I need you to do something for me! After reading the next sentence, close your eyes and let it sink in!
YOU HAVE AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE THAT IS NOT CURABLE!
Did it hit you yet? Let me help you understand!
You have been diagnosed with an illness. The illness will never go away with any type of medication. The illness can be fatal. The illness will change your life and every aspect in it. The illness can take away your mobility. The illness can isolate you from friends and family. The illness can keep you from functioning as a regular person in society. The illness can provoke people to talk about you. The illness can destroy your social life. The illness can send you into depression. The illness can land you in the hospital. The illness can induce other illnesses. The illness can cause you to have surgeries. The illness can take your independence. The illness can take control and end your life.
Unfortunately, this is the reality of myself and many others. Be careful how you handle us because no matter what is going on in the world, everyday the Lord sees fit for our eyes to open, we face this cruel reality. Be patient with us because although you can jump right up and go, the illness doesn’t always allow us to. Be understanding because there will be many days we can’t get up at all. Be thankful for every moment you have with us realizing it could be our last. Be cognizant of how you speak to us because our minds are always occupied by our reality and the things you say have the potential to send us off the deep end. Be courteous to us realizing we are trying all we can to be the best we can be. Be proactive and prepare yourself for the unknown, just as we have to. Be considerate of our needs and try not to minimize things that are important to us because that thing just might be the reason we are fighting for our lives.
Yes, we are fighting for our lives. We fight morning, noon and night, 24/7 to live. We fight to have some type of normalcy. We fight in hopes that one day there will be a cure. We fight to prove to ourselves and you that we can make it! We fight our physical illness, mental warfare, emotional distress and spiritual weakness daily in order to keep running the race. It is an exhausting job, but we do it.
As you go through your days, be reminded of our reality and make a conscious choice of how you can positively affect our lives.
If you can’t be a positive influence, remove yourselves from our lives so you aren’t the reason we fail!!!
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No portion of this article may be duplicated in writing or in any other recorded format without permission.
Angel’s Lupus Journey 