I was 20 when I was first diagnosed with an autoimmune illness. I was in my second year at college majoring in Dance and Psychology. I had starting have severe knee pain and was tired all the time. The school I attended had a Medical School so I was send by my dance teacher to a rheumatologist. The diagnosis was RA. My dance career was over. I already had damage to my left knee.
I decided to take a brake from college to get my head on straight. I spend the next 2 years enjoying life traveling around the country seeing friends and seeing new places. I ended up back home in New Orleans then back in Birmingham. I was 22 years old and disabled when I meet and married my husband. I was lucky to find a good man who understands these autoimmune illness, I have 4 different ones plus Fibromyalgia.
I've dealt people judging me as lazy and worthless, even in my own family. I get compared to others with the same or similar illnesses. People have judged since that first diagnoses but I try to educate people and understand when they just don't get it. I've lost many friends over the years but I've also learned who I can count on when the chips down and I need a friend.
I am sorry your dance career was over, but it is good even though most people don't understand autoimmune disorders that you were able to find people to trust and rely on
ReplyDeleteI ran into the problem with people thinking I'm lazy/whatever as well... I have some social/mental disorders where I can't really work anymore.
ReplyDeleteIt used to make me kinda upset, because I was a very hard worker beforehand, and took pride in my work ethic.
No one ever truly understands, since they cannot be in the same circumstance. It took me a while to get past what other people thought.
It's good to find yourself, and find out who your true friends really are.