Invisible Illness

Dear Delyara, Today was a 'bad day,' which means the simple act of putting on my shoes felt like climbing a mountain. Most people see me and think I’m fine, because my illness doesn't have a cast or a bandage. They don't see the internal battle I fight just to stand in line at the grocery store. I’ve lost count of the things I’ve had to give up—hobbies, trips, career moves—all because my body decided to be my enemy. I miss the person I was when I didn't have to think about my joints or my energy levels. I’m a young person living in an old body, and the frustration is sometimes worse than the pain.