Being a chronically ill teen is difficult. You are constantly balancing your health and your social life. Going to that party could leave you bedbound for weeks, but all of your friends are going, and if you don't, you'll be an outcast.
This is an issue I face daily. The cause and effect of daily life can seriously mess with your plans. If I overexert myself, I could end up with debilitating symptoms for weeks after, or I could severely injure myself to the point of needing my crutches or wheelchair. There is a balance of staying healthy and doing the things I love, but I definitely have not perfected that yet.
My freshman year of high school, I was in marching band and colorguard. I absolutely loved it. But, I was constantly getting hurt, or having to sit out due to dizziness. This was before any of my diagnoses, so I was viewed by many as lazy, or even that I was faking. This left me feeling isolated and outcast, as I was constantly missing social events and performances. After marching season, my health took a rapid turn for the worse and I had to rely on a wheelchair for a while. This caused me to miss much of the Winter Guard season. It seemed to be one thing right after another, because shortly after resuming practicing, I dislocated my thumb and had to be in a thumb spica cast for a month. I did end up being able to perform in our championship performance, but I felt so unprepared and awkward because I had missed the rest of the season.
I wasn't able to balance my health and my hobby, so I had to take a year off. But in doing that, I was able to take care of my body and learn my limits. Now that my health has improved, I am hopeful that I will be able to return to marching band for my Junior year of high school.
Balancing what you love and what you can do is difficult, especially as a teenager. You want to do and be included in everything. But I've learned that when it's a choice between your health and anything else, you should always choose your health.