Decided to post this because it helped me 2 months ago :)

At the moment, I'm sick with an isolated case of a chronic illness I used to suffer from. Nobody cares how much I'm worried about this, because it's generally not considered to be a "serious illness".

From when I was a young child (honestly not sure how old, but I remember having it from the age of 7 at least) I suffered from chronic bronchitis.

Yes, people get acute bronchitis fairly regularly, and it's not a major issue. "Just a bad cough".

When an illness is chronic though, it either never goes away, or, as in my case, lasts longer than it does in the average person, and recurs at least a few times a year.

For at least 11 years, I'd be hit with bouts of bronchitis around 3 times a year, each time lasting between a month and 7-8 weeks. I missed a lot of school, I could never properly pursue any hobbies, I missed trips with friends.

Every time a dose would hit me, I was put on antibiotics, and a strong steroid dose. They would destroy my appetite, and have put me at a hugely increased risk of suffering from osteoporosis, among other things, when I'm older.

At the age of 18, I got one really, really awful bout while I was trying to train for a 5km road race. I've also had asthma my entire life, so even being able to consider pursuing this was a massive deal to me. The week before the race, I collapsed after a training run, because I decided that the fact that it was a somewhat windy day shouldn't stop me from doing something that made me feel great.

When I got home, I all but passed out in the middle of my kitchen, with my chest on fire. The next morning, I was sent to hospital as I was having trouble breathing to a point where I was dizzy and very clearly not getting enough oxygen.

After 11 hours on supplemental oxygen, I was sent home again. More antibiotics. A lot more steroids.

I was bedbound and missed 6 weeks of college.

Since then, for 4 years, I managed to stay healthy. The odd headcold here and there, a few bouts of sore throats etc, as any normal person would experience. But no bronchitis. I had finally kicked it.

Until now. Last week, I came down with a pretty bad headcold. I was exhausted all week, but chalked it up to stress, as my personal life is a bit of a shambles at the moment.

Eventually though, what was mostly just exhaustion and "sniffles" became a mild cough. I went to my GP as soon as it started and he put me back on "the usual"; penicillin and a course of steroids.

I'm now on day 4 of this treatment, and already know I'll be going back to my doctor for a second visit. I can't sleep from the coughing. My chest is in serious pain, I'm so so tired and feel so defeated.

It may very well be just one isolated return of the bronchitis... But what if it isn't? What if I have to go back to being in constant fear of going outside on any damp, cold or windy day? Of trying to start exercising again?

Even when I had been suffering with it chronically, none of my friends really seemed to get just how debilitating and frustrating it was. Everyone gets a bit of a chesty cough from time to time, right? So now, it doesn't matter how worried I am about it, absolutely nobody seems to care. I've mentioned it to several of my closest friends and they've all glossed over it with, "ah that sucks", and moved on with the conversation.

Sure, it's not going to kill me now. But odds are, eventually this is what going to get me in the end; either a bad bout or complications arising from so many years on steroids and antibiotics, and that's a very grim thought to have at the age of 22.

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