I hit obstacle after obstacle this week, every day having a new curveball, each more stressful than the last, and each having something to do with my health or the medical system.
I’ve worked tirelessly playing middleman between pharmacist and doctor, nurse and doctor, nurse and pharmacist, new pharmacist and informed pharmacist, and the ignorance from those who are trained professionals yet uninformed and unable to help – things that should not occur together – those of us battling chronic illnesses or the illnesses themselves.
This life is incredibly hard, so complex and misunderstood. I often feel like I’m lost in a crowd, invisible to the world, a case number, a file in a folder on a computer, maybe not even a hard copy, these days who knows? However,, to survive, to keep myself going, I have to try to find joy in each day and as many simple pleasures as possible, because we never know what tomorrow will bring.
Yesterday I found out that a friend, a spoonie sister, a newbie tubie volunteer, passed away unexpectedly. This news just shocked me, I’m at a loss for words, for thoughts, I’m not sure it’s even hit me fully.
Though I never met Tara in person, we talked often both online and via text, & the bond between all of our spoonie sisters is something I don’t think anyone else can understand. Tara was a bright and enthusiastic part of the online spoonie community. She was always peppy and smiling, she shared her experiences with others to help them know what was coming their way, and she was never afraid to speak her mind.
It’s terrifying and shocking every time we lose a sister, it’s heartbreaking losing her, and it is scary for each of us, a “it could have been any of us, it could have been me,” moment. It never gets easier, it’s a daunting feeling, it’s impossible to put into words what it is like living with fears like this every day when you’re barely even an adult . We’ve lost some girls who were 16 years old, so imagine being in high school and worrying about dying unexpectedly, not waking up, wondering what your family will do, how will they cope?
I know this may sound morbid, but this is the reality that so many of us live in, and this isn’t the worst of it, but if you are reading, you must want to know about chronic illnesses or about me, and this is part of that. I can’t be 100% positive, it’s not possible, so I’m sharing some of my raw truth with you.
No one should live in fear, life is unpredictable for everyone, not just chronic illness patients. Accidents happen, illness happens, there are so many risks in life, and even if you don’t take any, you still never know what tomorrow will looks like.
Instead of letting this terrible week or fears of the future hold me back, I am going to do my best to push through and continue to find joy and fun wherever and whenever I can – I know Tara would want that for all of us, she loved having fun, loved adventuring.
So I’m going to continue on with my goals of embracing each moment, loving and appreciating loved ones and never holding onto grudges or judgment, never leaving on a bad note.
Stay tuned to hear more about my upcoming risk-taking adventures.
xoxo