If on any given day our paths crossed, what would you see? I would like to hope you would see a mom in the grocery store, teaching her kids to make healthy choices and how to pick out the best produce. If you saw me at the park, you would see a mom who was doing her best to keep up with her kids. At the zoo, I’m just the crazy lady with the camera who takes a million photos.
But what people don’t see is that I’m also the mom who spent the week menu planning around foods she was unable to eat. Or the mom who was stuck in bed for days after a few hours at the park or zoo with her kids. You wouldn’t see the illness that I have been living with and likely have no idea that I had Budd Chiari Syndrome or even what it is. It’s invisible to others, but not to me.
The Invisible Illness
That’s the thing about invisible illnesses. If you aren’t the one living with it, you might not even know it was there. It’s estimated that 1 in every 10 people have an invisible illness. How many people do you know that are living with an illness? If only I had a dollar for every time someone said “I had no idea you were sick!” I’d be able to pay all my medical bills in full!
It’s frustrating at times because people can’t see it, so they forget about it. Out of sight out, out of mind. I’ve gotten really good at smiling through it all and I often say I should wear a shirt that explained it all. I just wish people really understood what life is like with Budd Chiari Syndrome. I’m sure anyone with an invisible illness can agree. So what do I wish people knew?