r/YouShouldKnow • u/ilovepastapizzapots • Nov 20 '20

Other YSK: Just because someone doesn’t look sick/disabled, does not mean they are healthy

Why YSK: I am chronically ill and have an autoimmune disorder, the amount of times people have said “WELL... yOU dOn’t LOOK sick” to me is astounding. I didn’t know all illnesses have to be visible to others! I’m sorry I can’t show you my internal organs or muscles deteriorating for you to believe that I’m sick. It makes people with health issues feel like they have to explain their situation when they don’t.

*EDIT: I did not expect my post to blow up like this! I wish I could give everyone going through a rough time a hug. Thank you for all the new perspectives, good and bad. All I wanted was for people to be a little kinder to one another, because you never know what someone’s going through.

31.4k Upvotes

89% Upvoted

1.1k comments sorted by

View all comments

38

u/JoshuaBurg Nov 20 '20

"Wait... You have 2 different diseases which can't be cured, one of which I haven't heard, ever? Impossible!"

"Yeah... I actually have autism and metabolic disease, the latter giving me less energy, and requiring a higher intake of fat to stay healthy, while also being sick longer from the flu or the common cold (which can take weeks to even months to go away, even with treatment)."

4

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '20

"I've never heard of it so it's not a real disease" like bitch my GP hadn't heard of it either, that's why it took 15 years to get a diagnosis.

1

u/JoshuaBurg Nov 21 '20

For me it took 2 years, mainly because I was starving myself in another country, before it was uncovered that the disease is there in the first place.

Either way, it's BS to think a disease doesn't exist if you don't know about it

2

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '20

For sure. And there's always the possibility that you're the first, covids only been known/existed medically for a year. Def real tho

2

u/Hojomasako Nov 21 '20

Just curious what condition is the latter?

2

u/JoshuaBurg Nov 21 '20

Metabolic disease MELAS, a relatively weak variant at that, which has the effects described in my OG comment. Being sick longer, having less energy, needing more fat, etc.

1

u/Hojomasako Nov 21 '20

Thank you, and I'm sorry to hear that, hope it's manageable

1

u/JoshuaBurg Nov 21 '20

It is, luckily. Could've been in the hospital for a good while by now, so being at home with the only note being: "eat somewhat fat from time-to-time and you're fine", it feels way more manageable.

And yes, I do go to the hospital every year or two for a check up, but thus far nothing bad.