An Ode To RLS

Does living with restless legs syndrome (RLS) ever inspire your creativity? You might find that writing stories or songs and poems like the one below can help you cope.

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Hello old friend

I really am so tired of not sleeping at night

I am definitely over not functioning well in the day

I am tired of explaining an invisible disability to strangers

I am tired of people assuming I'm faking it

I am tired of the way you've taken over my life

I am tired of the way so much of my identity as a person is now rooted in you

Aren't you tired of making me so miserable

Aren't you tired of making me anxious

Aren't you tired of me cussing you out all the time; damn you restless legs syndrome

Aren't you tired of being the root cause of my severe anxiety and panic attacks

Aren't you tired of sucking my wallet dry

Aren't you tired of making me cry

Aren't you tired of colonizing my legs and most parts of my body just for fun

Aren't you tired of being the bad guy

You should be ashamed! Yes you should be

Ashamed of having no cure

Ashamed of being invisible; such cowardice

Ashamed of clinging to someone who doesn't want you

Ashamed of being a leech

Ashamed of attacking children who are vulnerable

Ashamed that no matter how hard you try, I never let you win

I am successful, despite you

I am strong, despite you

I am a mom, despite you

I am thriving in my career, despite you

I am a warrior, despite you

I am winning, despite you

I am a useful member of the society, despite you

RLS, I've known you since I was 5

RLS, I have fought you

RLS, I have dreaded bedtime

RLS, I have taken uncountable medications

RLS, I have sat in many a physician's chair

RLS, I have been poked and prodded

RLS, I refuse to let you control my life

RLS, I am taking back my power

RLS, I am now deciding to consciously move only forward

RLS, I am now refusing to let you taint my present

RLS, I am letting you know that you will not define my future.

I thank you too.

I thank you for letting me discover myself

I thank you for helping me discover purpose

I thank you because if you never affected me, the lives I have changed would have otherwise remained unchanged

I thank you because the direction of my life was decided because you were in it

I thank you for the real and phantom pains because while they are awful, they also serve as a reminder that I am alive

Now it is my job to live a full life

Now it is up to me to keep going no matter how painful it is

Now it is up to me to self-regulate; to know when to stop and when to keep going

Now it is up to me to make sure you don't win; not in my life and in the life of everyone else you have affected

Now it is up to me to amplify my voice even further

Now it is up to me to let faith triumph over fear.

Sorry old friend, but it is time.

If you could say anything to RLS, what would it be? Share with us in the comments below.