17 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Moments Explain What it's Like to Live with Chronic Illness
By Anita Crumbly
As we all know having to live with any chronic illness like Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Epilepsy, Crohn's etc. feels like we live on the Hellmouth. So why not let our favorite Scoobies explain what it's like.
1) Lets get straight to the ummm....oh I forgot the phrase, thanks fibro fog. When our brains simply can't recall words or pretty much anything at the moment.
2) Youth just doesn't feel the same when your body feels old. *sigh* People get tired of our illness and stop inviting us because we have to turn down offers or may not be the life of the party anymore. Well you know what we get tired of our illness too.
3) When you visit a new doctor or specialist for the upteenth time and you are both hopeful and nervous that this doctor might actually help you but also that they might be just like all the others that you just well...
4) Then when the doctor is a jerk and offers no real help because you are "too young" to be ill or seemingly got their degree from a cracker jack box.
5) When you finally, after possibly years of test after test, get a diagnosis you go back to all those who said you were faking it, or not to worry so much. Your own body, of which they don't live in and have no idea the pain you deal with.
6) After the relief of knowing has worn off and all the naysayers have run back to their holes you are ultimately left with yourself. Left to cope with a Chronic Illness that is forever and can't be taken away. Now that you know what is wrong, you wish it wasn't true.
7) That's right, Chronic Illness as in there is no cure, there is only temporary relief and it is an everyday battle.
8) But there are good days too, and we feel good, boy does it feel good.
9) Sometimes taking full advantage of those good days is fun and good for the soul.
10) Other times pacing ourselves might be the smarter move so if it's just something simple that we enjoy, perhaps that is the best bet. Depends on the person, because everyone and every illness is different.
11) Still, trying to talk to others about our struggles can be very frustrating, even those (sometimes especially those) closest to us.
12) Also the added frustration of making small talk when you are in pain and all you want to do is go home, put on PJs and lay down. Except you also want to feel included and not be seen as a flake.
13) Then our bodies get mad at us when we stay out too late or have too much fun or sometimes even a little fun. Pain and lots of it.
14) When a flare hits, it takes everything we have to just live because of pain, fatigue, and the multitude of other symptoms that go along with various Chronic Illnesses.
15) And even during a flare...
16) So basically...
17) Except we also know...
18) So be that somebody if you know someone who has a Chronic Illness.
All image sources: Warner Bros
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