Misconceptions

I think one of the most frustrating things about Lyme is how much people don't understand. You feel tired and cranky 100% of the time - even when you are feeling better! Folks ask if you are feeling better, and you are so you answer yes, and they expect you to be perfect! Not understanding that it is a forever ongoing process. It's not a disease that ends with the diagnosis -- as hard as that can be! It's not something that's easily treated and you're suddenly all better. You are forever changed!

The good thing is I've discovered who my real friends are -- the ones who love me for who I am, not what I can do, the ones who will stand beside me even when I don't feel like reaching out, making a phone call, or going on a bike ride. So many of my so-called "friends" have dropped like flies! Either I haven't been around to keep the friendship ball rolling or they think I haven't been communicative enough. One of my best friends (so I thought) I haven't heard one word from since June! How close of a friend is that?

I think part of it is living in California -- no offense guys, but it's much different out here than where I'm from. In Texas, there's definitely a sense of community. Someone's sick - take them dinner. Someone had a bad day, make them a cup of coffee. In Cali everything is so fast-paced that no one has time for anyone but themselves! In all this 10 months of knowing I have Lyme, not one person has called to see how I'm feeling today, if they can do anything to help. There are days when my poor husband does EVERYTHING -- as an aside, I cannot say enough about how AWESOME he is through all of this -- he works all day, comes home, walks the dog, feeds the cat, fixes dinner for both of us, cleans up the kitchen, does the laundry and still has time to work on the remodel before bed, all while I'm laying on the couch. Those are the days when it would be nice to have someone from Sunday School bring over dinner just b/c they were thinking about us. Those are the days when I miss Texas and the good old sense of community that I'm used to. It doesn't bother my husband at all - of course he grew up here so he doesn't even know or understand what I'm talking about. To him, life is all about taking care of yourself b/c that's how you do it in California!