American model Bella Hadid shared a candid post on Instagram chronicling her “15 years of invisible suffering” with Lyme disease.
The 26-year-old wrote that she was “finally healthy” and added: “The little me that suffered would be so proud of grown me for not giving up on myself.”
She shared photos of herself receiving treatment, including getting hooked up to tubes, as well as her detailed medical records from 2014.
She thanked her mother, The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Yolanda Hadid, for “keeping all of my medical records, sticking by me, never leaving my side, protecting, supporting, but most of all, believing me through all of this”.
Her mother Yolanda, 59, and her younger brother Anwar, 24, also suffer from Lyme disease, an illness transmitted by tick bites. Symptoms include headaches, brain fog, insomnia, nausea, joint pain, and weight gain and loss.
Bella Hadid added that the emotional turmoil from the illness was difficult to navigate. “To be that sad and sick with the most blessings/privilege/opportunity/love around me was quite possibly the most confusing thing ever.”
She is taking a break from modelling and assured her followers that she was OK.
Hadid said: “The universe works in the most painful and beautiful ways, but I need to say that if you are struggling – it will get better.”
She added: “I’ll be back when I’m ready. I miss you all so much. I love you all so much.” – The Straits Times/Asia News Network