The Importance of Good Friends

The importance of support is critical to any difficult situation. It's hard when one feels isolated and alone - even in a crowd of people. That's the issue we are facing now. Isolation in a crowded room. Meghan feels more alone with a group of people than she does at home in her room. It's something that feeds on itself and continues to grow as it becomes easier for her to turn down the few that communicate with her as life continues to fly by. Someone who was once in the thick of it all now watches from a distance.

You can find many articles of the isolation social media can cause for teens while promoting the narcissistic behavior that is prevalent today. Everywhere I go, I see teens taking pictures of themselves and posting for all to see. Throw in an illness that others cannot see from the outside and Meghan feels easily forgotten. She feels like no one understands. She is able to get through school and swim in large part because of her IVIG antibodies she receives monthly. But she still has fatigue, stomachaches, some dizziness and at times she just needs quieter activities. Things the average teen may find "boring" and a "drag" to be a part of. Others don't realize what it's like to feel pain in some form everyday. Promoting the importance of helping others and focusing less on social media is something society skims over.

I often feel like we are continuously pretending everything is fine. People ask how we are doing and I just say fine, or "hanging in there." Everyone is dealing with their own issues and day to day lives that it is just easier that way.