From Isolation to Triumph
Human isolation is the worst kind of punishment – not only for those who
are isolated in prisons, but also for those who are chronically ill. The greatest challenge is to learn to become
your own best friend. Friends you used
to have eventually get on with their own lives and move on. If the chronically ill person ends up with
just one friend who still visits and accepts the new limitations of their
friend, then one is very lucky indeed.
People move on and leave you behind.
You are no longer able to put in your emotional or social deposit into
the relationship bank. A relationship
can be likened to a bank account. For
the account to move there must be movement from both sides. Imagine that you invest a lot of time/money
into a relationship/bank and when it is your turn to withdraw, the bank won’t
give you money and the friend can’t give you time. Friendships are a two way street, and unless
you have a particularly strong bond, you will find yourself alone. You are no longer able to meet for
coffee. You make plans to see someone,
but invariably you cannot make it because you suddenly land up in
hospital. You are no longer able to
socialize … no longer able to make great food, entertain … and life marches on
without you. Your friends slowly leave
and even if you try your best to keep in contact with them via internet or the
phone, you have nothing to tell them because you go nowhere and you see
no-one. You are left behind to stare at
the four walls of your bedroom and if you are unlucky, the four walls of the
hospital isolation ward become your whole life.
The only difference between the hospital room and your own as far as socializing is concerned, is that you see more of the people in the white
uniforms and being at home you seldom see anyone other than your husband. Isolation and the lack of understanding
of rare diseases by everyone, including the medical professionals, is the worst
form of human suffering. However, you
will learn to become your own best friend.
You will find that you can do things you never thought you could
do. You will learn more about yourself
than you ever thought possible. You will
begin to speak like a qualified medical doctor.
You will realize how strong you are when hope is all you have. And finally, you will find contentment in
your own spiritual and creative growth.
Your life will be full again. It
won’t be the life you had, but it will be a brand new one that you can re-write
and create.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment