I am what a person with an INVISIBLE CHRONIC ILLNESS looks like (September is Invisible Illness Awareness Month)

Photo of Right Credit to @FibroHelpingHands

#LifeLessons

Dear Chronic Pain Warriors and Invisible Illness Survivors. 

This month and everyday,  I am celebrating your unimaginable strength and courage for being fighters in life. 

As much as we are fighters in life, you and I personally know that Invisible Illnesses come with many life lessons, personal challenges and daily battles to fight as well. 

For instance, you may have experienced the following challenging emotions, or you are currently going through these challenging right now: 

✅Mental Health and Well Being Challenges ( anxiety, guilty feelings for having caused the condition, depression, grief over the loss of what life used to be like) 

✅Physical challenges of mobility and not being able to function fully physically as you used to. Including the ability to exercise, or keep fit as much as you would like to. 

✅Social Isolation due to being ill and feeling poorly everyday, even though you "look well," to the external world.

✅Not being able to contribute in society work wise. Or you are currently working full time, because you need to do so, in order to survive financially. This only leaves you feeling even more physically and emotionally exhausted every day, with the limited ability to do much after working hours. 

✅You have fought to find all sorts of ways for cures, but to no avail as doctors tells you there is no cure. Or others tell you there is a cure and you wonder why the same cure is not working for you. 

✅Too many more to list 

You are not alone:

▫️Just remember that in your daily struggles you are not alone. There are communities of people out there who will understand exactly what you are going through 

I also know what it feel like to walk in your shoes everyday. 

My story:

▫️I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism over 15 years ago when I was in my peak state health wise. I was active and doing all the things, I thought were helping me to be a healthy person. 

It took a lot longer to come to terms with the diagnosis and it felt surreal. Initially, I was determined to prove Doctors wrong. In end, I   accepted my new fate and all the symptoms that come with being this condition. 

▫️Flash forward to last year I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia after 3 years of being undiagnosed. I experienced mixed emotions of feeling grateful about knowing what the cause of my numerous ailments, to disbelief and also deep sadness as well. I cried for all the things I was losing. I also cried for knowing realising that I was not going to die. 

I experienced most feelings that you might have experienced, or are currently experiencing and I continue to experience some of these feelings below: 

✅Feelings of loss and grieving process of the old you and how life used to be

✅Feelings of living in surreal reality, you wake up each day believing that you are well again only to realise that is your old reality 

✅ Adapting to a new way of normal, never feeling well although you look externally well to the world. 

✅Adapting to other people's judgements, misconceptions, perceptions, their own notions of what your experience might be like. You hold back or feel like screaming out loud to some individuals who lack any form of empathy or understanding, or the initiative to learn what your experience might be like. 

Lessons Learnt: 

✅It is better to let go off guilt and other people's perceptions. Their perceptions are just that, theirs. They have not walked in your shoes. 

✅Know that no one can understand the true cause of your illness more than you and there are numerous reasons why these conditions occur as researched by the experts/professionals based on other patients/individuals experiences.  Some causes are unexplained, unexpected/uncontrollable, caused by incidents, accidents, infections, misdiagnosis, the list is endless ....

✅Invisible conditions are definitely real, not in your head, as you and I live this experience every single day. You do not need to prove anything to anyone who does not understand. Your energy is worth gold, save it for those who will support you:) 

✅ Only you, know you best and the journey you need to walk in life. Just remember you are not alone

✅ Surround yourself with beautiful souls who will love you for being you and support you on new journey as well

Give yourself a break, rest when you can and need to. Pamper and treat yourself very often for you deserve it for being a warrior and a fighter each day.  

Your friend Invisible Illness warrior

Sending Gentle Hugs and Love Chiko💜💜💜

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