After all, life is about the journey and not the destination! If I don't cross the finish line, that's alright! I can take pride in trying. Instead, I set goals that account for the added hurdles. I no longer compare my abilities to others. In order to adapt, I've learned to forego unrealistic expectations imposed by society. This isn't uncommon for people with compromised immune systems, who are more susceptible to infections and get sick more frequently than healthy individuals. Meanwhile, I struggle with autoimmune disease and a vestibular disorder, along with the long list of acronyms and abbreviations doctors used to categorize my symptoms. Like Tim, I look perfectly healthy on the outside. "Look at me," he says, "I've fear of anything physical, but now I can do things I didn't think I could do." In fact, his favorite activities include trekking, cycling, rafting, and diving. This hasn't discouraged Tim from pursuing adventure travel. Yet, he struggles with physical limitations, some of which impede on his ability to reach with his hands and secure footholds. Tall and fit, it'd be impossible to know that Tim has diabetes based on appearance alone. "There are folks climbing, cycling, and diving everywhere," says travel agent Timothy Tan of Cango Travel, who also travels the world with a hidden disability, "I figure if can do it, so can I." Meanwhile, I've come to realize that just because I live with an invisible disability doesn't mean I can't pursue my passion! My struggle with chronic illness has been a long road to understanding, acceptance, and adaptation. That's because I'm among the 96% of individuals with chronic medical conditions not requiring a medical device, also known as invisible disability. Yet, when it comes to planning trips, I've additional challenges to consider. There's no form of travel I love more than adventure travel. Last updated: 6:00 PM ET, Thu October 18, 2018
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |