This post is about chronic conditions from my perspective. I know one person who was recently diagnosed with a chronic condition and another person who may soon be diagnosed with a chronic condition, so this topic seems really relevant to me. (One of them might read this, the other one will not read this unless I copy and paste this into an e-mail.) As you probably know I've been dealing with a chronic condition since I was 15 years old. Now, I understand I have a different condition from these two people and they have a different condition from each other; however, I think it's important to recognize possible similarities to be better equipped to support one another.
I remember the scariest thing I learned was the fact that there is no cure. I'm not trying to scare you, I'm just trying to be real to let others know about this aspect of a chronic diagnosis. There isn't a magical pill to fix this. Surgery will not make this permanently go away. Let that sink in for a second. I recently filled out FMLA paperwork and my condition was described by my healthcare professional as "lifelong". The prospect of having to manage this for a lifetime can be intimidating.
I want to reassure you that this diagnosis was not your fault. Even though the world wants you to keep your shit together, it's okay to fall apart sometimes. Cry, scream, curse if you must because it's far better to let it out than to hold it inside. You are strong regardless of the tears staining your cheeks. You may be pressured to hide the bad and ugly aspects. I encourage you to seek a family member, a friend, or even a counselor you can talk to without being judged and without being forced to hide what you're truly feeling. I think others mean well when they advise us to be positive. Would they really be positive in your shoes though? I give you permission to air out your negative feelings. In my experience, if suppressed, negative feelings can fester into depression even if you're faking positivity. You will encounter folks that believe dietary changes will be the solution to your problem, but I want to warn you not to get your hopes up. My ex-boyfriend's sister's goldfish had this same condition and cured it by XYZ. I'm saying be cautious. Ugly cry, write about it, and tell your story because heroes fight different battles. You're a hero and this is your battle! Don't give up, FIGHT!
