Friend - "What's it like to have CF?"
Me - "What's it like to be healthy?"
Can a normal healthy person really say what it's like to be a healthy person? Can I really say what it's like to have CF? This CF life is my normal, as you being healthy is your normal.
With having CF, I'll never know what it is truly like to be healthy. To have no health problems, to not have to worry about prescriptions, to not have to remember to take medication, to not have to adhere to a exercise/physiotherapy regime everyday and to not have to worry about what the future may or may not bring.
I often wonder and imagine what it would be like to live a life without taking countless medications, to not have to fit in tedious rounds of physio into my day and not have to worry about my lungs turning to shit before the age of 30.
I've said previously that I was given this life because I was strong enough to live it, like so many others, but you can't help but argue why it had to be us that got picked on to live this CF life. Not just people with CF, why are some people born with other illnesses, disabilities or develop cancer in life?
I always think that maybe in a past life, I did something so terrible that in this life I may have been punished. But it's mainly down to genetics. I can't really blame anything or anyone else but that.
If you're healthy and are reading this post, could you seriously answer the question "What's it like to be healthy?". Some assume that I can easily answer what it's like to have CF, because it's something that they are never going to experience or live with so they want to know what it's like to have an illness. It would be the same if I asked you what it's like to be healthy, I will never know the life of being healthy, but could you really tell me what it's like to live that life?
I don't think none of us could compare our lives with each other. We all live different lives, we all go through different things. Would I change my life if it meant getting rid of CF? Yes, absolutely. But if it meant me living a completely different life which I hated and one which made me extremely unhappy, then I would have to think about that. I'm not saying I want a life of CF or ever asked for it, but if my life is going to be shorter than everybody else's, I would rather it be a happy one than live a longer life that was a miserable and unhappy one.
So next time you're wondering what it's like for your friend, family member, neighbour or online friend to live with a disability or illness, often they're wondering what it's like to be healthy.
Lucy
This is such an eye opening post. I definitely take a lot for granted with my health, but you're right we can't compare our circumstances. Everyone's health is different, so it's important not to put everyone into categories xx
ReplyDeleteHannah | https://luxuryblush.co.uk/
Yeah it's so important to not categorise people in regards to health xx
DeleteThank you for stating it like it is. As someone who live with a disability I am aware that sometimes people feel entitled to your story soley based on the fact that they don't go through it, and in their mind they'll never have to. I think your post is a very insightful read.
ReplyDeleteRachy | https://rachylewis.com/
I'm so glad you could relate to this Rachy! I do think people do take their health for granted sometimes.
DeleteThank you for sharing this post! I definitely take my health for granted sometimes without evening realising it. But then I also get that everyone suffers with their own stuff and we never really know what people are going through so we should all just be kind to everyone! X
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Aaliyah, being kind doesn't cost anything! x
DeleteGreat post Lucy! We are all different and I don't know if its even possible to compare lives with each other. Even if someone is dealing with the same illness as someone else they would probably have different answers if they did try to answer 'what is it like to have...' I definitely think its important to raise awareness for these illnesses though and to teach others.
ReplyDeleteChloe xx
Thank you Chloe! You're right lovely, it's so important to teach and raise awareness of chronic illnesses/disabilities to others xx
DeleteI can't believe people would ask this question in the first place. It would throw me if someone asked me how I felt to be healthy. Maybe they don't ask because I don't exactly look like I am the picture of health.
ReplyDeleteI think we do need to be more aware of chronic illness, but I don't think that gives us the right to ask how it feels in a way. We just have to understand that it is there and that it is a person's normal and be understanding of it.
As always Lucy, you've shared a really valuable and honest post x x
I kind of don't mind people asking me it, but as this is my normal, I never really know how to answer the question! I'm glad you enjoyed reading this post Claire xx
DeleteThis is such an eye opening post Lucy, Thankyou for sharing this with us. Such a beautiful post and written perfectly x
ReplyDeleteThank you lovely! I'm glad you enjoyed this post! x
DeleteThat's a really interesting point actually. What is it like to be healthy? I had to really think about it and I honestly don't know how to answer. And you're absolutely right, at the end of the day it doesn't much matter whether we're healthy or not, we all live completely different lives anyway.Our own lives are what we're used to :)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Teresa, we all live different lives!
DeleteThanks for sharing, I was lucky before my diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes that I was in a good state of health well apart from my eyes! So now having a long term health problem has changed my perspective I'm less judging people that have health problems :)
ReplyDeleteNic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes
That's interesting to hear that it's changed your perspective on everything Nic x
DeleteThis was so interesting to me, I guess you can't truly evaluate your own situation if it's all you know. I've never thought of it that way before. And whether you're healthy or not, your answer to what it's like would probably be very different to the person sat next to you anyway because we all have different outlooks on things. I really enjoyed this! x
ReplyDeleteSophie
www.glowsteady.co.uk
Yeah that's a good point, we're all different and if we answered one of these questions, our answers would be very different from each other! x
DeleteThis was such an amazing and eye opening post Lucy! You're so right, if someone asked me what it was like to be healthy I would have no idea how to answer it just as you wouldn't know how to answer the question of being asked what it's like to have CF x
ReplyDeletehttps://www.femaleoriginal.com
Thank you Faye! Yeah it would be a tricky question to answer! x
DeleteSuch an interesting post thank you so much for sharing, I loved reading it was really eye opening for me!
ReplyDeleteAmber | The Unpredicted Page
I'm glad you enjoyed it Amber!
Delete