I Heart The Floxie Community

Diego, Melanie and Jose

Diego posted the above picture with the note, “Sometimes in life you come in contact with people whom God puts in your path! Although it was unfortunate that our paths crossed due to being affected by the same type of antibiotics we have supported and encouraged each other! Building our lives back to complete health! Thanks for ur friendship guys!”

Isn’t that lovely and awesome?

Diego also wrote:

There is something definitely powerful in uniting yourself with others who have a drive and determination to get better. This weekend I had the privilege of meeting other individuals who were affected by fluoroquinolones and we talked about our symptoms of course. However, there was conversation about our dreams, goals, and fire to keep pressing through this pain. I felt empowered to keep fighting and felt so much peace about knowing that we will all recover. We shared our remedies and gave each other tips about getting better. Our lives are definitely forever changed. I choose to believe that it will be changed for the better. Hang in there we will OVERCOME this!!! Now, I am blessed to call Jose and Melanie my friends. I can’t wait to meet more people affected by these antibiotics. Keep fighting, keep pressing, keep believing, YOU ARE WORTH THE FIGHT!

<3!!!!!

None of us would have asked to become a floxie. None of us would have asked for the painful peripheral neuropathy, the torn tendons, the chronic fatigue, the brain fog, the loss of money and relationships, or, really, any of it. But the awful did happen. It’s unfortunate, and if we could turn back time and re-do things, I think that most us never would have taken those drugs. But if we turned back time, and were never floxed, we never would have gained the friendships and community that many of us have as a result of banding together with other floxies. And since we can’t turn back time, we may as well appreciate the friends that have come into our lives because we are part of the floxie community.

As the wonderful admins of The Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Group (4,600+ people – wow!) always say to new members:

welcome to a group that no one wanted to join! Actually, this is the best group of people you will ever meet but the reason we’re here really sucks. The friendly folks here understand what you are going through and really want to help, whether you are a victim of fluoroquinolone toxicity, or a loved one who is taking care of one.

Indeed–The Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Group is full of friendly, thoughtful, wonderful people! People in the group spend hundreds of hours helping each other, advocating for each other, supporting each other, giving information to each other, and more. Floxies spend time and energy supporting friends who they’ve never met, who would be strangers if it weren’t for the unfortunate connection of being mutually poisoned, through some of the worst times in their lives. The generosity and caring of those in the community truly is amazing. Thank you to everyone who is part of this amazing community!

Floxie Hope also has a community of people who help, support and nurture each other. There are more than 15,000 comments on FloxieHope.com as a whole, and 10,000 on the home page. The thoughtful comments that reflect generosity, caring, knowledge, and a desire to help others, are beautiful and greatly appreciated! THANK YOU to all my wonderful friends who have made this site into a community. I am humbled by your generosity and grateful for your friendship!

I’ve had the opportunity to meet some floxie friends in person. Here is a picture of me with Suzanne:

It is amazing beyond words to connect with someone who really understands what you’re going through, and what you’ve been through. Fluoroquinolone toxicity is so strange, and so unintuitive, that it’s really difficult for those who haven’t been through it to understand. Fellow floxies understand. They “get it” without struggle. It’s wonderful to have friends who understand and empathize with you.

Empathy, friendship, connections, community and understanding – they’re what life is all about. I am thankful to everyone in the floxie community for their friendship and for the wonderful community that has been formed! You are all greatly appreciated!