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If You Have an Invisible Illness and Use Mobility Aids, These 14 Memes Are for You

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Having an invisible illness means you’re often confronted with misconceptions about “how sick” you really are. Maybe doctors don’t believe your symptoms are as serious as you know they are, or your friends give you a hard time about canceling plans since you “look fine.” When you also use mobility aids, like a cane or wheelchair, that can add another layer of challenges to your life. Many people don’t realize you can still be young or “look healthy” and need a mobility aid (and that it’s possible to only need it sometimes, not all the time).

Since laughing at the absurdities of life with an invisible disability can make it easier to cope, we rounded up 14 memes you might relate to if you have an invisible disability and use mobility aids. Life with an invisible disability isn’t always funny, but these memes are.

1. When you go out and people are shocked that you use a wheelchair:

photo of cartoon animals staring with caption wheelchair stares
via @chronicillnessmemes Instagram

2. How you explain why you need a mobility aid even though you “don’t look disabled”:

photo of person climbing a rock face with text what i feel like i'm doing and drawing of person climbing stairs with text what u'm actually doing
via impotsiblelife Tumblr

3. When someone asks why you’re using a mobility aid:

the incredibles edna mode with fire in glasses and mrs incredible looking shocked, text educating someone about your conditions like
via Pinterest

4. When you get a rare “low pain” day:

cat walking on hind legs with caption that feel well
via @lycil_ Instagram

5. When you have to decide how much to say about your health at a job interview:

woman shaking hands with man, caption says interviewer: so tell me a little about yourself. me: I'd rather not, I really need this job
via @emeesee_chronically Instagram

6. When your mobility aids are ridiculously expensive:

meme of man handing over credit card with text my debit card is starting to feel more like a gift card, not sure how much is on this but we'll give it a try
via @sarcasm_only Instagram

7. When someone actually wants to learn more about your illness:

sheldon from big bang theory smiling and caption my face when someone says i researched your illness and...
via @eclecticawareness Instagram

8. When people think you’re not disabled since you can still walk:

inigo montoya meme, you keep using that word, i do not think it means what you think it means
via Know Your Meme

9. When you want to explain your illness but also feel pressure to “stay positive”:

photo of lauren conrad and text me: opens up about my past and explains why i am the way i am. me immediately afterwards: but lol its whatever
via @donut Instagram

10. When the diagnoses keep coming:

text getting older is just a slow parade of different body parts going um actually
via @mytherapistsays Instagram

11. When you feel terrible but you’re wearing makeup:

cartoon character looking tired with caption how you feel vs photo of cartoon princess and caption how you look
via @chronicillnessmemes Instagram

12. When someone sees you out of your wheelchair and says, “It’s a miracle!”

dog with text much anger. very upset. such frustration. wow
via Make a Meme

13. When someone tries to tell you about this new treatment that will “fix you”:

somecards meme with text thank you for your unsolicited advice. allow me a few moments to pretend to carefully consider it
via Somecards

14. When you realize living with an invisible illness has made you a badass:

cat meme with text people with chronic illnesses are not to be messed with. we will sit there straight faced in excruciating pain like nothing is wrong and that's badass

Originally published: February 23, 2018
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