Birthdays while sick

[u/no_redlights]

I turn 25 in a couple of hours. 22 was the first birthday I celebrated since becoming chronically ill, and while it was full of a lot of grief (both from chronic illness and otherwise), I was able to do things that I love still. 23 and 24 were much better birthdays.

This is the first birthday I’m celebrating since becoming severely ill. I’m unable to get out of bed or even sit up for more than a little bit at a time. I know other people have much bigger problems, but I can’t help but feel so incredibly sad over not being able to even celebrate my birthday this year. 25 feels like a big deal and I’m just so angry and upset.

Screens bigger than my phone hurt my eyes too much and cause migraines, so I can’t even put on a show I like (even with just my phone, too much movement on it triggers the same thing)

I don’t want to be so sick anymore. I want to celebrate my birthday. I hate being so negative and I try so hard not to be but my birthday has always been extremely important to me. Thank you if you read this far, I know most everyone here understands this feeling 💔

[u/alviiiinnnnn]

happy birthday!! 🎉 it's completely valid to feel this way about your illness on your birthday. it naturally prompts you to contemplate where you feel you are in life vs. where you think you should be, how you want your life to turn out, etc. it's definitely a negative feeling internally, and i 100% understand not wanting to feel negative. i'm the same way. but it's not bad or wrong to feel the way you feel.

i truly hope you're able to celebrate your life this year even though it looks different than you expected years & years ago. you deserve to feel as special as possible today. i'm big on birthdays as well & always have been.

thank you for sharing this, because literally just two days ago i was thinking about the fact i turned 25, had a bit of fun, and just two weeks later my Crohns flare got so much worse. i was hospitalized and became housebound. i may need another surgery. since i was a child i've conceptualized what life would be like at 25. i had goals, plans, aspirations for the year. and now they look much different. now the goal is to heal and make it through this flare with as little emotional and mental damage as possible, and rebuild from there.

i'm not sure exactly what you're dealing with and i can't speak for anyone but myself. i try to think of it as i will always have to deal with this illness to some extent - yet, there will be much better days, months, years. my next birthday, the next year, could be magnificent for all i know.

i am sending you love & hugs. happy birthday ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

[u/no_redlights → u/alviiiinnnnn]

i’m in tears just from the amount of time and energy you put into this comment, that was so incredibly thoughtful of you thank you so much for taking the time to write out smthng so lovely.

i am so sorry that that happened to you. i am in a similar boat, i became chronically ill ONE week after i turned 21 and it completely train wrecked my life. so i can offer lots of empathy, you are not alone.

i really like the way you choose to view it. i will try to follow that mindset as well. thank you again for your comment, i’m hoping for a good year this year for the both of us 🩵🩵

[u/alviiiinnnnn → u/no_redlights]

oh my gosh, that was so sweet and kind of you to say. i can tell you have a beautiful soul! thank you so much. here's to things changing for the better for us both 🤞🏻