Struggling with illness

April 20, 2012

Oh my darling. I know you are struggling. I know you think you are a burden to your family. I know you think it will never get better. I know you don’t want to continue to share your news because it is always bad.

Please don’t wait to share news only if it is positive. Your friends love you and are here to walk with you through the reality of your situation, positive or negative. In fact, it is during the negative times that you need to unburden yourself and let us carry you. Please post when you are sad, upset, nervous or frustrated. We are all big boys and girls and we can handle it.

I am sorry that your news isn’t what you had hoped for. I know that medical community can be nuts (first hand experience). I also know that when your body appears to be working against you, you feel very alone and betrayed. Pain has a way of distorting your ability to see the situation clearly.

Some advice from someone who loves you and has been through something similar.

Work with your body, not against it. If you have a headache and you need darkness and quiet, allow you body that. Lovingly nurture your body’s request for solitude. It is healing and if it needs darkness to heal, give it darkness.

We have a tendency to fight against anything we don’t perceive as being a productive use of our time. This is a productive use of your time.

The outward symptoms of pain, nausea and discomfort are designed to tell us what our body needs at that moment. They are designed to make you lay down, stop pushing so hard, stop demanding so much from it. You can fight it or you can work together towards the common goal.

Your body is fighting to get healthy, to recover. I spent months on bed fighting this same battle. It wasn’t until I lovingly surrendered to the process that my body and I began working together. When I put down my list of what I should be doing, what I was missing out on, what speed I believed life should progress at. Put down your list and make peace.

Ask to be touched. A lot. There is healing energy in the power of touch. Ask your visitors to lay their hands on you and keep them there. Picture their energy flowing into your body. (Be picky about whose energy you allow – there are some nut jobs out there). Touch can decrease pain. Always ask for touch.

Know that things will not always be this way. Your body will fight hard to get things right again. Every bad day is one day closer to a good day. Celebrate what you can and cry over what you can’t but remember tomorrow is a new day. Keep the faith.

Lastly, live one day at a time. Tomorrow will bring enough sorrow for tomorrow. Your job is to recover completely. After that you can think about what may or may not lie ahead.

Remember He holds you in the palm of His hand. Your spirit resides in the prayers and gentle best wishes of those who love you. Your healing lies in your ability to make peace with your body, your strength comes from touch.

You are loved, rest in that.