Many people take their health for granted. They look at those of us with disabilities & think they’re better than us. We deserved it. We want to be sick. We’re not trying hard enough.
They believe they will be the exception, and that belief drives them to take risks 🧵
It’s a comfortable lie that people tell themselves so they don’t have to face how cruel and random the world can be.
They want to believe that if they do everything “right”, bad things won’t happen to them. They won’t become sick, homeless, impoverished, disabled /2
The truth of the matter is that most of us believed the same thing. We didn’t wake up one day and decide to be chronically ill.
We didn’t think to ourselves “boy it would be fun to lose all our money, dignity & autonomy and spend our lives in pain and suffering” /3
No one makes that choice. It just happens.
Maybe it was a virus. Maybe it was an accident. Maybe it was a medical error or genetics. Maybe you were born this way.
Whatever the reason, there was no fault involved. /4
When people try and assign blame, they push us further into the “other” category. They treat us like a lesser class of citizen. Like we aren’t deserving of compassion, support, financial stability or medical care.
They label us expendable. /5
It’s been like this for as long as I can remember, because people are very uncomfortable around the chronically ill.
They don’t want to think about the fact that there are conditions that will ruin your quality of life but not kill you /6
They don’t want to consider that they could wake up one day sicker than they’ve ever felt before….and never get better.
They have to cling to the belief that it’ll never happen to them, and IF it does, they will be able to “fix it” /7
The vast majority of severe chronic illnesses have no fix. There’s no cure. Half the time there’s barely any treatments.
You will quickly realize you’re on your own to navigate a world where your body has betrayed you. Where pain is your new bedfellow /8
Worse than that, you could find yourself navigating that world alone.
People in your life will abandon you when you don’t “get better”.
Some stick around for awhile, but almost everyone has an internal clock. When it runs out, they disappear /9
Before too long you’ve lost your health and your friends and family, and the life you knew before is gone.
It’s a harsh adjustment, but it’s one almost all of us go through.
Abandonment, pain and loneliness are hallmarks of chronic illness /10
When we urge you to wear a mask, or get preventative medical care, or protect your health… it’s not because we want to be downers.
It’s because we know the truth which you’re unable to accept.
There’s no takebacks when it comes to your health. /11
Once it’s gone, it’s gone. In its place is a life that will be much harder, lonelier and less “fun” than before.
You will likely wish you had made different choices, protected your health a little better.
But there are no do-overs. /12
You will get through it with the help of the disability community, because they’re an incredibly generous and charitable group of people.
Those you looked down your noses at will be the ones holding your hand and carrying you through your darkest hour /13
Consider being kinder to them now. Ask how you can help. Be a supportive ally. Don’t abandon them for not getting better fast enough.
Recognize your health is a gift worth protecting. Your future self will thank you /end
Many people take their health for granted. They look at those of us with disabilities & think they’re better than us. We deserved it. We want to be sick. We’re not trying hard enough.
They believe they will be the exception, and that belief drives them to take risks 🧵It’s a comfortable lie that people tell themselves so they don’t have to face how cruel and random the world can be.
They want to believe that if they do everything “right”, bad things won’t happen to them. They won’t become sick, homeless, impoverished, disabled /2The truth of the matter is that most of us believed the same thing. We didn’t wake up one day and decide to be chronically ill.
We didn’t think to ourselves “boy it would be fun to lose all our money, dignity & autonomy and spend our lives in pain and suffering” /3No one makes that choice. It just happens.
Maybe it was a virus. Maybe it was an accident. Maybe it was a medical error or genetics. Maybe you were born this way.
Whatever the reason, there was no fault involved. /4When people try and assign blame, they push us further into the “other” category. They treat us like a lesser class of citizen. Like we aren’t deserving of compassion, support, financial stability or medical care.
They label us expendable. /5It’s been like this for as long as I can remember, because people are very uncomfortable around the chronically ill.
They don’t want to think about the fact that there are conditions that will ruin your quality of life but not kill you /6They don’t want to consider that they could wake up one day sicker than they’ve ever felt before….and never get better.
They have to cling to the belief that it’ll never happen to them, and IF it does, they will be able to “fix it” /7The vast majority of severe chronic illnesses have no fix. There’s no cure. Half the time there’s barely any treatments.
