A dog is a man's best friend. We have all heard this. This story is different indeed. As the Dog is a cat and the best friend is a woman who lives with agoraphobia. Fear of going outside. When our story begins Jane is remembering her diagnosis and thinking about all the things she will now not have a chance to do in life. She has been diagnosed for three years and has made accommodations. She and her cat meril live in a studio apartment. This is where Jane lives to be a writer and travel the world with her green screen. Her friend Jenn will come over to keep her company. But someday it's just not enough. The day that she was diagnosed she started to fight depression. Jenn thinks if Jane just went outside that she would be happy.
“Did you get the cake?” Jane asked as Jenn walked into the small room.
“Yes, I got the cake” Jenn states as she sets the cake down onto the table.
Today marks year three for Janes anxiety disorder. Every year since she was diagnosed the two girls have been celebrating the day. Jenn has always thought the doctor jumped to conclusions that day.
Three years ago Jane was traveling. Traveling is something she had loved doing. She would go to a new place and write about the culture there. She did this for a job and she loved it. Until one day. She was traveling to her dream place. A little city inside of Mexico, Ismal. She had been there once before and fell in love with the city. She was on the plane they were ready to take off. When she felt a tightening in her chest. Thinking it was a heart condition she was rushed to the hospital where Jenn met her. The doctor explained to her that she might be suffering from an anxiety disorder called agoraphobia.
Now three years later Jane hasn’t left her apartment. She sits at the corner coffee table and writes. She dreams of the places she would have gone and longs to be there. But the doctor told her if she were to leave the house she could have another episode again. And what terrifies jane more then the outdoors is having another one of those episodes. So she writes. She writes about vineyards in Italy. And how when you are walking throw them and the wind blows just right. You get a sweet smell of whine. Or how the waves sound when they are crashing down on a coast in Mexico. All the things she longs to do. All the places she wishes she could go. Maybe one day. But probably not at all.
When Jenn is over they talk. They talk about all the places that they have been together. They talk about how life could \have turned out different if that doctor diagnosed her with something else. But today they talked about none of that. Today they talked about Jenns exciting new.
“I’m getting married,” says Jenn
“He proposed? That's amazing Jenn.” Stated Jane
“Yes and I want you to be my maid of honor,” Jenn asked with pleading eyes
“You know how I feel about this Jenn, I can’t leave the house” Jane started getting upset about the question. The two girls have dreamed of their weddings but no one had brought up Janes sickness. Until today. How where they when they could barely talk about the sickness.
“I know I just thought maybe you would try for this, but that's okay. “ Jenn said sadly. She Was not upset at Jane because of it. She was upset because she didn’t believe this sickness was real. She thought whatever it was was not real and was all in her mind. Placed there by the doctor.
The truth was Jane was fine. The day she was rushed to the hospital and the doctor diagnosed her Jane suffered from a panic attack caused by dehydration and extreme exhaustion. The doctor made a quick call. And because of that Jane is living in fear of something nonexistent. Jane was living a life that she didn’t have to live. Jenn knew this. Her best friend was not this person. And she was determined to fix it.
Fast forward three months later. They are planning for the most amazing wedding in 2018. And Jenn well she is planning for the most amazing come back for her best friend. Jenns Phone buzzes as she receives a message.
Jane- Have you picked your dress yet? What about the cake, did you decide on a flavor?
Jenn- Yes to both those. I will bring the dress over later so you can see it. And the flavor is vanilla.
Jane- Vanilla is so boring.
Jenn- Good thing you won't be there to eat any. :)
Later that night there was a knock on Jane's apartment. Jenn was waiting at the door holding two dress bags.
“Why do you have two dress bags? Did you get two dresses? Jane asked looking confused.
“No, I got you something” Jenn responded.
Inside the bag, there was a blue dress. It dropped down to the floor and simmered in the light. It had gems along the neckline. As the dress flowed out of the bag Jane stood there in shock.
“I have nothing to wear this to obviously” Jane stated.
“That is where you are wrong Jane. I want you to just try something. I want you to take one step out of this apartment. Nothing is going to happen to you. Nothing is going to happen to you at my wedding. Just trust me.” Jenn pleaded.
“ I don't know. I have been thinking a lot about this. I just don’t understand how I could go from traveling the world one minute to being trapped inside the next. This isn’t who I want to be anymore Jenn. I want to travel again. I miss writing about the places I have gone to.” Jane said with tears streaming down her face. But the thing that she wanted to do the most went and support her friend on her wedding day. And Jane was determined to do so.
