Today is the first time I have met someone in person who has the same disease as myself, which is Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency. I have had this disease for almost seventeen years and pretty much have felt alone because I have not had anyone to talk to who can relate or understand the struggles with this disease. It was not until years after being diagnosed that I discovered Facebook support groups for individuals with Addison’s Disease and Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency. I thought to myself that I hit the jackpot! It was a place to learn how others were living with their disease and the symptoms they were experiencing. I could ask questions and then go to my physician and see if the treatments and medications I was learning about would work for me. It was a safe place to vent my frustrations and feel like I would not be judged. I am still a member of various support groups, which are vital sources of information for me.
A couple of months ago, I received a response to a blog post I had shared on Nextdoor. Much to my amazement, it was someone who also has Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency and had a similar story to mine of living in Colorado and working in law enforcement. It literally blew me away. After communicating through email, we finally met today for lunch, and it was so encouraging to feel like I had made an ally. We were talking as if we had known each other before, and it was refreshing to have a conversation with someone and not have to explain the specifics of our disease because we knew what each was saying.
If my memory serves me right, I believe an Endocrinologist told me about support groups on Facebook. I look back and wonder why I did not ask more questions and inquire about local support groups available through that particular health system. That is my fault for not speaking up then, but I lived and learned my lessons. I have had conversations with individuals, and I have found myself sharing that you need to be your own advocate because oftentimes, you cannot rely on others to do it for you. I learned this not only with myself but while I was my parent’s caregiver. There were many instances when I needed to be their voice and advocate with their physicians and in every aspect of their lives. I would not hesitate to make the necessary calls to get help. I will continue to do this for myself and use my voice to ask questions and inquire about available resources and guidance. Maybe in this process, I can gather more allies, and we can help and support each other.
The bottom line is that we are not alone, and God will be there to guide us along the way, but we need to ask for help. If we do our part by reaching out to our local community resources, physicians, etc., then God will take over the rest.
Matthew 7:7-12 NIV translation: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
The World of Dlo 