriosis and Pelvic Floor along with Depression and Anxiety, I feel like most people have stopped seeing me. They seem to only see the disabled girl with Chronic pain and diseases that have no cure.
When I am introduced to someone new the words and phrases people use to describe me makes me feel small. They make me feel like I am not doing enough to “make myself better.” When they talk about me, they only seem to see the endless stream of tests, doctors, surgeries. They have stopped seeing me and now see me as “The girl with Chronic Pain.”And it makes me feel like I need to push myself harder when in reality I already push myself beyond my limit every single day just to try and have a sliver of the life I once had.
My illnesses are not usually fatal and sadly I’ve come to realize that if you are not in danger of actually dying then people don’t feel the need to help you or use their own energy and resources to help you. This may sound harsh, but I am finding it to be more and more true. When most people hear that someone has a “Chronic Illness” they know that it is most likely going to “drag on” forever so there is no reason to try and help you if you are going to live with your disease forever if there is no cure.
People with chronic illness face a lifetime of pain, exhaustion, and disability. A lifetime of people telling them to get over it, of people telling them they they are too depressing to be around, a lifetime of failing to meet everyone’s expectations, but that is not enough to attract anyone’s attention. Nobody would ever tell a cancer patient to just get over it and stop dwelling on their illness, but people with chronic illness hear this practically every day and that is ridiculous. It is also very hurtful to hear and some of us hear it over and over from our family and friends who cannot understand how we can be fine one minute and then the next we are curled up on the floor or the couch in pain.
I know for some of the best people I have ever met, those who have struggled with not having a diagnosis for years, finally having a name for their symptoms and illnesses is incredibly validating.
Once you finally have a name to what is wrong with you, it makes it much easier to treat it, or at least manage your symptoms and pain. But along with the names of your illnesses and symptoms also comes judgements; at least it does in my life. Some people research your illness and learn at least a little about it so they can help you deal with the emotional part of it and be there for you but then there are those who search google and find places that, for a one time payment can “cure” your disease, or this new medicine that is on the market that has amazing reviews online for being natural or articles by people that have “cured themselves completely using ____” or how thinking positive and talking about your feelings you can convince your body that you don’t have an illness and can therefor “cure” yourself. But then they get upset when you don’t read all the “research” they did or do everything they think you should be doing because the internet says it will help you.
I have only had my illnesses coming up on 5 years, but in that time I have come across so many others in support groups and illness forums that sometimes say they wish they could have a disease like cancer because people with cancer get support from family, friends, even sometimes people they just met. People seem to care more about cancer and they don’t care much if at all about chronic illness because it will go on forever. It’s Chronic. Most Chronic Illnesses have no cures, only treatments so some people will just assume it will be the same thing every day so why bother helping if it is going to be a never ending process?
For me there are not any words on the planet that adequately explain how difficult it is to be disabled by an illness that no one believes is real. For people to not understand how you can look fine on the outside and be smiling but be hurting on the inside. For people to understand how you can do a certain amount of things one day then the next have no energy to do anything, sometimes even getting out of bed is a challenge. For people who can’t understand how you can be fine one minute then the next you are in severe pain. Not to mention the insurance companies will pay for cancer treatment, they won’t pay for most chronic illness treatments or medications. Most of us have to come up with the money out of our own pocket to pay for a medication that may help a tiny bit or not at all.
We are people first. We are still human beings who have feelings and hate that some people have stopped seeing us as a person, but now see us as our illness or our symptoms. It is very hurtful for many of us. We just want some understanding. Some support to know we are not alone. I know my expectations of family and friends can just be silly, but is it really too much to ask for some support even if they don’t believe that I am sick? I could really use some support as I am going through this hard part in my life. I wouldn’t wish my life on anyone, and I do everything I can to be supportive of family and friends even if I don’t agree with their lifestyles or choices. Is it so hard to expect them to extend the same courtesy to me?
The words people use to describe others are important. Based on descriptions and words from other people, when you meet someone new you usually have already formed an opinion based on what others have told you about them. For those of us with Chronic Illnesses, most people automatically come to the conclusion that we are different, that we will never be like them because we have a different life then they do. Most people assume that we will never want to hang out because we hurt all the time. So they stop asking us to go out places. Stop calling. Because in their mind we are disabled, therefore we spend all our time sleeping or trying to feel better. They have already made up their minds about us based on one word. Disabled.
