On one of my vacations with my husband I went to visit a
floxie friend. After I left I called her to tell her something and during our
conversation she said to me; I see you not your disability. She went on to say;
I see the person that you are and the person that you were and not your speech
issues or what floxing has done to you. It was one of the kindest things anyone
has ever said to me and I’ve never forgotten it. I felt the same way about her
although it wasn’t something that I’d consciously realized until she had
verbalized it. That conscious realization was a blessing. You see when
suffering chronic illness as your health deteriorates and your limitations
become more severe you tend to feel as though you’re losing your identity. The
person you were and the things you loved that you can no longer do. Bit by bit
I felt I was losing pieces of myself. Just like the movie Jerry McGuire when
Tom Cruise says “you complete me” this friend saying “I see you” made me feel
more whole. It made me feel like a more complete person. When she said that to
me I realized I’m still the same person that I was before I just have physical
limitations now. It was a relief to hear that from someone who’d never known me
when I was healthy.
When I chat with others dealing with the debilitating
aspects of fluoroquinolone associated disability (FQAD) I see them not their
limitations. We are an incredibly diverse group of people with a broad age
range and yet every one of us is still our unique and beautiful individual
personalities. Just because you are going through this never forget who you
are. Your illness doesn’t define you any more than anyone else is defined by
their illness. It might change you in ways you never imagined but that can
sometimes be a good thing. I find myself to be a more compassionate person than
I was, I don’t sweat the small stuff, and I’ve learned so much about natural
remedies for health that my family is better off as a result. By speaking out
about the dangers of these medications I’ve had dozens of friends tell me
they’ve refused them because of what I’ve been through so I celebrate each of
these as a life saved. These are the positives I’ve taken away from my
condition. I also believe that we can improve our situation so even if I’m not
the person I once was I see myself again.
I see you too not your disability.
~Betsy
good job!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
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