Photo credit ~ Favim.com
I know you.
I know how sick you are. I know how hard it is. I know the crazy roller coaster ride you're on. I know how getting out of bed is more than you have the energy for on many days. I know you push yourself to do even the simplest of things.
I know you're investing everything you have, and even some of what you don't, to get well, feel better, and take your life back. I know you never imagined it would be like this. I know the obstacles seem insurmountable. I know people don't understand.
I know the frustration of not being heard, of being dismissed, overlooked, and misunderstood. I know the discouragement of doing everything right and still see little to no improvement. I know the ups and downs. I know the heartbreak and disappointment you've felt. I know the struggle. I know the mess.
I believe you.
I believe what you say. I believe the unbelievable things you've been experiencing in your body. I believe how surreal it all is. I believe how very hard you work to get well. I believe how much you try to balance everything. I believe you try to be strong for your loved ones.
I believe you're caring, competent, and capable. I believe your ability to persevere through such extreme hardship speaks volumes about who you are. I believe you inspire others. I believe you are making a difference. I believe your story matters. I believe you will overcome this.
I feel you.
I feel your inner struggle. I feel the burden you carry. I feel the aching and longing for change, for something lasting and better. I feel the deep-seated determination you have to see this thing through.
I feel the utter disbelief and outrage at the ignorance and insensitivity within certain aspects of the medical community. I feel your growing desire to escape it. I feel your drive to educate them. I feel your compassion and empathy for others who are also sick, in pain, and struggling with their own circumstances.
I understand you.
I understand the depth of what you go through. I understand the undercurrent of emotions. I understand that you've lost so much along the way. I understand not everybody can see it.
I understand how very different life is now. I understand your uncertainty. I understand those moments of despair. I understand the limitations and how frustrating they are. I understand the loneliness. I understand the brokenness. I understand the words that are often left unspoken.
I understand the need for retreat. I understand how you want to get away but can't. I understand the times you need to be alone. I understand your silence. I really do.
I understand the need for total diversion. I understand how getting out is not necessarily about physically feeling better but about doing something just for you. I understand your desire for simple joys.
I see you.
I see your true colors. I see what you go through. I see your resiliency. I see your courage. I see the love you lavish on other people.
I see the hopes and dreams and wishes you still carry in your heart. I see the depth of wisdom and knowledge you've gleaned through the many long years of suffering. I see how you willingly share it.
I see how you take the time to listen to others, even when you aren't feeling well yourself. I see that you're going through more than anybody else really knows. I see that you're hurting.
I see how easy it would be to give up. I see how you've held on. I see how you've stood your ground. I see the deep faith that sustains you. I see, though your body is weary, just how very strong you really are.
I hear you.
I hear your cries. I hear those held-back tears you shed when no one else is around. I hear your heartfelt and gut-wrenching prayers. I hear your prayers for others; how you ask God to help them hold on too.
I hear your words of support and encouragement. I hear you cheering others on. I hear how you rejoice in another's health victory; how it's really a victory for all of us.
Though buried beneath the exhaustion of illness, I still hear your passion for life. I hear the inner hope with which you speak. I hear your unique expression. I hear the truth of who you are.
And you are beautiful!
I love you, friends.
You are not alone.
Michelle
I know how sick you are. I know how hard it is. I know the crazy roller coaster ride you're on. I know how getting out of bed is more than you have the energy for on many days. I know you push yourself to do even the simplest of things.
I know you're investing everything you have, and even some of what you don't, to get well, feel better, and take your life back. I know you never imagined it would be like this. I know the obstacles seem insurmountable. I know people don't understand.
I know the frustration of not being heard, of being dismissed, overlooked, and misunderstood. I know the discouragement of doing everything right and still see little to no improvement. I know the ups and downs. I know the heartbreak and disappointment you've felt. I know the struggle. I know the mess.
I believe you.
I believe what you say. I believe the unbelievable things you've been experiencing in your body. I believe how surreal it all is. I believe how very hard you work to get well. I believe how much you try to balance everything. I believe you try to be strong for your loved ones.
I believe you're caring, competent, and capable. I believe your ability to persevere through such extreme hardship speaks volumes about who you are. I believe you inspire others. I believe you are making a difference. I believe your story matters. I believe you will overcome this.
I feel you.
I feel your inner struggle. I feel the burden you carry. I feel the aching and longing for change, for something lasting and better. I feel the deep-seated determination you have to see this thing through.
I feel the utter disbelief and outrage at the ignorance and insensitivity within certain aspects of the medical community. I feel your growing desire to escape it. I feel your drive to educate them. I feel your compassion and empathy for others who are also sick, in pain, and struggling with their own circumstances.
I understand you.
I understand the depth of what you go through. I understand the undercurrent of emotions. I understand that you've lost so much along the way. I understand not everybody can see it.
I understand how very different life is now. I understand your uncertainty. I understand those moments of despair. I understand the limitations and how frustrating they are. I understand the loneliness. I understand the brokenness. I understand the words that are often left unspoken.
I understand the need for retreat. I understand how you want to get away but can't. I understand the times you need to be alone. I understand your silence. I really do.
I understand the need for total diversion. I understand how getting out is not necessarily about physically feeling better but about doing something just for you. I understand your desire for simple joys.
I see you.
I see your true colors. I see what you go through. I see your resiliency. I see your courage. I see the love you lavish on other people.
