Chronic Illness and Marriage: Thoughts From an Ill Husband

AN ILL HUSBAND SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON MARRIAGE and what has gotten him and his wife through those tough times. Nice to see the perspective from a man who lives with illness. #chronic #illness #marriage

Most of the articles you see online show what marriage is like from the perspective of an ill wife. Karlton Douglas, our devotional writer, would like to share with you what he believes has helped his marriage survive. I thought it was a nice change to have the perspective of an ill husband too. May it bless you, Lisa "The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called "woman," for she was taken out of man.' That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh." (Genesis 1:23-24) Marriage takes a lot of work. It requires compromise, not always getting your way, sacrifice, and putting the needs of others before yourself. A successful marriage is one … [Read more...]

Romantic Ideas for A Chronically Ill Woman to Romance Her Husband

ROMANTIC IDEAS FOR A CHRONICALLY ILL WOMEN TO ROMANCE HER HUSBAND - when "hot and bothered" has a whole new meaning of hot flashes and annoyance you know it's time to start adding a bit of romance into your life--even if you DON'T feel like it -- you will be glad you did. #chronic illness #romance

This article is for the ladies and here is one for the men if you have an ill wife "Hot and bothered!" For most people these words create images of being twisted up in sheets, breathlessly reaching out to the one you love. For those with chronic illness, however, "hot" is more likely to refer to one's thyroid condition, night sweats, or a heating pad on high. "Bothered. . ." Well, let's just say when your body aches, everything makes you feel bothered: a cat that won't move off your leg, a joint that continues to throb, and a husband that is able to snore through minor earthquakes. It can be hard to be romantic! You may be surprised to know that nearly 1 in 2 people live with a chronic illness in the U.S.A. That means a whole lot of … [Read more...]

Awareness Week Preparations Begin For Those with Invisible Illnesses

awareness week

We have started our summer preparations for Invisible Illness Awareness Week! Hi, Friends! I am excited to be kicking off our summer prep for National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week! Did you know Rest Ministries is behind this awareness week? Rest Ministries began National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week (NICIAW "for short" -- I know it's a mouth full!) in 2002 and so we are celebrating 10 years this year! When we first began the awareness week, we had a chatroom for our virtual conference and the term "invisible illness" was rarely even seen online. Through the years, the support of many of you have made this awareness week one of the coolest events online, as thousands join in for the virtual conference (where … [Read more...]

“You Are Too Young to Be That Sick!”

too-young-to-be-ill

"You are too young to be that ill! Oh, you are too young to be dealing with that kind of pain." Why do simple, even well-intentioned words hurt so much? By Lisa Copen At the age of twenty-four, a thousand miles away from my family and living in a new city, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Over a period of four weeks and about eight doctor’s visits, I finally found a physician of internal medicine who listened to me explain my symptoms; in less than two days I had a diagnosis. Despite the terms “chronic” and “forever” I felt relieved to know the label that described my chronic pain. Few of my friends, however, shared my enthusiasm for a diagnosis. The managers at my office were more concerned about the fact that I … [Read more...]

Devotion: Are You a Rebel? When We Rebel Against Our illness

30-rebel

"Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." (Proverbs 28:13) Have you ever done something--or not done something you should have--as a little power trip that you are playing with yourself and your illness? Let me explain. I confess, there have been times I have remembered that I needed to take a certain medication, and yet, I have just not gone and done it and then it has slipped my mind. Though I I have known that a certain action, like using a heating pad or an ice bag, may very well alleviate some of the pain and yet I have resisted. Sometimes I am in so much pain that the day seems like it is wasted already, so a part of me figures, "why bother?" I have procrastinated on … [Read more...]

Fight Thoughts Of Suicide With A Random Act of Kindness

depressed-woman-suicide-hope

Feeling suicidal or blue can be normal when you live with chronic illness. One way to fight them each day is by doing a random act of kindness. By Lisa Copen, this is a reprint from http://thinkingaboutsuicide.com where Lisa is a contributor. The web site is a good place to turn during those rough days to help you remember that God cares about you and is here beside you even when you don't feel like it. Experiencing that rock-bottom depression and pain--both physical and emotional--can quickly convince you that there is nothing worth getting out of bed for one more morning. You may even be wondering if you should keep fighting those thoughts of suicide, or if it is finally time to just give in. Perhaps you are tired of fighting and … [Read more...]

