What You See...

...

Is NOT what you always get. 

What Do You See? 

This is my friend Stefanie. I met her through another friend, Kara, who has Bartonella. Which is another painful condition that I struggle with too. We've all been in unimaginable pain for years. Do you see her pain? I don't see it in this picture. But this sweet, beautiful girl is dealing with pain that you probably can't imagine. With lots of illnesses  there are visible signs that you are sick. With Lyme, especially before you're diagnosed, the disease is invisible. And sadly, it takes SO long to get the right diagnosis. Pray for us please. Pray for good friends, real friends who understand and don't judge. Friends that try to "get" how Lyme affects making commitments, going shopping, going to church etc. Thankful for those type of friends in my life! You know who you are. :)  

"But you don't look sick."
One of the worst things to say to people who are hurting.  

Purpose in the Invisible Pain:

One of the hardest things throughout my journey with Lyme has been the fact that most of the time, especially when I was in college, I looked like a perfectly normal girl. I'm naturally a people person but slowly went into a shell. I felt like no one understood. Mom was always there to talk to at night but my days were filled with dragging myself to class, talking to the few friends who were understanding, and going to Barnes and Noble and hiding in the health aisle reading books on different diseases as tears rolled down my face while I tried to figure out which one I had. 

"But you finished college. Why aren't you working a job?"
Some other questions you might wanna avoid.

Before I got sick I was busy having a good time. (Good times are awesome btw! :D) I wasn't paying attention to people who could be in physical pain. I never felt pain other than stubbing my toe so I wasn't sensitive to it until 2006. I'm thankful for the opportunity to relate to people in pain. I hope one day I'll be able to say that I'm sincerely thankful for my Lyme. Not there yet but I know there is a purpose in pain. It comes down to faith-believing without seeing. I guess I'll wrap up this post with a line from a song that just came to mind. 

"Give me Your eyes for the broken hearted. Give me Your eyes so I can see. Everything that I've been missin' Give me Your love for humanity." -Brandon Heath

Keep your eyes open.

*Robin*