Chronic Illness:

So many of us are living smaller, harder, more invisible lives. 
 

According to the CDC, chronic illness affects more than half of all American adults, and more than a quarter live with two or more chronic conditions.  While that is the majority of us, we can feel so alone, so isolated, and separate because of our symptoms, the impacts of our illness(es), and because of our limitations.  You are not your illness(es).  And, you are not alone.

Here are some resources that might speak to you.

Hope is a Four-Letter Word

For me, hope can be a double-edged sword.  It can give me a reason to look ahead and try to carry through, but then when my hopes aren’t met or are dashed, what am I left with? Hopelessness? Pema Chodron, American Buddhist nun suggests that we “abandon all hope.”  What would that mean? Live in despair? Here's another suggestion: agency. When I have self-determination…

Trying to Manage Additional Crises AND Chronic Illness

This year has started out pretty rough, after tearing tendons and ligaments in a spectacular ankle turn, my mother in law was hospitalized for eleven days of January (9 of that in the ICU), shortly after, my wife totaled our vehicle.  We are so thankful that no one was injured – that’s not nothing!  Additionally, she runs her own business and is having an issue with the primary place…

Remembering I'm Enough

These illnesses have a way of stripping us bare.  I've recently been overwhelmed with additional, temporary illnesses, on top of all the things I'm ordinarily coping with – the “extra” has been more than I could handle.  My tendency to turn inward at these times, instead of reaching out, does not serve me.  At times like these I am prone to forget the most basic truths of my circumstance…

Learning to Love this Imperfect (Illness-riddled) Body

In the years that I’ve been sick.  My illnesses have multiplied and compounded.  What began as a diagnosis of mono, eventually became Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Fibromyalgia.  Later I developed a rapidly advancing muscle wasting disease called Polymyositis and the adventure of having an auto-immune cluster of rare diseases began in earnest.  I lost 40 pounds of muscle weight in less than three months.  Along with it, I lost...

%!#?@ Control?

We all want control. How does chronic illness impact that? Loss of control is a hallmark of chronic illness. What does my hair have to do with chronic illness and control? When there is so little that I can control, when I am overwhelmed by so many things happening in my life and in the world around me. However, today: I have a clean…

Managing the Isolation of Chronic Illness

Prior to getting sick, I was an extrovert’s extrovert.  I was a people person who got my needs met by being around people.  When my energy was flagging, I was typically recharged by (you guessed it) being around people.  I have basically zero amount of social anxiety.  In fact, if there is such a thing as solitude anxiety, I have that.  As a child, I shared a…