It's not that I want to be sick. I just want a name. Not a barrel full of symptoms that have yet to be combined into a singular illness.
I've read that it takes several years for many chronically ill people to be diagnosed. This is very frustrating. Seeing specialist after specialist. Being dismissed and accused.
You try to join support groups for illnesses that have symptoms that you experience, but you feel left out.
You read about all the treatments people with a diagnosis are getting and fear that your body is being damaged while you wait for something to show up in a test.
Who marches for the undiagnosed? Where are our shirts? When do we get a voice? What will it take?
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Right on target with this post. I suffered for 8 1/2 years before I found out possibilites and slowly but surely over time they have been cut down to under half a dozen. Suffice, the whole time I was marching forward looking for answers, I felt I had NO support outside of my immediate home. I felt alone, discarded, unimportant. I understand and I swore I would never be that flip with anyone who says they hurt or their world has been turned upside down by illness. Stay strong and keep going forward. Keep pressing your doctor to run test to narrow it down. Hugs. Tammy
ReplyDeleteThis is so frustrating. I'm so envious of people whose illnesses affect bloodwork or biopsies. I feel weird for hoping for something abnormal but until something comes up, I just have to continue to suffer in the dark.
ReplyDeleteIt's so hard to explain to people why and how I'm so sick and why the doctors haven't found anything.
It's not as uncommon as people believe it to be. 7-10 years is The average it takes to get diagnosed for some autoimmune illnesses...and that's a long time...
Because I work in the medical field, I know that it is sometimes difficult for doctors to diagnose certain illnesses. I admire your determination and agree with Tammy, that you should keep on pressing forward. Don't worry about the people who don't understand, you don't owe them an explanation. Hope you have a good weekend. Love and prayers, Marguerite
ReplyDeleteAhhh...you're in the medical field...well, you're awesome lol.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate the fact that you come and comment on my posts and always have advice and words of encouragement.
And the only reason I care about what others think and say is because of my job. If I start missing too many days or not working enough hours, they will drop me from the insurance and may force me to take medical leave. and it can affect future promotions and raises.
I've witnessed ppl in management call ppl hypochondriacs...so I try to appear as healthy as possible.