I walk across the loop between the athletic centre and the main campus building. The cold fall breeze blows my hair in front of my face. As I push it away, I look at the people around me, people I don’t know. I then look at the people i know: my friends, my family, my classmates, my instructors, my coworkers, the kids at work. How many of them, like me, have an invisible illness? How many of them have an understanding of the rigorous schedules, symptoms and unrelenting attention required to manage their disease? How many of them fight their body day in and day out and still, like me, look totally healthy on the outside despite what may be going on inside or behind-the-scenes to keep them healthy?
And I will never know. Some of the above people share their stories with me. Some of them choose to keep their stories silent and invisible. And some I will never even speak to or see again.
Yet all of us, possessing an anomaly settled inside, move forward–awaiting the day where our elusive cures will come.
The statistics are as high as one in two people, and more women than men affected by hidden, invisible illness. I know of three close work colleagues affected, no make that four-see-so may are affected. I love this week. I find it so enlightening and so humbling.
Nicely shared with us, thanks xx
I read the one in two statistic yesterday, and it’s mind-blowing. I think that the profile of Invisible Illness week needs to be raised for sure, because it affects so many people. I was really excited when the Shinerama group at school was coming around collecting money for the Cystic Fibrosis foundation yesterday–especially during Invisible Illness week. I gave them all my change and got a nifty sticker :].
I also saw that 1 in 2 thing. I wonder what it counts as an invisible illness. Contacts? Flat feet? Lactose intolerance? (Hah. These things come to mind cuz I have them all ;)) Cuz yeah. No one’s perfect. Everyone’s got something wrong with them.
Well I wouldn’t say EVERYONE, but I was wondering what counts, too. It’s interesting though, I wonder how we can find out what they count?
It’s amazing how many people there are with invisible diseases- I’ve got friends I’ve known since nursery school who I only found out that they’ve got x, y or z condition/ allergy in the last year. That’s why this week is so brilliant, invisible illnesses are so prevalent and yet they’re not talked about all that often.
Yeah, exactly! :] And the thing is, though we all face different circumstances, we’re kind of in the boat of having to raise the profile of invisible illnesses together. And I think that’s kinda cool :].