#lil hexes

One of the hardest parts of RA for me is feeling so alone, left out, and misunderstood. It’s incredibly important to keep a small circle of friends who completely support you and understand your pain. There are a handful of people in my life who are consistently there for me and Cynthia is one of those people - she constantly supports and motivates me in such a wonderful way. Even though we don’t see each other often, I’m incredibly blessed to have her and others like her in my life.  

Be sure to surround yourself with people who are positive, good listeners, and who share your sense of humor - it’s okay to be choosy about the people you allow into your life. The right people will understand that you have to cancel plans and instead take the time to make sure you’re okay or see if they can bring you anything. The right people will always have your back and help make you smile even if they aren’t able to physically be in the room with you.

I didn’t believe that having a good support system would help at first, if we’re being completely honest. I had completely sealed myself off from the rest of the world - left texts unread, bailed on plans, never left the apartment unless it was for a dollar burger, stopped changing clothes etc. Once I started letting my friends in on what was really going on with my health, was honest about cancelling plans or asking if we could stay in instead of going out - things started feeling better. I mean, I was still in a lot of pain but it was easier to deal with because my spirits were so high, I wasn’t having to carry the burden by myself anymore, and I had more support/help than I could have ever asked for.