When I got sick at fifteen my life was flipped upside down, and permanently changed in a lot of ways. Being chronically ill is one of the hardest things I have had to deal with, ever. It's doctor’s appointments, ER visits, medication, and more sleep then the average person needs. It's not a nine to five job that you can just leave behind when the work day is done, it's something that never goes away. And that can get to you. It is mentally exhausting. It's not something I would wish on my worst enemy because it's one of the worst things I’ve had to deal with both mentally and physically. It makes you feel alone, inadequate, and upset. It can really get me down sometimes, but then I remind myself of these things, and I will be okay again:

1. Your real friends will support you

Anyone who claims to be your friend, will support you. End of story. They know that you will have bad days, and that you will cancel plans. And they wont get mad when you do. They just want you to feel better, so they won’t care if you can’t make it out to dinner one night. They will be the people who bring you take-out from your favorite restaurant, and have a movie night when you can’t get out of bed.

2. You are doing the best you can

Sometimes being sick makes you feel lazy, because you can’t keep up with other people your age. If you need to nap in the middle of the afternoon instead of clean, that is okay. Your body is doing the best it can with what you have, so don’t get down on yourself when you can’t make dinner on night, or can’t finish a homework assignment.

3. Be patient with yourself

There are days when I just get frustrated because my illness doesn’t let me live my life. I’ve learned that I need to be patient with myself, because I might do things at a slower pace then most, but they will get done.

4. Never give up

I have dreamed about college, and joining a sorority for a long time. Has my illness made everything more complicated? Yes, but I refuse to let this illness control my life because, I refuse to let my illness control me.

5. You were given this life because you are strong enough for it

As cliché as this is, it is so true.

I’m not going to promise you that things will get better because I can’t make that promise but I can promise that it will be okay. So just remember to stay strong because YES it is hard, but you where given this life because you can handle it.