You will quickly realize you’re on your own to navigate a world where your body has betrayed you. Where pain is your new bedfellow /8Worse than that, you could find yourself navigating that world alone.
People in your life will abandon you when you don’t “get better”.
Some stick around for awhile, but almost everyone has an internal clock. When it runs out, they disappear /9Before too long you’ve lost your health and your friends and family, and the life you knew before is gone.
It’s a harsh adjustment, but it’s one almost all of us go through.
Abandonment, pain and loneliness are hallmarks of chronic illness /10When we urge you to wear a mask, or get preventative medical care, or protect your health… it’s not because we want to be downers.
It’s because we know the truth which you’re unable to accept.
There’s no takebacks when it comes to your health. /11Once it’s gone, it’s gone. In its place is a life that will be much harder, lonelier and less “fun” than before.
You will likely wish you had made different choices, protected your health a little better.
But there are no do-overs. /12You will get through it with the help of the disability community, because they’re an incredibly generous and charitable group of people.
Those you looked down your noses at will be the ones holding your hand and carrying you through your darkest hour /13Consider being kinder to them now. Ask how you can help. Be a supportive ally. Don’t abandon them for not getting better fast enough.
Recognize your health is a gift worth protecting. Your future self will thank you /end
Many people take their health for granted. They look at those of us with disabilities & think they’re better than us. We deserved it. We want to be sick. We’re not trying hard enough.
They believe they will be the exception, and that belief drives them to take risks 🧵 ... It’s a comfortable lie that people tell themselves so they don’t have to face how cruel and random the world can be.
They want to believe that if they do everything “right”, bad things won’t happen to them. They won’t become sick, homeless, impoverished, disabled /2 ... The truth of the matter is that most of us believed the same thing. We didn’t wake up one day and decide to be chronically ill.
We didn’t think to ourselves “boy it would be fun to lose all our money, dignity & autonomy and spend our lives in pain and suffering” /3 ... No one makes that choice. It just happens.
Maybe it was a virus. Maybe it was an accident. Maybe it was a medical error or genetics. Maybe you were born this way.
Whatever the reason, there was no fault involved. /4 ... When people try and assign blame, they push us further into the “other” category. They treat us like a lesser class of citizen. Like we aren’t deserving of compassion, support, financial stability or medical care.
They label us expendable. /5 ... It’s been like this for as long as I can remember, because people are very uncomfortable around the chronically ill.
They don’t want to think about the fact that there are conditions that will ruin your quality of life but not kill you /6 ... They don’t want to consider that they could wake up one day sicker than they’ve ever felt before….and never get better.
They have to cling to the belief that it’ll never happen to them, and IF it does, they will be able to “fix it” /7 ... The vast majority of severe chronic illnesses have no fix. There’s no cure. Half the time there’s barely any treatments.
You will quickly realize you’re on your own to navigate a world where your body has betrayed you. Where pain is your new bedfellow /8 ... Worse than that, you could find yourself navigating that world alone.
People in your life will abandon you when you don’t “get better”.
Some stick around for awhile, but almost everyone has an internal clock. When it runs out, they disappear /9 ... Before too long you’ve lost your health and your friends and family, and the life you knew before is gone.
It’s a harsh adjustment, but it’s one almost all of us go through.
Abandonment, pain and loneliness are hallmarks of chronic illness /10 ... When we urge you to wear a mask, or get preventative medical care, or protect your health… it’s not because we want to be downers.
It’s because we know the truth which you’re unable to accept.
There’s no takebacks when it comes to your health. /11 ... Once it’s gone, it’s gone. In its place is a life that will be much harder, lonelier and less “fun” than before.
You will likely wish you had made different choices, protected your health a little better.
But there are no do-overs. /12 ... You will get through it with the help of the disability community, because they’re an incredibly generous and charitable group of people.
Those you looked down your noses at will be the ones holding your hand and carrying you through your darkest hour /13 ... Consider being kinder to them now. Ask how you can help. Be a supportive ally. Don’t abandon them for not getting better fast enough.
Recognize your health is a gift worth protecting. Your future self will thank you /end
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