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Degrees of Our Illnesses

There are many people who have CFS, NMH, POTS, etc, but every one of these people have different degrees of those illnesses. This is something that us sick teens understand, but that many of our friends and others just don't understand! So I thought I would do my best to explain this concept.

All illnesses come with their own sets of symptoms. Some people with a particular illness may experience ALL of the symptoms, or maybe just one or two. One person with POTS might have really bad chest pain, but might never have fainted, while another person with POTS could have no chest pains, but faint very frequently. This is true of all illnesses.

One of the most dramatic variations of degrees of illnesses is that of CFS. In some people, CFS might JUST mean being fatigued, while in others it can cause insomnia, sore throats, headaches, etc. Not only can symptoms be different, but also the degees of fatigue can be very different as well. One person with CFS might have a very mild form, and be able to attend school or maybe even hold a job. People with extreme or severe cases of CFS can be bed-ridden, and physically unable to go to school.

Just because one person with a mild-form of CFS can attend school, does not mean that all people with CFS can attend school or do other activities. People with severe cases of CFS are not lazy, they are just more sick than others with CFS, they just are effected differently. One of the worst comments that someone without CFS can say to someone with CFS is something like, "Well I know someone with CFS, and they can go to school and be normal, so since you don't do that, you must just be lazy, or lying about how it is really effecting you." This deeply hurts someone affected with CFS because it makes us feel alone, isolated, and that you just don't care to understand.

No one wants to be sick or stay in bed all of the time. You might think that someone is just trying to get out of school. But think about that. How would you like to be in bed 24/7 with just your parents around, and not be able to do things like other normal teenagers such as school dances, going out to the movies on a Friday night etc. It's not as fun as so many of you out there like to think. It would get old pretty fast.

The levels of severity also can be applied to Crohns Disease, and any other illness. One person with Crohns might just experience stomach aches, while another might have diarreah and have to change their food habits. In very severe cases, some might even have to have surgery, such as having their colon removed.

So please remember that all illnesses out there affect each individual differently. Don't ever try to assume how someone is feeling, and don't ever try to tell them what they can or should be able to do. We know our bodies much better than other people do. All illnesses have different degrees, so please be sensitive to this. Just because one person with an illness can do something, does not mean that another person with that same illness can do something!