Gabrielle Nakasian
Follower of Christ // Undergrad Student at The Ohio State University // High School Young Life Leader // Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Zebra // Friends Enthusiast // Coffee Lover // Avid Snuggler // Saved by grace through faith. Ephesians 2:8 //
I live with an invisible illness, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. The pain is great but my outside appearance shows no trace.
It was through my diagnosis when I was 14 that I found a world outside myself. I realized that I was about to deal with something great, and other people deal with struggles too.
Since then, I have learned to be authentic about my feelings. No one can see how I feel on the inside, so I need to communicate and be honest about what I'm going through.
I yearn to share in my struggles and my triumphs because it is through this authenticity that I have found the most truth. My syndrome is rare, there are few who can relate, but if I can put my thoughts out there, maybe people will gain a better understanding about what I am going through and what I have learned.
Although not technically everyone has health problems, we all deal with a sort of invisible illness. We all have difficulties and hurt that we are internally plagued with, whether that shows on the outside or not. I have just been given the opportunity to experience this in a real, literal way.
What I have discovered is that in these struggles I am not alone. I know I am not strong enough on my own, and that is why I lean on the everlasting arms.
Whether you suffer from EDS or another health, mental, or personal struggle, you are not alone. There is something (or someone rather) bigger than yourself that is there to be your rock, I can testify to that.