They fail to see how hard we try to still have even a tiny fraction of the life we had before our diagnosis and symptoms started coming around uninvited.When they hear the word disabled most people assume that we sleep all day, don’t get anything done, never go anywhere. They never bother to ask us what our days are like, because what they know about disabilities is what the internet has made us seem like to the outside world. Lazy. Selfish. Attention seeking. Pain pill addicts.
It never occurs to them that if they bothered to even look up our illnesses that we can still do a lot, just not all at once. Hearing the word disabled used to describe someone, most people immediately think of someone in a wheelchair or someone with severe limitations in their movement and their lives. When they see someone like us who looks fine on the outside but still ‘claims’ to be disabled, they get this look on their face like we are horrible people because we are ‘lying’ about our illness. They don’t understand how can we be sick if we look fine on the outside. Society has made us ‘disabled people’ seem like we are just wanting money and free medical care and pain medications from the government. And its rare that someone actually tries to form their own opinion of us instead of believing the internet or the opinions of others that claim they know more about our diseases than they do. They believe the internet or other people because it is easier than getting to know us and trying to form their own opinions of us. It is easier to just believe what they are told rather than having to spend time with us when they ‘have better things to do’
We fight every day just to get out of bed while they take the little things for granted. Most people think that because life is the way it is for them that it will always stay that way. They never think of what would happen if all the things they were used to suddenly weren’t around anymore. They are used to going places all the time, feeling healthy, being able to go on long road trips, go to the bars, have a ‘normal life’ Have a relationship. Not have to worry about each and every minute of every day and how it will affect you and your ability to do even the simple things that they do without even thinking of it as a challenge. For them, that is just the way it is for them. They never think life would be any different.
What would they do if one day they woke up and they were suddenly sick with a chronic illness and their whole lives were about to change forever? What would they think if one day they suddenly could no longer go places without planning for every minute of it? Or having to start taking many medications? Of their friends who suddenly walk out of their lives after learning of their new life? Of feeling exhausted 24/7? Of needing a wheelchair? Of needing support to walk up a flight of stairs or even just a few steps? Of not being able to do even the simplest of things they used to do before they got sick?
They judge us each and every day. With their words. The looks. The whispers and the giggles as we struggle to walk upright or walk funny due to our pain. If they woke up one day and their whole life had changed, would they finally see that we are people too? We are not just The Disabled People.
We have feelings. We matter too. Just because we are different it should not make us ‘outcasts’ in the eyes of someone ‘normal’
We fight every single day just to get out of bed and put on a brave face. We do the best we can with what we have. There are people in my life that do not think of the hurtfulness of the words they use to describe me. I am not just the disabled girl they know. I am a person first. My illness is not who I am. It is a part of me, but it does not mean that I have to let it control me.
My name is Karley and I suffer from Chronic Illnesses. I am a person first and foremost. I am not the disabled girl. I have a name and I am more than my symptoms and illnesses. I refuse to let my illness control my life and how people see me. If they cannot see past the disabled parts of me, they have no right to be in my life anymore. I am a person. I have feelings. My illness is not who I am. I am stronger than my disabilities. I am doing the very best that I can with what I’ve got.
Instead of seeing me as disabled or having chronic illnesses that have no cure, try using my name instead. I am a human being. I have a name. or have you spent all of your time being so focused on the labels that surround me and my life that you don’t even know my name?
After writing this post, I made this. Because we do matter. We all do. No matter our limitations or illnesses.
Day 15: What would you say to people newly diagnosed with this illness?
So many things came to mind as soon as I read the daily challenge but a few come to mind the most.
Don’t brush off symptoms-I can’t even count the number of times I ignored my symptoms and told myself I was just working too hard or not sleeping long enough; and on and on.
Keep a daily log of symptoms and activities-to help make your ‘journey’ go smoother to finding answers, having a log of every part of your life is a huge help.
Trust your gut-you know your body better than anyone. No one knows how you feel better than you.
And most of all, be your own advocate-So many times I’ve had doctors, nurses, friends and family intentionally or otherwise make me doubt what I’m going through. After all, if all the tests come back normal again and again, it must be in my head. Right?
Don’t give up. It can be easy to get frustrated when you spend days, months, or even years in and out of doctors offices, hospitals, having a million tests done, endless medications and a lot of trial and error to find the right treatment for you.
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