Assalamu alaykum - struggling with chronic illness and faith
Assalamu alaykum everyone. I know this is long, but I’d really appreciate any advice or duas. I’m 24 and over the past five years my health has gotten much worse. For background, I was raised in a Muslim home - my grandparents taught religion mashallah and are known in our community - so faith has always been part of my life. Despite that, our home life was high stress. Growing up like that makes you vulnerable to long-term health problems. My father has been emotionally and sometimes physically abusive, and that added a lot of trauma. I’m not talking small stuff - I was nine having to make sure my little brother and I had food, clean clothes, homework done, uniforms ready. I’d be called a disappointment for taking a break to watch cartoons and told my existence ruined my father’s life. I was even told to develop an eating disorder so I’d be thin. That’s how tense things were when he was upset. My brother and I lived on eggshells, and that constant stress took a toll on my mental and physical health. As a child my mother complained to doctors that I was always exhausted, had dark circles, didn’t play like other kids. Everything was dismissed as growing pains or laziness. The first big red flag was in 8th grade when I had a cardiac episode - my blood pressure shot up to around 210/120. The school nurse had to calm me with breathing and tea before calling my mother. After that my symptoms slowly worsened: insomnia, no appetite, skipped and very painful periods. In high school I would stay up all night, drink coffee before class and then sleep through the first lessons, yet I still sat in the front row and did well academically. College only made things worse. I kept pushing to be active because I was told I was “too fat,” even when my body hurt constantly - back, legs, joints. I transferred to university and hit a breaking point after a workplace injury. I started blacking out, vomiting, losing balance, and ended up bedridden at times. I graduated at 21, but my health kept declining. In 2021 I was diagnosed with ADHD and doctors suspect autism. Those neurological diagnoses matter because they come with higher risk of other medical issues. In 2021 I was also diagnosed with POTS, which affects the autonomic nervous system - I get dizzy, short of breath, pass out, and recently have had episodes that look like seizures. I have hypermobility and doctors suspect Ehlers-Danlos syndrome because my joints partially dislocate, my ribs slip, and my vision blurs and takes time to correct. My doctors have said I am not able to work and they suspect additional underlying issues including autoimmune disease. I’ve been warned that even a simple cold can land me in the ER, and sadly I believe it because it’s happened. I also had my gallbladder removed and now have severe dietary limitations and nighttime vomiting that wakes me up. My body feels wrecked. I can’t move properly, I lose track of time, and lying down is often the only relief. I keep saying inshaAllah there will be answers and relief, but I worry about being so disabled that even things I love become chores. Daily necessities feel overwhelming - planning a shower can take a week, I have to psych myself up to use the restroom. I haven’t been praying regularly and that breaks my heart. I used to at least pray from a chair about a year and a half ago because I could tell when it was time. Now I can barely tell what day it is, I don’t leave my bed much, and I’m failing to keep up with my salah. The one small thing I manage is wearing my hijab when I can make it to appointments. I couldn’t fast this Ramadan; last Ramadan was awful from a medical standpoint - I cried a lot, my illnesses were flaring, and I was barely coping while working. My father thinks I’m lazy or that I’m being influenced by doctors to rely on medication; he doesn’t accept how sick I am. I don’t have caretakers, I don’t work, and I have no money. Friends don’t hear from me, I don’t make plans, and I feel alone and stuck. My iman is low and I’m scared, though deep down I know Allah would never abandon me. I’m asking for any practical advice - on managing day-to-day when mobility and memory are so poor, on rebuilding a routine that allows prayer, or on how to cope when family doesn’t believe you’re ill. Please include duas or strategies that helped you if you’ve faced similar chronic illness. JazakAllah khair for reading and for any support.