December 2009
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Have you ever?

Have you ever asked Why Me?  Have you ever cursed God, forsaking His name because of all that you’ve had to suffer?  Why these deaths? Why these illnesses?  Why these hardships?  I can understand You having a plan for one issue or the other.  but everything in my lifetime?  Why would You do this to me?

I fail to see the bigger plan for a kid losing her mother when she was 7.  For this kid to grow up without much emotional support, feeling isolated, over-sensitive, morbid and sad.  The teenage years being far too serious, looking for warmth and love in all the wrong places, further sequestering emotions from people in an attempt at self-preservation.  Then in adulthood, this kid seeks unhealthy relationships, enters into a failed marriage, goes through illnesses and then major surgery.  Nothing that a person voluntarily and actively seeks, but yet this is the path a person seems set upon.  And then when she thinks the worst has passed, major/chronic illness sets in.

Why?  If you claim to be a Christian, you may wonder why someone curses God.  Why the fuck are you so set against me?  Why me?  Fuck you God….I’ve had enough.  I’ve been through enough and I remained faithful.  Yet you continue to put me through this hell.  What is your plan for me?  Is there a plan at all or am I putting my hopes in a false God?

Even if you are the most devote, ,you’ve been though this or will at some point.  This is the story of Job.  And maybe people like me are not part of some grand, fucking divine plan.  Maybe we are simply the strongest who survive the whole plot, the whole story.  Perhaps the strong and healthy people as the ones who will succumb quickly in the grand scheme of things.  Maybe the sick ones are the people who live the longest because we put up with the most, endure more hardship and because of that, slowly become stronger in the end.

Unfortunately those of us who go through these diseases are the most isolated.  We are lucky to find one person in our lives, be it family, spouse or friend, who will stay with us through all the trials and tribulations.  I found today that my family, although loving and wonderful, cannot be there for me.  They just don’t understand and aren’t capable of the empathy I need throughout this illness.  It’s not their faults, but that is just life.  And it is hard for me to grasp.

When you are chronically sick, you quit communicating the truth to others.  I’ve only told those at work because I’ve felt forced to.  They have to pick up my slack, and they need to know why I’m sick.  But my family and friends have not heard the whole of it, nor have they had to.  I have tried, however, to reach out to certain acquaintances and family, but I don’t feel that they understand.   I feel no blame or anger about that.  I can’t say that I would feel any different if I were in their situations.  When I try to talk to others about how I feel emotionally and/or physically, others don’t understand or think I’m making it up.  Therefore, deep down, I question whether or not I’m crazy.  Maybe this isn’t real?  Maybe I’m an attention whore, just like they think?

I feel like I have to make things up or only tell half-truths about my life to people.  “Yes!  Everything is wonderful.  We are so blessed to be living amazing, happy lives!!!!!  Blah!  Blah blah blah!”

At some point, we have to realize that we are sick.  We have X, Y and Z to deal with and our priorities involve getting through our daily shit without physically collapsing or breaking down emotionally.  Getting through a day/week/month of taking care of our kids, our bills, our marriages, our family, our friendships, our jobs is a lot to deal with.  When you feel you have to make excuses for this or explain it to others, it’s hard.

I’m not a drama queen.  But I have major health issues that prevent me from working full time, from actively involving myself with relatives, that prevent me from trusting others and that keep me from having a party hardy lifestyle.  Hell I feel lucky if I get through the day on the most minimum of prescription drugs AND am still able to operate a motor vehicle.  I’m so damn tired of it and I keep thinking it’s temporary and it will get better.  This isn’t really my life.

I guess it is my life.  No matter how many drugs I take or what I eat or don’t eat, it doesn’t go away.  This is my life.  Period.  And we better find a practical way for me to deal with it.  And I better quit feeling bad at the friends I lose because I can’t go hang out every time they want to.  Or my boss doesn’t get why I can’t lift something over 20 lbs.  Or why I don’t volunteer myself to work extra hours.

This is my life now.

And because of who I am, I cannot end a post on my blog with a subject matter so serious.  So I leave you with all my feelings, my whole heart, my spiritual frustration and a photograph of one of my pet rats in my husband’s pants.  Good night.

5 Responses to “Have you ever?”

  1. andy says:

    It’s an amoral universe. Good people suffer and are miserable. Villains coast through without a care in the world (well, OK, sometimes). There’s no greater plan to it all.

    100 years ago I would have been dead several times over. Now I just try to get through today as quickly as possible so I can get to tomorrow and do the same. I never tell people what kind of surgery I just had. It’s too awful.

    On the other hand, it could be worse for you and me. Much much worse. You think you have reached the end of suffering but there is always something worse. and just think, we’ve already lived into our 30s! Plenty of people don’t make it that far. That’s an achievement in itself.

    How is this for a shitty comment? heh. merry christmas! or I guess we should say Happy Holidays, huh?

  2. Bex says:

    Hahahaa! Merry Christmas to you too.

    You are right, we wouldn’t have made it this far if we were alive 100 years ago. It could always be worse…

  3. Elaina says:

    Honestly this is why after years and years of trying to make sense of why God would put someone through all of this shit, and trying to make myself believe, in the end I found Buddhism. It works for me, my brain is able to comprehend it and make sense of it. I am sometimes too analytical, too fact based to believe in any “God”, and this just works for me. My family doesn’t understand it and they are still trying to “save” me. All I know is I have found a peace at the age of 35 that I struggled to find my whole life. Wherever you find it, I hope you do find it, we all deserve that.
    And just so you know…. we are not family, and we live too far away to be a part of each others daily lives but I am here for you, and guess what? I DO understand! You can call me, facebook me, email me ANY time you need to talk about anything.

  4. Bex says:

    I’m still a Christian, just pretty disgruntled right now. I do really like Buddhism as well. Good philosophies…I’d like to read up more on it. Thanks Lainey, I will be taking you up on that offer!! :)

  5. Kelli Bacon says:

    Becky,

    I have no idea how you’re feeling physically so I have no words of advice for you. I don’t know how to give you any comforting words. On the spiritual side, I try my best to be a faithful Christian, but I know I fail. Every Christian does. I do not believe that God condemns us for asking “why me” or yelling at him. You’re right, we all have those moments of utter confusion and frustration. I think in the end it can make us a more faithful believer. I’m sure this is hard to hear, and I don’t know if you believe me or not, but no matter how many times we turn away from God, he will always be there for us. He is with your right now. That doesn’t help explain why or offer any answers. I don’t have any. Of course, I could say that there is a reason and a higher purpose to your illnesses and difficult life, but I have no idea what it is. Maybe this is where our faith can grow. Others lose their way. If you would like to talk more, please send me an email. I am more than willing to listen.

    P.S. You were a joy to have in grad school.

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