Implicit and often explicit within the code of honor of chronic illness throbs the expectation to be fearless. Brave, consistently optimistic and unafraid we are expected to embody a paragon of moral superiority while simultaneously navigating a macabre terrain of unyielding pain, insomnia, medical bureaucracy and imperative self-advocacy. Well, let me tell you how ridiculous this all seems to me. The transparency and full disclosure of my fear and uncertainty is one of the very things that has permitted me to persevere. So, this is me inviting you to express proudly your deepest fears, doubts and frustrations. Gooooooo!
Art by Els van Laethem
In Between The Lines 