Pictured: Expectation VS Reality. Both photos taken moments apart from each other.
So, this munday I want to do something different. I want to shead some light on a very ignored portion of the RP community.
Chronically Ill RP’ers.
Because folks. I am finding that while not for me PERSONALLY(at the moment, I have had issues in the past with this) there is a sort of lack of understanding and sometimes sympathy and support when it comes to us. And I know damned well that there are many many many of us out there. Even as I type this up, I am heavily medicated for a raging migraine and honestly, will probably go back to bed after posting this. But SOMETHING needs to be said. And I am going to say it.
RP IS A HOBBY.
It is many things, but it is mainly a hobby. It serves as a fun thing for people to do and engage in when the real world is an absolute dumpster fire. It is a chance to have FUN. Which when you are chronically ill and house-bound, can be a remarkably hard thing to accomplish. It is a chance to exercise one’s creativity, ones passion for writing and world building. It is a chance to do something besides focus on how incredibly sick we are. And how awful life is as a result.
RP IS THEREFORE NOT A JOB
Nobody ‘OWES’ anybody anything. A chronically ill roleplayer is sick ALL THE TIME. In fact, lemme plug in a quick definition:
A chronic disease is one lasting 3 months or more, by the definition of the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. Chronic diseases generally cannot be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication, nor do they just disappear
ALL.THE.TIME
There is NEVER a moment where the person with the chronic illness IS NOT SICK
Ergo, nine times out of ten we are sick, in severe pain and tired. And all we want from roleplay is a chance to escape that reality a little bit. A chance to have FUN. Which many of us are deprived from. (Hell, even today I failed to join my family on an outing, as I felt so damned sick) that’s a daily reality. The reality that when you’re chronically ill your body betrays you on a day-to-day basis.
“So Nate..we get that..what then is the point of this post?”
The point, folks is that every single day is a STRUGGLE. A struggle to be around, and alive. A struggle to be a part of the community. Therefore, the chronically ill roleplayer is going to take some extra time to do things, to reply to things, to be a constant presence. You aren’t going to get replies from the chronically ill roleplayer every single day. And sometimes we DO take a long time. Sometimes we do take a bit of time to just rest. Because sometimes yes, even thinking is too hard. Because most chronically ill people suffer from brain fog.
“But Nate, we don’t care that your slow!”
Why then do I constantly see people harping, becoming impatient? Becoming annoyed when things fail to happen at a pace they are comfortable with?
Nobody has forgotten about you, or your replies.
It’s just a case of it being HARD to be consistent.
“So why bother roleplaying then?”
See what I said above? Because we ENJOY it. But sometimes we are just tired, too tired. All the chronically ill roleplayer is asking for is compassion, and the knowledge that WE ARE TRYING OUR BEST.
“Nate, this soap box of yours is kind of grating don’t you think? Now you’re calling people out! We are compassionate and patient!”
And that is GOOD, but in the community I am starting to see a serious lack of understanding in that regard. I myself recently left a situation where that lack of understanding was a huge deal.
The point of all this is that we are TRYING. When you see a chronically ill roleplayer, you are seeing them as the picture on the left, in a good day, in a good spot. You don’t SEE them as the picture on the right because it is rare for us to show ourselves in those moments. Because we don’t want to be a burden and draw attention to ourselves.
TL;DR: Just please, folks. Keep the chronically ill part of the community in mind. A little compassion and understanding goes a LONG way.
icyxmischief 