Someone is listening

Someone wrote on Facebook yesterday how it's a daily struggle being in pain or feeling sick on the inside while you look fine on the outside. You may know someone who has an invisible illness (Parkinson's, Gaucher, Crohn's, Anxiety, Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Depression, Diabetes, Lupus, MSME, Arthritis, Cancer, heart disease, Epilepsy, Autism, Dyslexia, etc.) Being chronically ill, but appearing normal and healthy on the outside is a huge problem and can be very frustrating. I am writing this today to prove a point, that although you may sometimes feel alone, someone is always listening;  there is support and help if you ask for it. People have preconceived ideas of what an ill or disabled person should look like or how they should behave. These preconceptions are often wrong. I am by nature a cheery person who smiles a lot, and this is not what people expect to see when hearing I suffer from Gaucher and Parkinson's disease. My cheerful exterior confuses those who do not understand chronic disease. Having a good support system is without doubt very important and the Internet has brought people together from across the globe with a common thread, that holds us together and gives us strength. With today's modern technology, Face Book, e-mail countless sites on the Internet, finding someone who can relate to what you are going through isn't hard to find. Realising you are not alone in your daily struggles makes each day a little easier to bear. I am here listening. If you want to write - I will reply, if you have a question I will answer. You are not alone!