“Everybody has the same twenty-four hours in a day.”
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that phrase. It usually comes from someone trying to be motivational, inspirational, or convince me that I, too, could conquer the world if I simply woke up at 5:00 a.m., drank lemon water, and embraced hustle culture.
Respectfully… no.
Because the truth is that chronic illness and disability have taught me something that healthy people often do not realize:
We do not all get the same twenty-four hours.
For some of us, our days are measured differently. We count our time in “usable” minutes and hours—the small windows when our bodies cooperate enough for us to accomplish something beyond surviving.
⏰ Measuring Time Differently
Some days, I wake up feeling like Beyoncé at Coachella, ready to tackle my to-do list, answer emails, work, write, and convince myself that maybe I can do it all.
Then Crohn’s Disease and Myasthenia Gravis gather in a conference room somewhere inside my body and decide otherwise.
Suddenly, my plans for the day turn into negotiations:
- Can I make it through this meeting without needing the bathroom?
- Do I have enough energy to grocery shop after work?
- Should I fold laundry, or should I save my strength to shower tonight?
- If I push through now, how much will I pay for it tomorrow?
These are calculations that most people never have to make.
They see twenty-four hours.
I see a battery percentage.
🔋 Living on “Usable Hours”
On a good day, maybe I have several solid hours before the fatigue rolls in. Maybe my muscles cooperate. Maybe my stomach behaves itself. Maybe I can go out with friends, enjoy a family gathering, or take a spontaneous trip.
On a bad day, those usable hours shrink.
Crohn’s might decide that the bathroom and I are now in an exclusive relationship.
MG might remind me that breathing, chewing, and keeping my eyes open are privileges I should not take for granted.
And suddenly, a task as simple as unloading the dishwasher feels like I have been cast in an episode of Survivor: Autoimmune Edition.
✈️ The Planning Nobody Sees
What people often do not understand is that chronic illness does not just steal energy—it steals spontaneity.
Healthy people can make plans and assume their bodies will cooperate.
Meanwhile, many of us:
- Pack medications.
- Locate the nearest bathroom.
- Calculate how much walking will be involved.
- Check the weather because heat and humidity are enemies.
- Mentally prepare for the possibility that we may have to leave early.
We become project managers for bodies that refuse to follow the agenda.
Ironically, some of the most exhausting days are the ones when we look the healthiest.
People see us smiling, laughing, working, traveling, and assume we are “doing better.”
What they do not see is the recovery period afterward.
They do not see the naps scheduled like appointments.
They do not see the heating pads, medication alarms, or the hours spent in bed trying to recharge enough energy to function the next day.
🌙 Preparing for the Trip Home
Lately, as I prepare to catch a red-eye flight home to Washington, D.C., this reality has been on my mind even more.
Most travelers think about boarding times and luggage limits.
I am thinking about whether I can sleep on the plane, how much energy the trip will require, and whether my carefully recruited team of sleep aids will actually do their job.
Because if I can sleep through the flight, I might arrive with enough usable hours to actually enjoy my trip.
And honestly, isn’t that the chronically ill version of first class?
💜 The Reality of Invisible Illness
Maybe that is the lesson chronic illness keeps trying to teach me:
Life is not measured by how many hours we are given.
It is measured by what we are able to do with the hours our bodies allow us to have.
So, no—we do not all get the same twenty-four hours.
But we learn to stretch our good moments, celebrate the small victories, laugh when our bodies humble us yet again, and make memories anyway.
And that deserves a little more credit than simply waking up at five in the morning.
🎵 Music playing in my head while writing this: “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child.
Because some days, surviving really is the accomplishment.
💜 Thank you for taking the time to read this entry from The Dual Diagnosis Diaries.
If this story resonated with you, taught you something new, or reminded you that you’re not alone, please consider liking, subscribing, and sharing this blog. Your support helps raise awareness about Crohn’s Disease, Myasthenia Gravis, polyautoimmunity, and the realities of living with invisible illnesses.
Together, we can educate, advocate, and remind others that no one has to navigate chronic illness alone.
Founder • Author • Advocate • Future Wellness Coach
Kia Lorice
The Dual Diagnosis Diaries 💜
Leave a Reply