"We had each journeyed to this office from our own distant planet of illness. Though strangers, we became instant, silent companions. We were here for the same purpose: to describe our alien experiences to the doctor [...] [D]espite our individual ailments, we shared the burden of illness."

I've felt like an alien my entire life. Even when i received an autism diagnosis at age 25, i still felt alien among my autistic peers. It really wasn't until i became chronically ill that the physical disability community gave me a place i felt like i belonged to. It's a complicated set of emotions, to grieve my abilities while also finding salvation in the very same thing that took them away.

I've never been very social, i struggled immensely with friendship my whole life. I was chronically online even before i got sick. But nothing has given me community, belonging and understanding like the disability community has. It being mostly via the internet or books like this (or both) has only made its impact that much greater, since of course autism intersects with my physical illness and both disabilities benefit from my social life being largely virtual.

I just really resonated with this way of describing us. We are on our own planets of illness, but we share a solar system. We are apart, but not alone. 🥹🪐🌟❤️‍🩹

I also resonated with the part about being in the car in a parkinglot. I may be able to sit up in the front seat, but i have not really been able to tolerate going into stores for a while now. A mixture of severe MCAS triggers and fatigue both. Despite that, car rides are sometimes a nice small adventure anyway. A good change of scenery. I mostly only go when the library is a destination, although more and more i have to let my spouse go without me to pick up books for me lol 💔❤️‍🩹 (this song came to mind from my childhood, Another Small Adventure by Chantal Kreviazuk. For anyone who can/wants to listen to a song with me hehe 🐁✈️)