How to Handle Hurt Feelings In Health Social Networks

HOW TO HANDLE HURT FEELINGS IN HEALTH SOCIAL NETWORKS: Health social networks can be a tremendous support for the chronically ill, but they can also be a source of many hurt feelings. How do we prevent this? If you have ever been on a health social network, chances are you have had your feeling hurt. It comes with the territory of people being in pain, on and off new meds, lacking sleep and short fuses. Great article if you have a #invisibleillness

Health social networks can be a tremendous support for the chronically ill, but they can also be a source of many hurt feelings. How do we prevent this? By Lisa Copen The Internet has provided us with a support community environment of online health social networks that are unique and always available. In the illness community, it is no surprise how helpful it can be when you are awake at 3 AM and there is someone online who is also awake due to pain. However, with this easily accessible health social networks of people also comes the frustrations that typically occur with our in-person relationships. Add to this, the fact that many people are not feeling well and may be moody, in addition to the likelihood that people are much more … [Read more...]

Community Outreach Illness Scenarios Teaching Tool

what-would-you-do

Community outreach is more than just vacation bible school and Christmas programs. Read through these illness scenarios to see how your church can improve their community outreach and pastoral support for people in the church. By Lisa Copen Community outreach seems to be a common goal of many churches, but it often gets stuck on Christmas programs or vacation bible school. But community outreach, as well as support within our church body, is vital to the lives of so many people. Have you seen the T.V. show, "What Would You Do? With John Quinones"? In it, they have actors set up a situation and then wait to see if anyone gets involved. Do people stand up for the "underdog"? Will adults buy teens beer? Will people stop a drunk parent … [Read more...]

Why Bother Living When I Am Facing a Serious Infection Without a Hand to Hold?

why-bother-living-serious-infection

By Lisa Copen, this is a reprint from http://thinkingaboutsuicide.com where Lisa is a contributor. The web site is a good place to turn during those rough days to help you remember that God cares about you and is here beside you even when you don't feel like it. Have you ever wondered where God is when no one seems to hold your hand through those tough times? When you cope with health problems, you hold on and fight to stay positive, but there are days when you can easily wonder, "Why bother living when I am facing a serious infection without a hand to hold?" It was the seventh day of being hospitalized with the flesh eating bacteria and I felt so alone. The couple of people who had visited were friends my husband had emailed or … [Read more...]

God’s Surprising Timing: A Story From a Military Spouse

military-spouse

In honor of Military Spouse Appreciation Day, today, May 4th, we offer you this inspirational article from a military wife. Thank you to all the families who serve our country daily--including the spouses and children of the men and women who are soldiers. In honor of Military Spouse Appreciation Day remember to say thank you, not just to a solider, but to his or her spouse too! Lynn Burchfield I’m currently enduring a very challenging deployment, but I want to tell you about the amazing gifts from God that have not only helped me through, but brought my family back on a path to Him. Our son was born in April 2009 and I could not imagine being any happier. Unfortunately, an upcoming deployment was looming and I couldn’t help but … [Read more...]

Are You Being Too Nice? Not Uncommon for Chronically Ill

too-nice

Are you too nice? Is there such a thing for Christians? How can we be kind, but also please God, not be people pleasers? By Leslie Vernick Do you ever find yourself saying "yes" when you want to (or should) say "no"? For example, several years back, a graduate student asked me if I thought she would make a good counselor. I knew her gifts weren't strongest in that area, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings. She left our conversation believing I thought she was capable. We all do it. We say "yes" when our honest response should be "no." But let's take a look at the cost of being too nice. By being too nice, we can hurt people It amazes me how unaware we are of how we injure people by being too nice. Isn't that why we're nice to … [Read more...]

52 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend

beyond-casseroles-book

If you are looking for ways to encourage a friend who is living with a chronic illness, dealing with a lot of pain, or even fighting cancer, this article is a great starting point to think creatively! Get the "Beyond Casseroles" book for 505 ways! By Lisa Copen Excerpt from Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend - Please do not reprint without permission or reword a few of the ideas and post as your own article. We've seen quite a few out there and appreciate you linking back to the source here. Thanks! "A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world." ~Lois Wyse Ask, "What events in your life are changing and how are you … [Read more...]