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TV Star Shows Reality of Chronic Illness With a 'Bad Selfie'

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On Sunday, “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Yolanda Foster posted a photo on her Instagram account offering support to anyone living with a chronic illness.

Foster, who has chronic Lyme disease, snapped the selfie in bed with the caption, “Just because some ppl are done with your journey, doesn’t mean your journey is done… #AnotherWastedSaturday #LifeFromTheSideLines #Spoonie #LymeDiseaseAwereness #DeterminedToFindACure #AffordableForAll PS: Bad Selfie Day

Foster was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012 and has been vocal about sharing the ups and downs of her daily life on television, as well as her blog and social media.

She’s also faced backlash from co-stars who question her struggles with the disease and her frequent social media posts about it. Over the course of this season, we’ve had a few Mighty contributors share their thoughts on the matter, urging the public to be more sensitive to those living with invisible illnesses.

“Lyme disease can be incredibly debilitating, bringing with it intense pain, crushing fatigue, cognitive impairment and many other difficult symptoms,” Dorothy Leland, Vice-president of LymeDisease.org told The Mighty. “People may be stuck at home—possibly bedbound — cut off from any kind of support system. Since even well-meaning friends and family members probably don’t understand what’s going on, a Lyme patient’s sense of emotional isolation can be brutal.”

“Thus, when famous people like Yolanda Foster, Avril Lavigne and Debbie Gibson share with the public that they are also grappling with Lyme disease, it can bring hope and a sense of validation to people who sorely need it,” Leland added.

Around 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease every year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bacterial infection is primarily transmitted by ticks, and it’s difficult to diagnose due to the fact that its symptoms mimic many other diseases, according to LymeDisease.org.

For more information and support networks, visit LymeDisease.org’s website and Facebook page.

Image via Wikimedia Commons/Angela George

Originally published: January 18, 2016
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