But you don't look sick.....

This statement is one of the ones that urk me the most. So much so that I have decided to dedicate a post to it. I understand sometimes people mean it to be genuinely supportive and for those people I will say thank you but that is not the right statement to say. Especially to a Lyme sufferer. That is a phrase we commonly hear from medical professionals who don't believe how much we are really suffering. Therefore, when we hear that from anyone else, we rightfully draw the conclusion that you do not believe that we are really suffering. One of the parts of Lyme disease that makes it worse than some other conditions is sufferers usually look "normal". Despite the "normal" appearance on the outside, your inside is being invaded and attacked. It makes you feel levels of terrible that you can not even imagine. It is extemely irrating to hear that comment also because it makes the sufferer feel like you do not take them seriously. Ever heard never judge a book by its cover. Usually that saying is geared toward something that looks not so pleasant on the outside being quite nice on the inside. But in the case of Lyme disease, that phrase is applied oppositely. It's bad enough we feel we need to justify ourselves to medical professionals for help, we dont want to have to justify our suffering to our friends too. Next time you are looking for something to say to a Lyme sufferer. Say I am here for you.