I see the hopes and dreams and wishes you still carry in your heart. I see the depth of wisdom and knowledge you've gleaned through the many long years of suffering. I see how you willingly share it.
I see how you take the time to listen to others, even when you aren't feeling well yourself. I see that you're going through more than anybody else really knows. I see that you're hurting.
I see how easy it would be to give up. I see how you've held on. I see how you've stood your ground. I see the deep faith that sustains you. I see, though your body is weary, just how very strong you really are.
I hear you.
I hear your cries. I hear those held-back tears you shed when no one else is around. I hear your heartfelt and gut-wrenching prayers. I hear your prayers for others; how you ask God to help them hold on too.
I hear your words of support and encouragement. I hear you cheering others on. I hear how you rejoice in another's health victory; how it's really a victory for all of us.
Though buried beneath the exhaustion of illness, I still hear your passion for life. I hear the inner hope with which you speak. I hear your unique expression. I hear the truth of who you are.
And you are beautiful!
I love you, friends.
You are not alone.
Michelle
May is Lyme Disease Awareness month and those of us who have Lyme Disease will be continuing to help bring greater awareness to this serious, debilitating illness during this time. Hopefully, Dr. Phil's show on Chronic Lyme, which aired last month, helped open the door to start dialoging about this more openly and began the much needed process of better education and awareness; even in the medical community.
Chronic Lyme Disease not only affects the person who has it, but their entire family as well. It takes a toil physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, relationally and financially. Lyme Disease knows no boundary. Many people are suffering from it's effects, including children.
If you don't have Lyme, perhaps you know or love somebody who does. I encourage you to acknowledge or support them in some way this month. Please share this link. Or you might consider right clicking on the photo above and saving it to post on your own blog, Facebook timeline or Twitter page. You can let others know who you are posting it for and/or that you want to help make people better aware of this disease. I so appreciate those in my life who support and encourage me; it means a great deal.
Ticks are everywhere and many entomologists are saying Lyme Disease cases may be much more prevalent this summer because of the unusually widespread warm winter we've had, which is the weather ticks are most active in. So it would benefit everyone to take the time to better inform themselves about the prevention of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases as well as the proper method of tick removal. I've listed some resource links below.
I invite you to go Lyme green in honor of Lyme Disease Awareness this month. Any support is greatly appreciated. It all makes a difference.
Thanks for reading. I'll be posting more on both my blogs throughout this month.
Blessings to you and yours.
Tick-Borne Disease Alliance
International Lyme And Associated Diseases Society
Lyme Disease.org
Lyme Aware
Lyme Disease: The Perfect Storm Is Headed Our Way (Huffington Post Article by Dr. Leo Galland, M.D.)
"When we honestly ask ourselves which persons in our lives mean the most to us, we often find it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness; that is a friend who cares."
Those of us who are living with (and have been for many years) Lyme Disease know first hand how devastating and debilitating it is. It is also very misunderstood. So I was elated to see that ILADS, the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, will be running a public service campaign next Sunday at the Super Bowl on a Jumbotron outside Lucas Oil Stadium to bring greater and much needed awareness to the misdiagnosis of Lyme Disease.
Go to the following link to find out more about the campaign: International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society/Jumbo Tron Campaign
According to Dr. Leo J. Shea III, Ph.D., President of the non-profit ILADS, "Lyme Disease is a silent epidemic in America. We want to alert and educate consumers about this disease, which is often misdiagnosed. Left untreated, it will become chronic and debilitating. Tick-borne illnesses compromise your immune system and the diagnosis, which is largely based on symptoms, can be illusive unless a physician is Lyme-literate."
Another fantastic thing that ILADS is doing is the LymeWall. Check it out; these are the true faces of Lyme Disease. And sadly, some of these precious faces belong to children. If you're reading this and didn't know that children can get Lyme Disease too, I will tell you that it can and has been passed transplacentally during pregnancy to babies. I have a friend whose youngest child contracted Lyme from her during her pregnancy. She didn't know she had it at the time. He's been a sick little fella. If that isn't a stout eye-opener; I don't know what is.
It is my desire to help bring the much due and needed awareness to this disease. I was misdiagnosed for years with MS (Multiple Sclerosis), Transverse Myelitis (likely true secondary to Lyme and/or viruses), Post-viral Demyelinating Syndrome (also likely true), CFIDS (Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome; which is perhaps secondary) and Chronic Mono (which is true but isn't the root; its secondary) among a few others. We found out in 2010 that I really have Chronic Lyme Disease; the true root of this illness of 18 years.
I've written before that I have wondered many times what my life would be like had we found this out sooner. But, after much contemplation and prayer, I know it is a futile pursuit that I must, and do, yield to my faith in Christ. I still have hope for healing for all of us. I still have hope for a better future.
I plan on writing more this year to bring greater awareness and understanding to Chronic Lyme Disease and it's co-infections and how profoundly it affects ones life. It's time.
So what about it my Lyme friends? Should we add our pics to the mix on the LymeWall? Maybe some of you already have. I'm contemplating it. Nevertheless, I think it's great that ILADS, Open Eye Pictures and Burgess Communications are stepping up to the plate like they are. Kudos to them! And kudos to us who keep fighting this Lyme fight daily with integrity, perseverance and guts!
Love to you all.
Copyright © 2012 Michelle Holderman
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