Wednesday, February 24, 2021

"But, You Don't Look Sick"

I know I've talked about this before.  How people who either don't have a chronic illness, like Crohn's, know someone with a chronic illness or are a little ignorant, just don't understand. This covers a wide variety of people from friends, co-workers, employers, and even doctors.

When I was in the beginning stages of the disease, I went to several doctors trying to figure out what was going on. Pain, diarrhea, pain, blood, pain, weight loss, oh yes, and pain. I agree could be a variety of issues, but it was focused on my gut. Having said that, there was at least one doctor who even after looking at test results, questioned that it might be all in my head.

Friends, or who I thought were friends at the time, some co-workers and even some employers use to say, "but you were fine yesterday" or "you don't LOOK sick".  Not knowing or understanding, but assuming or insinuating that I was faking being sick. The fact that I was actually faking being well never dawned on them. 

So to all those doubters for the past 33 years that I have been diagnosed and battling this "fake" disease, here is a picture of the 5 full binders of my health records. 


Yes, that is 3, 3-inch, and 2, 2-inch binders. 

Come by and read all about my fake illness, including surgical notes and some pictures. 
I'll put the coffee on.
 


4 comments:

Susan said...

Your blog is spot on. I too had a doctor who said it was in my head! Living with Crohn' s for 34 years I also fake the being well and try to get on with things because I've lost count of the times when I have a flare up & my husband saying 'if it's bad what did you eat yesterday' despite him being with me throughout the illness, diagnosis, surgeries etc he still doesn't get a Crohns flare up isn't necessarily due to what you eat.
People just don't get it!
Hope you're feeling much better, keep up the blog it cheers me up and spurs me on when I'm feeling low.

Vern Laine said...

100% with you!!
I'm slowly recovering, fingers crossed, and hope it keeps going that way.
I'm so glad to hear my blog cheers you up, makes me happy, and cheers me up as well, thanks!
Thank you for the comment!!
~Vern

Chris said...

I've been considering getting all my health records. I'm 32m. Do you feel like it benefited you/ is important to do?
Crohn's for 17 years here.

Vern Laine said...

I personally have been collecting mine for decades now and I find it interesting reading, especially the nurses' notes as well as the operating dictations. There are things that happen that the nurses and doctors don't mention. Little things, but interesting all the same.