Poem: The War Within
Sep. 19th, 2012 09:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alee_grrlThis is one that's been germinating in the back of my mind for a while. It might take a few rewrites yet to get it right where I want it, but I thought I'd go ahead and post it. Thoughts and constructive criticism welcome.
The War Within
Long term disease, chronic illness, isn't a *fight*,
isn't a boxing match where you see who won this round.
It is entrenched guerrilla warfare within your own body.
The invading disease is persistent and hungry for life,
and our immune systems defenses are weakened
by the constant and brutal assault
or tricked by the adaptability of the invading disease,
made to think that maybe this somehow belongs.
Each treatment, each drug is another piece of armament
for our rallying immune system, that little bit extra
to help turn the tide of the war. We must ensure nutrition
and hydration, or the immune system will weaken more
And we must vigilantly guard against opportunists
that would take advantage of our weakened state.
In bodies that are tired out from an internal war,
we must still find the energy to live our lives
to do all the things we need to do to improve
our chances of survival, and hope that our victory is a final one.
It is accepting and coping with the fact that
you have to hurt yourself to hurt the invading disease
it has become a part of you. Every bit of treatment
comes with a price for you, because you can't separate
the two. You will get sicker before you ever start improving.
And just when you are feeling decent,
time will come for the next round
and you show up at your doctor's and
take the treatment as directed
because you want to survive this war.
Yes, we are fighters
but not in some ring side boxing match
we fight in a war that might not end for us
it is a war that we might fight until death
Yes, we are fighters
But more importantly we are survivors.
We will keep going until we can go no more
and then ask our friends to carry us further if they are able
until we can pick ourselves up and go on again.
The War Within
Long term disease, chronic illness, isn't a *fight*,
isn't a boxing match where you see who won this round.
It is entrenched guerrilla warfare within your own body.
The invading disease is persistent and hungry for life,
and our immune systems defenses are weakened
by the constant and brutal assault
or tricked by the adaptability of the invading disease,
made to think that maybe this somehow belongs.
Each treatment, each drug is another piece of armament
for our rallying immune system, that little bit extra
to help turn the tide of the war. We must ensure nutrition
and hydration, or the immune system will weaken more
And we must vigilantly guard against opportunists
that would take advantage of our weakened state.
In bodies that are tired out from an internal war,
we must still find the energy to live our lives
to do all the things we need to do to improve
our chances of survival, and hope that our victory is a final one.
It is accepting and coping with the fact that
you have to hurt yourself to hurt the invading disease
it has become a part of you. Every bit of treatment
comes with a price for you, because you can't separate
the two. You will get sicker before you ever start improving.
And just when you are feeling decent,
time will come for the next round
and you show up at your doctor's and
take the treatment as directed
because you want to survive this war.
Yes, we are fighters
but not in some ring side boxing match
we fight in a war that might not end for us
it is a war that we might fight until death
Yes, we are fighters
But more importantly we are survivors.
We will keep going until we can go no more
and then ask our friends to carry us further if they are able
until we can pick ourselves up and go on again.
