When going through problems with health, it is inevitable that you will lose some people who mean something to you. No one wants to be around the sick girl longer than they have to. In the case of friends, it’s easy for them to just walk away without a look back to those who they are leaving. With no second glance, they walk away from someone who supposedly meant something to them.
Despite the many losses that come with being the sick girl during a time like high school, at some point you will find some people who are in it for the long haul. These people will stick by you for every doctor’s appointment, ambulance ride, IV and helicopter ride without a second thought as to why they would want to go through it with you. These people are often times family because the relationships there tend to be stronger than a relationship with those who you do not have a familial bond with. This being said, once in a while you get super lucky and end up with a friend that will stand by you as if you two were family.
Finding someone who is not related to you that is willing to stand by you through any and everything you go through is someone who deserves the world.
When I was diagnosed with Dysautonomia, everything was fine at first with my friends, but they started dropping like flies when they realized they would no longer benefit from my company, that they would need to put effort into maintaining visits, and conversations. With Dysautonomia, even talking to someone takes a lot of effort so visits cannot be long if the person with this condition is in a rough patch. When people find out that even though they are taking the time to see you but you can’t be with them for more than 20 minutes because it literally drains you, their efforts all of a sudden cease.
Eventually, you will find someone who stays. There to my rescue all through the heart of my health issues were my two best friends. These two took care of me when I fainted, got me help when I couldn’t advocate for myself, took the time to understand my condition and needs. Above all though, these two stayed. While my heart was breaking that I was losing everyone I cared about, these two were picking up the pieces, waiting for me to see that I DID have people that cared for me and that I DID mean something to someone outside of my family.
These two saved me more times than I can count and finding them will forever be one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I am infinitely grateful to these girls for everything they have done for me. I will never be able to fully repay them but I hope now they will understand how thankful I truly am for their presences at my worst and best times.
Thank you.
