To live with Illness is to be robbed of yourself

Betrayed by your body

Preoccupied with survival at the cost of truly living

To no longer be you, to struggle to accept your new circumstance

It is to deal with a consistent storm of pain and emotions while still facing the storms of life

It is to be burdened by living when all you want is to be alive and well

To live with Illness is to be hurt and triggered by simple things like

• Being too exhausted to make yourself food
• Feeling dreadful and not being able to show up to support others
• Being wary of doing things you previously wouldn’t have thought twice about
• Dreading leaving home because that’s the only place you now feel comfortable, in control or safe

To live with illness is to smile while in immense pain

To fight being self consumed for there is more to life than your illness

To endure your responsibilities for the bills must be paid, work is to be done amongst many other things

It is to be misunderstood and incapacitated to defend yourself at times

To live with Illness is to discover a strength and resilience you didn’t know you possessed

To understand how fiercely your loved ones care for you

To discover the courage to still persevere and pursue your dreams gallantly for life is precious no matter the obtsacles we face

To live with illness is a burden and gift that life gives us