“With a Little Help From My Friends… “
Words cannot describe how life changing this support forum has been for me since I found it. Over time it has helped changed the trajectory of my emotional state, I no longer feel isolated & alone, I understand the disease better & how it affects all of us similarly and also differently. Reading other’s journeys & personal challenges has given me a much broader persecutive with which to gage my own experiences (for better & worse)… as opposed to solely relating with friends & relatives who (although they might try) have no clue what this is like from one day to the next. Being a part of this community made it possible for me to grasp that trying to explain what it’s like, or for one example, how I’m feeling during a flare, is kind of futile because they tend to look at you thoughtfully—but with that deer in the headlights expression. Having such a large & diverse community in here changed that exercise in futility however, because I can come here for understanding, solace, support, uplifting and sometimes funny feedback, etc… from Vets & Newbies alike. Thus I stopped feeling the need to try to “explain” how I’m feeling physically to my normie friends - I learned to Keep it Simple… and in doing so, they no longer avoid me because they don’t know how to act around me or what to do. As such, I no longer feel totally abandoned by my real life friends the way I did prior to treatment, during the height of my intense Acute Onset.
Being part of this community, learning from it, listening to people, being listened to, all the caring sharing has by far been my biggest, most healing medicine! (Well… the anti-inflammatory meds DO help… but you get the drift😊). My attitude, mood & outlook is improved since I joined this community.
Grateful & feeling the love😁❤️✌🏻