Day 26: What impact has this had on your friends, family, etc.?

I don’t know for sure. You’d have to ask them. But here’s what I think it might feel like for them.

For my family, they’re concerned and overwhelmed, just as I am sometimes. I think sometimes they wish they could take my place, especially my husband. He’s never really been sick in his life, and here I am with all these problems that he has to be my constant support through. But he does it lovingly, because he is a caregiver at heart. He’s said if he didn’t have anyone to care for, he doesn’t know what his purpose in life would be.

I think since a lot of my issues are genetic (celiac disease and endometriosis), yet I happen to be patient zero in my family, they wonder where it came from and why it had to be me. I can only pray that I don’t pass these things onto my children, but the chances are pretty high that I will, unfortunately.

I think my friends just want the old me back. When I used to be able to work and work hard. I want that too. My coworkers especially have had to work so hard in my absence to cover all the open shifts. But my current state may be a new normal for me, so it’s something we may all have to adapt to. I’m hopeful my surgery in two weeks will be the answer, but it may take some time to get back to any semblance of normalcy.

All I ask is that you keep being strong for me. I know it’s hard, but I need as much strength and encouragement around me as I can get to help keep me from wanting to give up.

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