This week is invisible illness awareness week. Invisible illness covers a lot of illnesses that others may not see a person have. They include lupus, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, POTS, chronic fatigue syndrome, and many more.
The cartoon expresses the frustration people living with chronic illness feel when people say things like, ‘you don’t look sick’ ‘maybe you need to try yoga’ ‘do you take vitamins’ etc.
What people living with chronic illness wish friends would say are:
“Can I help you with anything?”
“I understand you can’t make it at times, but I like inviting you”
“Can I give you a ride to the doctor?”
“How about we chill out at your place and watch movies”
I am grateful that most of the time my chronic illnesses do not prevent me from doing what I want to do, but it has caused me to modify the things I do. For example, I used to love bicycling, but can’t anymore. I can, however, walk in an aqua track.
A special shoutout to my readers who live with chronic illness.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
Jesusluvsall's Blog 
I appreciate this. It’s definitely difficult when people, especially friends and family, don’t understand or lack compassion regarding my Celiac. Thanks for the shout out. God bless!
Have you been tested for other autoimmune issues? I am just asking because Celiacs patients often have other issues. For me it is psoriatic arthritis
I just had my blood drawn yesterday. They will be checking that along with my heart tests on Monday. I hope and pray I don’t have anything else going on.
I hope so too for you brother. I was wondering if you have ever seen a rheumatologist
Thanks. No, I’ve never seen a rheumatologist. I’ve been to a nutritionist and many doctors. As you know, most of the doctors don’t help. I have seen a few good ones though. The one I have now is very good. He is very thorough and caring.
Thank you, Matt! I’m glad I don’t get any of those statements from Jesus. He knows me inside and out. Unfortunately, a lot of people just don’t understand because they are healthy and don’t have any experience with such things.
It is encouraging that we don’t get any of those statements from Jesus
You left one out. “Hey Matt! Let’s go get some coffee. I’m buying.”
Major oversight on my part lol
Great article! I too suffer with chronic illness and can relate to hurtful comments. But, praise be to Father God for being our keeper!😇
God is our keeper. I have learned to focus on the people who matter. They are the ones who do not make such comment
😇
God bless you and be with you always.
Thank you 🙂
As a person who has had a hidden illness, I appreciate this so much!! Thank you for this post.
You’re welcome. I am glad it helped a little
This is a caring and compassionate post. Thank you for opening our minds and hearts to what chronic people needs. And I guess, even in this, it is clear how we people always look at outward appearances and judges people by how they look. 😥
Again, thanks for sharing. Love to all our friends with chronic illnesses.
Thank you little sister.
Matt, thanks for sharing about the invisible illnesses that people endure and live with. Our younger Ohio daughter has been dealing with MS for several years. We are thankful for the impact of research upon her quality of life.
MS is such a difficult disease to live with
Thanks for sharing. ❤️
One time at church conference, this lady pastor who was sited immediately at my back pushed my chair and looked at me with an angry and disgusted face when I turned to look at her. She did this because I was squeezed by the person sited in-front of me and I pushed my chair back to create more space for my long legs. After that incident I judged her so much ‘I had repented’. I was so mad that a whole pastor could have such bad attitude only to find out later that she had been nursing pain in her left thigh. It was too late to ask for forgiveness when I found out because she had traveled to India for thigh operation and the operation wasn’t successful and she died. Sob sob!!
Long story short, be kind to everybody for you don’t know what pain someone maybe having up their thigh.
Thanks for sharing.
Be Kind- it costs us nothing except to be concerned for others which is not always our nature.