There is something that is important for everyone to realize in their life, but especially for those of us suffering from chronic illness: You cannot make everyone happy, you cannot please everyone in your life, all you can do is have the strength to get up each morning and breathe in and out, and do the best you can, and hope it is enough for the people in your life.
When you are sick, it is often times a day to day struggle just to be alive, let alone to be in charge of making others happy and satisfied.
If you are lucky enough in your life to have people who understand this concept, and who can selflessly put their own needs aside temporarily while you are fighting for your survival, DO NOT TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED.
Lyme and its other host of co-infections often feels like an anchor that is constantly trying to sink down to the bottom of the ocean with you helplessly attached. You fight to catch a breath of fresh air every day before sinking back down below the surface of the water.
You are in the fight of your life, and you cannot always expend the strength and energy to try to free others from their chains, when you yourself are imprisoned.
Sometimes the people you love and who are surrounding you during treatment become human punching bags, absorbing our anger and sadness. If they love you, they will not falter, and will continue to be an outlet for your frustrations, for they recognize it is temporary and it is not personal.
If you are blessed and fortunate enough to have people in your life who love you unconditionally, even through your brain fog, irritability, snappiness, and moments of complete despair and heartbreak, never let them go for they are almost impossible to find.
Love yourself first. Take care of your own needs. The only upside to being sick is allowing yourself to be a bit selfish. Indulge yourself in whatever small pleasures you can still enjoy. Find happiness in the smallest of things and treasure those moments.
Lyme changes you to your core afterwhich you will never be the same, and you definitely are a different person while you are fighting the disease. This does not, however, mean the changes will be for the worse.
The people in your life who love you and would do anything for you will never put you down or make you feel badly for your behavior, attitude, words, or actions while you are sick.
They will understand your need to be somewhat selfish, somewhat self indulgent, and sometimes utterly devastated and depressed, and will steadfastly support you, like the roots support the tree, like the trunk supports the branches, and like the stems support the leaves
They will not leave you or abandon you, and await the day you regain your health just as you do.
I know some of you have lost loved ones due to the storm of emotions and conflict often times stirred up by Lyme Disease, and it is devastating and hurtful.
I know that some of you feel abandoned and deserted by people who promised to be with you for better and for worse and through sickness and in health.
I know that it sometimes feels hopeless and like you are lost in a black cave, with no sign of light.
This is why it is important for us to stay together as a community and to support each other and love one another. Nobody understands what it's like to be chronically ill unless they are unfortunate enough to suffer the same fate. The relationships lost due to Lyme can be mourned, but remember there are thousands more friendships and relationships to be made with people you have never met that know exactly how you feel and always "have your back".
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