25 Ways People Have Stood by Me During My Illness

Living with a chronic invisible illness means that, unfortunately, not everyone stands by you through all the pain, the appointments with various doctors, the depression and anxiety, the hopeless days after bad appointments and flare-up days…and the fact that it may never go away, or even get better, no matter what you try. But there are always a few who help you so much more than the rest, and who will stand by you through anything.

Thank you to the friends and family who…

1. Held me up when I couldn’t stand.

2. Let me talk about everything, over and over again.

3. Helped me to not freak out when everything seemed to be getting worse.

4. Let me freak out when everything did get worse, but then got me back up to keep carrying on.

5. Told me they were proud of me, that I was handling life well, that I was doing a good job –even when it didn’t feel like it. Thank you for encouraging me.

6. Fed me. (Seriously.)

7. Rubbed my shoulders, neck, and head when I was in pain.

8. Made sure I drank enough water.

9. Got me water when I didn’t want to get it.

10. Asked me for updates when they didn’t see me for awhile, or when they knew I had gone to a new doctor, etc.

11. Listened to me talk and process everything.

12. Prayed with me before appointments, and for me during them.

13. Checked up on me during bad weeks.

14. Helped me with things I couldn’t deal with, such as: getting away from people and covering up bright light from windows – the list goes on.

15. Sent me care packages or cards.

16. Told me it was OK to miss things, whether that was classes, social events, etc.

17. Encouraged me to be social when they knew I needed to get out.

18. Suggested anything to help – even if I had already tried it, or heard it many times before, I know you care about me.

19. Read about my condition. You have no idea how much it means when someone cares enough to learn about what’s wrong, and what can make it better. Whether by asking questions, or reading about it, it’s wonderful to know that you care, and can understand what I’m talking about.

20. Asked intelligent questions. I don’t talk about it much because I don’t want to say the same things over and over to the people I love my whole life, but if someone has questions, I’m happy to talk!

21. Hugged me.

22. Came to just watch a show or movie with me when I couldn’t go out. It means a lot to have someone with me, when I can’t go be around people.

23. Made sure I ate when I was nauseated.

24. Let me hold on to them when I was dizzy.

25. Cried with me.

…And so much more!

What help did your friends and family give you that you didn’t know you needed? What little things made your life better?

We want to hear your story. Become a Mighty contributor here.

Gettyimage By: AntonioGuillem