This actually reminds me a bit of my trans experience, where the 'correct combination' is a testosterone-dominated brain/body, and the 'illnesss' was being ravaged by depression, dysphoria, self-isolation, and eating disorders brought about by the wrong hormones flooding in as a teenager. I didn't fully realize myself until age 28, and being whole again really does feel like I missed so much - friends, good times with family when I was bitter and anorexic instead, career growth, etc. But the future can still eventually get as bright as it could have earlier.