It was the day of the wedding. Unsure still if Jane was going to go to the wedding. Or if there would be a wedding at all Jane looked at her dress one last time. She slipped the dress on and looked in the mirror. The fabric hugged the body in the right places. She was ready to see her friend walk down the aisle.
Jane took a deep breath and stepped out the door. She was on her way to see her best friend get married. And after a whole new adventure awaited.
“Did you get the cake?” Jane asked as Jenn walked into the small room.
“Yes, I got the cake” Jenn states as she sets the cake down onto the table.
Today marks year three for Janes anxiety disorder. Every year since she was diagnosed the two girls have been celebrating the day. Jenn has always thought the doctor jumped to conclusions that day.
Three years ago Jane was traveling. Traveling is something she had loved doing. She would go to a new place and write about the culture there. She did this for a job and she loved it. Until one day. She was traveling to her dream place. A little city inside of Mexico, Ismal. She had been there once before and fell in love with the city. She was on the plane they were ready to take off. When she felt a tightening in her chest. Thinking it was a heart condition she was rushed to the hospital where Jenn met her. The doctor explained to her that she might be suffering from an anxiety disorder called agoraphobia.
Now three years later Jane hasn’t left her apartment. She sits at the corner coffee table and writes. She dreams of the places she would have gone and longs to be there. But the doctor told her if she were to leave the house she could have another episode again. And what terrifies jane more then the outdoors is having another one of those episodes. So she writes. She writes about vineyards in Italy. And how when you are walking throw them and the wind blows just right. You get a sweet smell of whine. Or how the waves sound when they are crashing down on a coast in Mexico. All the things she longs to do. All the places she wishes she could go. Maybe one day. But probably not at all.
When Jenn is over they talk. They talk about all the places that they have been together. They talk about how life could \have turned out different if that doctor diagnosed her with something else. But today they talked about none of that. Today they talked about Jenns exciting new.
“I’m getting married,” says Jenn
“He proposed? That's amazing Jenn.” Stated Jane
“Yes and I want you to be my maid of honor,” Jenn asked with pleading eyes
“You know how I feel about this Jenn, I can’t leave the house” Jane started getting upset about the question. The two girls have dreamed of their weddings but no one had brought up Janes sickness. Until today. How where they when they could barely talk about the sickness.
“I know I just thought maybe you would try for this, but that's okay. “ Jenn said sadly. She Was not upset at Jane because of it. She was upset because she didn’t believe this sickness was real. She thought whatever it was was not real and was all in her mind. Placed there by the doctor.
The truth was Jane was fine. The day she was rushed to the hospital and the doctor diagnosed her Jane suffered from a panic attack caused by dehydration and extreme exhaustion. The doctor made a quick call. And because of that Jane is living in fear of something nonexistent. Jane was living a life that she didn’t have to live. Jenn knew this. Her best friend was not this person. And she was determined to fix it.
Fast forward three months later. They are planning for the most amazing wedding in 2018. And Jenn well she is planning for the most amazing come back for her best friend. Jenns Phone buzzes as she receives a message.
Jane- Have you picked your dress yet? What about the cake, did you decide on a flavor?
Jenn- Yes to both those. I will bring the dress over later so you can see it. And the flavor is vanilla.
Jane- Vanilla is so boring.
Jenn- Good thing you won't be there to eat any. :)
Later that night there was a knock on Jane's apartment. Jenn was waiting at the door holding two dress bags.
“Why do you have two dress bags? Did you get two dresses? Jane asked looking confused.
“No, I got you something” Jenn responded.
Inside the bag, there was a blue dress. It dropped down to the floor and simmered in the light. It had gems along the neckline. As the dress flowed out of the bag Jane stood there in shock.
“I have nothing to wear this to obviously” Jane stated.
“That is where you are wrong Jane. I want you to just try something. I want you to take one step out of this apartment. Nothing is going to happen to you. Nothing is going to happen to you at my wedding. Just trust me.” Jenn pleaded.
“ I don't know. I have been thinking a lot about this. I just don’t understand how I could go from traveling the world one minute to being trapped inside the next. This isn’t who I want to be anymore Jenn. I want to travel again. I miss writing about the places I have gone to.” Jane said with tears streaming down her face. But the thing that she wanted to do the most went and support her friend on her wedding day. And Jane was determined to do so.
It was the day of the wedding. Unsure still if Jane was going to go to the wedding. Or if there would be a wedding at all Jane looked at her dress one last time. She slipped the dress on and looked in the mirror. The fabric hugged the body in the right places. She was ready to see her friend walk down the aisle.
Jane took a deep breath and stepped out the door. She was on her way to see her best friend get married. And after a whole new adventure awaited.