I think you just hit on one of the hardest points of all of this, what anyone with a chronic illness deals with — you are not yourself. And maybe, too, you’re not really living — not as you should. When you go through the day in a fog, when you wake up and are ready to go back to sleep, when you’re hurting — no matter what kind of pain — that’s no way to live. And you don’t have to live like that. When I heard that phrase said to me, I began crying. Because when you’ve lived like that for so long — fatigue, especially, for years — you wonder how it can be possible, what that’s even like.

“Chronic illnesses for which there are no ribbons just aren’t as sexy.”

This is true enough, but even those with ribbons are sadly rarely understood. I admit it’s hard to imagine. Just like someone can’t imagine what it’s like to wake up and an hour later need to take a nap (though I joke about my love of naps, I actually really need them), I can’t imagine what it’s like to sometimes have enough energy to get through a day. And you feel like you’re letting people down because you *should* be able to, but you just can’t.

I know by your comment that you completely get that, Elisa, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. That kind of support and understanding is what can carry us far. You can bet I’ll be asking for that advice, but even more, thanks for that friendship.