There’s a few things I’d like to say before anybody blows these posts off as some depressing memoir. Because yes, it is hard. In fact, it is absolute hell, and I could rant for hours about the trials and tribulations of the loneliness and the medicine, but instead, I’d like to raise mention towards the things that helped me through it.

People are always going to be stubborn. It comes as our first response to our problems, to try and be stubborn and deal with it alone, but at some point you need to learn to forsake pride for your own health. I have held a very straightforward mindset my entire life – if I can’t deal with a problem alone it was a weakness, that I wasn’t strong enough to solve by myself, and I was always trying to be better. But it isn’t weak at all to rely on people to help you through tough times. It’s not a matter of whether you’re strong enough to get through something.

It’s a matter of love. Of whether the people you love are willing to help you through your problems. I learned this summer who I wanted to keep in my life because I knew I could count on them. Physical pains are only the first step of a life-altering journey and my situation was no different. I experienced so much this summer, but it wasn’t all bad. I simply had closed my mind to all the good; I couldn’t notice it. It seems I had my angels and I didn’t even notice they had their wings. My sister, always knocking on my door to see if I wanted to talk, day in and day out, despite my fighting that I’d rather be alone. My mother, trying so hard to get me to eat food or drink water or even get out of bed. My friends, always calling me or sending me messages, always making sure I was okay.

Because now, at this stage, I am okay. My friends and family helped me through it. The people that fought to keep me around when I tried so hard to be alone mean the world to me, and I’m blessed to be able to call them all my angels. I wish there were a way everybody could feel that loved, so I could wish it onto all of you without you experiencing the pains it takes to get there. It is an experience everyone should have and nobody should have, because you see yourself at your best and your worst. It’s certainly a humanizing situation.

I love you all.

DANIEL HENDRIKX

Daniel Hendrikx is a Professional Writing student from Newcastle, Ontario. Daniel grew up working on farms, and writing his own fiction. He finds time to write between playing video games and his guitar. Daniel is aspiring to be a professional writer. One day Daniel hopes to write a memoir as he draws his best inspirations from his own life