Dear Chronic Condition

Twenty years ago, I was diagnosed with a long-term health condition. One sleepless night, my unwelcome companion sent me a letter—and naturally, I replied.

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To whom it may concern:

Congratulations! You have been selected to be the host for (insert name of chronic
condition here). You will begin to experience many or all of these symptoms — and may even deal with several of them at the same time.

--pain. We are equal opportunity destroyers, therefore we will choose many places 
for you to experience pain. We have even devised many different types of pain --
aching, stabbing, throbbing, tingling, burning, gripping, or cramping. We are continually
improving our repertoire of pain categories, so updates are to be expected.

--dizziness (this can be accompanied by nausea, mental confusion, ringing in the ears, vomiting, loss of coordination, and sensations of spinning, rocking, or shaking). We try to simulate the experience of riding a never-ending roller coaster to satisfy your adventurous spirit. No safety harnesses required, and you have no choice of when the coaster ride starts, ends, or how fast it goes.

--extreme fatigue (Now remember, this is not just being "tired"). We will suddenly "pull your plug", so to speak, and you will have NO energy at all. Even dressing or taking a shower will be too daunting of a task for you to complete. And because we like surprises, we will NOT give you any advance warning, so you could be in the middle of the grocery store, at work, playing with your kids, or trying to clean the house.

--forgetting, losing, dropping things. (These are just a few of the perks of your condition. You will learn to expect them, but never to enjoy them).

In addition to the symptoms above, we also want to eliminate some things from your crowded lifestyle. Here are a few of the things which will be taken away from you now that you are chosen to have a chronic condition:

--the ability to stand or walk for longer than 15 minutes without experiencing pain in your feet, ankles, knees, or legs

--the ability to sit for longer than 10 minutes without experience cramping in your legs and butt, or shooting pains in your back

--the ability to complete any task which requires more than 10 minutes of concentration, multi-step activities and long-term projects will take 2-3 times longer

--the ability to play and run with your children like you did before

--the ability to accumulate sick days at work to earn the perfect attendance
bonus

As indicated previously, this condition is in constant flux and more symptoms will be added as we deem necessary. There is no warranty, guarantee, technical support, or customer service available.

Sincerely,
Your chronic condition ​

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Dear My chronic condition:

I would like to clarify that, while you may wreak havoc on my body, and maybe even confuse my thoughts -- you cannot have my heart or my soul. You cannot take my faith, my hope, or my love. There are some good things you have given me.

--strengthened prayer life
--increased dependence on God's strength, rather than my own
--abundant delight in God's word
--renewed friendship with a wonderful friend from childhood
--more opportunities to speak about my Savior, Lord, and Best Friend
--appreciation for every precious moment I am given
--growth in character, perseverance, and hope 
--inspiration for writing to help others
--more compassion for others who are suffering

These gifts have come at a price because of the obstacles you have put in my path, 
but I will go over them or around them. In fact, while I am overcoming them, I will stop for a moment to reflect upon the mountain I am climbing. The path may be rough and uncertain, but God is sustaining me. When I need to rest, I will look back to see how God is working through my suffering. On the good days, I will take advantage of every precious moment. On the bad days, I will cling to the certain hope of no pain or tears in the new heaven and the new earth. 

Sincerely,
ME

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Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
Romans 5:3-4