Invisible Not Imagined

According to one study, more than 125 million Americans have at least one chronic condition (defined as a condition that lasts a year or longer, limits activity and may require ongoing care) and nearly half of those have more than one.  These chronic illnesses often share one major characteristic: they are not visible to an onlooker; thus the term “invisible illness.”

Those with invisible disabilities can present with varying symptoms such as debilitating pain, fatigue, dizziness, weakness, cognitive dysfunctions (brain fog), learning differences and mental disorders, as well as hearing and vision impairments.  Most of these chronic invisible conditions are not always obvious to an observer, but can sometimes or often limit daily activities. These disabling symptoms can range from mild challenges to severe limitations and vary from person to person.  Having an invisible illness can prohibit the sufferer from enjoying life in the way they once knew.

We here at RRSMS have decided to put together an anthology (where the proceeds go is up for discussion, so if you have any ideas, we'd love to hear them!) to raise awareness for invisible illnesses. 

What are we looking for? Any story (both fiction or nonfiction) talking about dealing with an invisible illness. Talk about how you cope. Talk about how people react to your illness. The sky is the limit really. 10K words or less. Poetry is welcome! 

Send your piece to: rockandrollsavedmysoul2014@gmail.com with "Invisible Not Imagined" in the subject line. Please make sure to include a title AND your pen name with the piece. 

All submissions must be in no later than December 15, 2016