Living with Chronic Illness at 20 Years Old

I feel the same way. Started this journey when i was 18 and now I’m 22 and feel like I’m just watching my life pass by without me

I’m 22 and in bed all day. I used to be in college, in theater, improv, volunteered in the community garden, and partied on the weekends. now I do none of that. I lie in my bed and if I feel well enough I play dnd online on the weekends and lately I’m not even well enough to do that. it’s not fair how our youth has been taken from us.

I feel this so much. I was supposed to go into the city with my best friend for my 21st birthday this year. Her birthday is the day before mine and she was also turning 21, so it would have been super fun. I ended up getting really sick after coming down with COVID a month before our birthdays. I didn’t recover in time to be able to go. It made me so upset to turn 21 since it felt like I missed out on such a big milestone. I’m also not currently in school because of my health. You’re not alone!!