To the Person Struggling With Their Illness
Dear Fighter,
I say fighter because that’s what you are. You have this incredible ability to fight your way through any obstacle, no matter how big or small. And I know that because you’re still here, and that in itself is an achievement which you deserve celebrate.
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Right now, maybe your life isn’t where you wanted it to be. Perhaps right now, your body aches. Right now, you may feel alone, scared or sad. Right now, you may feel your strength waiver. Right now, you may want to give up. But I know you won’t.
You’ve likely been here before. You’ve felt defeated and deflated, not knowing how much longer you can keep up this battle. You’ve had days where all you can do is cry, where you feel like you can’t cope any more. You’ve possibly looked at your body with hate, despising it for all the pain and loss it has caused you. You’ve been angry and jealous that this is your life, hating your condition for all it have taken from you. You’ve been in pain so strong you would do or give anything for it to go away.
But you’re still here. You’re still fighting.
You’ve battled, and you’ll battle again and again until you win. You can do this because you are strong and courageous.
Know that you aren’t alone. There are thousands of people out there who are walking the same journey as you. And one day you will reach the destination you seek.
But this doesn’t take away from how hard this fight is right now.
Acknowledge how challenging it is – this does not mean you are giving in to the struggles. Take each moment step by step and choose to take care of yourself, choose to put yourself first.
You can be sad and miss the life you once had. It’s OK to be tired, angry and frustrated. Allow yourself to cry and let all your emotions out. Give yourself permission to feel.
When you feel that existing is hard, remember that you are worth this fight. You are trying your hardest and that’s all anyone can ask from you. You are human, you cannot always be OK with your illness. You cannot just magically accept pain and the struggles caused by your illnesses and you cannot expect yourself to do everything and be the person you were before you became ill. And I know this is hard. So let yourself grieve the person you once were, and then one day let yourself love the person you are now.
It’s OK to feel how you feel, but don’t let it take over you. Keep fighting as you always have, I know that you can do this.
You are strong. You are resilient. You are brave.
You have done this all before, and you can do it again.
It will all be OK eventually. These feelings don’t last forever.
Love from,
A Fellow Fighter
If you or someone you know needs help, visit our suicide prevention resources page.
If you need support right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “HOME” to 741-741. Head here for a list of crisis centers around the world.
Thinkstock Image By: Studio-Annika
Five years ago, as a 12 year old, I developed long thoracic nerve palsy which never fully healed. Since then I have been diagnosed with EDS, fibromyalgia and Neuropraxia, making everyday a challenge.
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