There are millions of illnesses in the world that go unseen to the human eye. Chronic pain, fatigue, sleep disorders, food intolerances, arthritis, cancer, depression/mental illness, diabetes, headaches, heart conditions, etc., the list could go on forever. Millions upon millions of individuals are struggling with these conditions and most of us don’t even know it. My sister and I are just two examples.

The worst part about any invisible illness is that people don’t understand and realize that what we have is real. They think that just because we “look good” means we feel good. That couldn’t be any farther from the truth. Just because we are not handicapped to the eye doesn’t mean our pain is imaginary. The phrase is cliché but it’s true-- you cannot judge a book by its cover. You cannot assume how someone is feeling just by looking at them. They may smile, dress nicely, and look healthy, but that is no indication of how they feel. Because the truth is, we are struggling. We may not show it, we may not tell you, we may not even complain, but we are struggling. Each in our own way, we hop hoop after hoop everyday just to stay afloat. Even if you cannot watch us do it, we ask that you believe. As a friend, a family member, a coworker, a classmate, a peer, a doctor, etc., we ask that you believe us. It is hard to confide in someone and let them know how you’re feeling because it’s personal, but it’s even harder when they don’t try to understand.

I am speaking for everyone when I say that living with an invisible disease is frustrating. Doctor after doctor, appointment after appointment, prescription after prescription, our illness takes up a lot of our time. However, it is our reality and we deal with it the best that we can, but it isn’t always easy. Some of us cannot live completely normal lives. I live day after day with an overlooked disease that affects the thyroid, called Hashimoto’s Disease. I deal with extreme exhaustion and whenever I say I’m tired, I mean give me something to lay on and I’ll fall asleep within three minutes tops. I cannot stay up late every night like everyone else. I cannot party until 5 o’clock in the morning because I know if I do, I’ll not only pay for it for the next few days, but I’ll pay for it even more when I’m older. I know my limits, but it’s still hard to accept them certain days. Living as a college student, I occasionally want to go out on Saturday nights and party with my friends. I wish I didn’t have to be the one that always wanted to go home early, or have to suffer the consequences if I don’t, but that’s just how it is. I wish I knew a solution on how to make my exhaustion go away, or why my stomach hurts after everything I eat, or why I can’t breathe normally when I workout. Unfortunately, these things go unanswered.

Not only do they go unanswered, but they go unnoticed. Everyone is aware of cancer. Everyone knows the side effects of chemotherapy, and so much money and research goes into finding a cure for cancer. Which is great, our world desperately needs a cure to this horrific and defenseless disease that has killed millions of lives, but not every illness is as well recognized. For example, not everyone is aware of Lyme Disease: a disease caused by a small, minuscule tick bite that allows for bacteria to invade and overwhelm the immune system. Not everyone knows the pain, complications, and additional problems that come with a diagnosis of chronic Lyme Disease, but my amazing sister Abby surely does. For the past ten years of her life, she has dealt with consistent fatigue, headaches, food allergies, stomach issues, agitation, and overall just a general feeling of being sick. For the past ten years, my sister has been searching for an answer to her pain. She’s tried just about everything you can think of, and even treatments you’ve never even heard of, and yet she still continues to struggle. Over the course of her journey to find an answer, she’s been to 22 different doctors.

Hearing all of this you might make you think that my sister has given up hope on ever finding a solution, and that this disease stops her from living her life to the fullest. Again, that couldn’t be any farther from the truth. My sister may not may not show it, may not tell you, may not even complain to you, but she is struggling. Nevertheless, she takes this world by surprise, working as hard as she can at school, keeping a 4.0 GPA in high schooland college at Michigan State University, and finishing her degree in three years and continuing her education at Michigan College of Optometry. She relishes in the world of cooking and baking, making the most delicious dishes that are free of wheat, dairy, soy, and more; she does all of this to fit her complicated diet. She lived her dream on a vacation to Italy, where she surprised herself by walking 8-10 miles a day, something she’s never done in her whole entire life. She may not be able to go out and party like a regular college student, she may not be able to go out to any ol’ restaurant and she may not be able to stay up past 10 p.m., but that girl lives her life to the fullest, regardless of her obstacles. She may not live a completely normal life, but she lives her own grand, unique version of it. She’s dealt with it for such a long time that she has become accustomed to it. Having Lyme Disease has changed her. It has made her more regimented, prepared, optimistic, and disciplined. It has shaped her into the person she is today, and although these conditions are not ideal, she makes the most out of what this life has given her.

My hope is that this article brings awareness to invisible illnesses and the people who struggle with them. This article is just a friendly reminder to always remember to never judge a book by it’s cover, to never assume we feel good just because we “look good”, and to realize that people all around you might be struggling with diseases and conditions you may or may not have ever heard of. If you know anyone who has an invisible disease, reach out to them, ask them questions about their illness, get to know who they really are, not just the person they look like on the outside. After all, these diseases do not define us, stop us or control us, they empower us to defy the odds and live our lives to the fullest, seen or unseen.