The Imaginary Friend Speaks - The Rebuttal - My Side of Our Story ....

The way I remember it …. Which is my own reality, because I was in such a state of shock and disbelieving of the diagnosis I had received.  My head was swimming (it felt like I was gonna do a Linda Blair ala The Exorcist) with what it was going to mean for my life.  More immediately, how I was going to get through the next second, minute … hour … My pain was incredible, my first flare, an early diagnosis and an aggressive treatment.  I was looking for answers and sometimes it was in all the wrong places …. I didn’t even know what RA was until I had to find out when my blood work came back positive and my doctor of 30 years told me.  I knew what lupus was as my best friend has been battling it for 20 years, so very soon, I heard a lot of familiar terms and names of medications.

My sister found some FaceBook patient to patient support pages for me to have a look at and I remember a gal who would consistently leave wonderful encouraging comments on my posts, we friended and started chatting.  She was like my own little mainline resource to the information I sought.  She knew what I was going through, validated my feelings, even put a label on some of ‘em for me (I was pretty messed up).  The biggest early on was grief, grieving my health and wellness, my life as it had been.  It was a major revelation to me that yes in fact I WAS grieving.  I still grieve periodically, but have moved on with the business of living … 

We have never met, but we “connect” – yet this person has become one of the most important people in my life – part of my “team”.  Her support, advice and unconditional love has been inspiring and she has some mighty big tear-stained shoulders!  We have great existential conversations as well as bitch sessions …. We share, understand and are there for each other.  

It’s been quite the year and this woman and the online community has been indescribably my lifeline through it all. I tell every healthcare professional I deal with about our FaceBook community and hope that they spread the word.  I have learned so much and gotten so much support, that anyone who poo-poo’s FaceBook – gets an earful from me!

Signed,

The Imaginary Friend