Blog post,  Chronic Illness,  Encouragement,  Lyme Disease

Chronic Illness is a Thief — Don’t Let It Steal Your Joy!

August 29, 2015

(snippet from within my corner of the chronic illness world — updated February 2021)

When I read the above meme ‘Chronic Illness is a Thief’ (author unknown) the message resonated within me.

Every word seemed to ring true: being robbed of my body’s strength, energy, health, time with family and friends, my career, normal daily activities… life as I once knew it to be.

Lyme and other tick-borne diseases (Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichiosis, Rickettsia, Mycoplasma) — along with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), underlying gene mutations/ predispositions and autoimmune conditions — have taken charge over this body, stealing away the former healthy, strong, active me.

Like many on a similar journey, I definitely would not have chosen this path, nor anticipated chronic illness would completely absorb my life.

No one chooses to be sick, laid up in bed for weeks, months, years on end. Illness has a way of deciding for you.

[bctt tweet=”No one chooses to be sick, laid up in bed for weeks, months, years on end. Illness has a way of deciding for you. —tmm“]

This journey has been trying and long, at times fearing no positive end in sight.

It’s been 21-years since my present health/life detour began — physical, neurological, and emotional challenges continuing daily. Initial concerns surrounding my health started over 43-years ago, stemming from a tick bite — what we now understand to have been the beginning of this Lyme disease and chronic illness journey. (thank you Southwest Missouri deer ticks, and the fact there were no Lyme tests — reliable or otherwise — available in the mid-70’s.)

Sadly, Lyme and tick-borne disease testing remains grossly unreliable, creating a global pandemic of patients needlessly suffering with these debilitating, life-altering diseases.

Read more about these significant ongoing concerns: Why Lyme Disease Awareness is Important.

Fast forward from 1977’s tick encounter to September 2000. A major health relapse turned my world a bit upside down. I’ll spare the details in this post to share a Reader’s Digest-like version. (You can read my full story here.)

Frankly, I’d prefer to forget the struggles, pain, doctors, testing, emergency room visits, surgeries, hospital stays, and the raw, frightening reality that death was a close reality.

What often seem like insurmountable roadblocks, frustration, disappointment with physicians and our broken healthcare system — beginning with the Center’s for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — have at times been absolutely maddening to navigate. (Lyme disease/ chronic illness fighters understand such madness, all too well.)

Countless specialists, (mis)diagnoses, and an accumulation of treatments throughout the years (decades) have created a dusty trail behind me.

Mixed in with the debris: glorious (unfortunately brief) periods of improvements, offering a glimpse at what life could be like — if I were healthy again. Genuinely healthy.

Eventually, reality tends to make it’s presence known, and once more this body becomes overrun by symptoms — damage left behind by Lyme and “friends”. These diseases are nothing if not persistent, relentless, debilitating, destructive… and overwhelmingly depressive! (attention doubting physicians: very real; not psychosomatic!)

When blessed with less than miserable, relatively “good” days, this helps keep the prize of renewed health in center focus. More than likely God’s way of helping to maintain a minute sense of sanity!

Goodness knows I’ve cried my share of tears these past few decades. Hubby has picked me up off the floor, literally, more times than either of us care to remember. But… we keep pushing forward.

Ultimate positives and gratefulness accruing daily through this journey: my faith is stronger than ever; being blessed with a rock of a husband; surrounded by the love and support of family, friends, and amazing online community.

Forever grateful for my peeps. My tribe.

Most assuredly, whatever our journey, we are stronger together.

Looking ahead: there are days yet to be spent living life fully — not feeling miserably ill, housebound, bedridden.

And as the fight for improved health continues, I am Holding on to Hope, remaining steadfast… taking one day at a time; and however many days remain before me in this life, quite determined to live each and every one filled to the fullest. Even if this entails merely ‘looking through the glass’ — joy will lead the way. 

So yes, Chronic Illness is a Thief; however, a newer-yet-older, weaker-but-stronger, (hopefully) improved me stands firm (okay, most likely ‘firmly’ sitting or laying down)… and fighting fiercely to rebuild what illness has “stolen” away.

I’m just under construction!

[bctt tweet=”Yes, Chronic Illness is a Thief; remember… a newer-yet-older, weaker-but-stronger, revised + improved ‘you’ remains— fighting fiercely to rebuild what illness has “stolen” away. —tmm” TerryMMayfield=””]

Until my next Reflection…

For anyone fighting illness, I hope you know you are stronger than you realize. Pull from those “muscles” deep down inside; and as you move forward through your healing journey, lean on your tribe; be kind and gentle with yourself, and please, please… hold on to hope. You too, lovelies, are under construction.

Chronic illness may indeed be a thief, and whatever has changed or been taken away…

don’t let illness steal your joy!

Blessings and positive vibes are with you — always.

—Terry xx

[bctt tweet=”Chronic illness may be a thief, and whatever has changed or been taken away… don’t let illness steal your joy! —tmm” username=”TerryMMayfield”]

* Updated Jan 2019, August 2020, February 2021

#Lyme #Lymedisease #Babesia #Bartonella #Mycoplasma  #MTHFR #MCAS #MECFS #Chronicillness #ChronicIllnessIsAThief #HealthierDaysAreComing #UnderConstruction #DontLetillnessStealYourJoy #TurnPainIntoPurpose #ReflectionswithTerry

Over here reflecting about life, illness + healing. Offering encouragement + empathy + support. Sharing smatterings of sarcasm + sass. Oozing with opinion. Speaking my truth. —tmm

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