VALIDATION.

(A little affirmation for my friends with Lyme out there….)

This past year of my life could best be summed up with one word: “sickness.” Though I do not desire my sickness to define me or confine me, the truth is that it has.

Sometimes I close my eyes and I try to tell myself that my sickness is only in my mind: that if I really wanted to, I could get up and go jogging or go back to work. But with Lyme it does not work like that. Lyme takes over what feels like every cell of your body- like an army invading you from the inside. It is such a distinct feeling, I would know if it were happening in my sleep and yet, somehow it is very difficult to explain the sensation. I’ve tried to think of something I could compare it to but have not come up with anything that could do it justice. Every Lyme sufferer experiences it differently and yet, when I talk to someone with Lyme, it is like there is a baseline of understanding between us- that unspoken bond of shared pain. So I guess what I wanted to say to those who are reading this who have Lyme: I know what you are feeling and it is very real. I’m sure a lot of you have been told that your sickness is “all in your head” as I was told by a doctor when I was 16 and could barely walk because of the Lyme. It is the worst feeling to be suffering so intensely and to be told that you are crazy and “just looking for attention.” I know for me, the best medicine is validation….So… I want to just let you know, you are not crazy or lazy.

You just have Lyme.