I was just recently diagnosed with a chronic illness & am in my thirties. It’s a path I didn’t think I’d be on for a long time if ever! I don’t want my illness to consume me, but where do I start it making wise choices? Can I be a “healthy” sick person? -Amy Choosing to live well with a chronic illness isn’t easy. But after living with systemic lupus for more than 9 years, I now know that taking this step is paramount to improving life with a chronic illness. It takes keen self- awareness, patience, & forethought to actually choose “well”, but it can be done, & the results are worth every bit of effort you put forth. What does choosing “well” mean? It means acknowledging that you have an illness that is chronic, … [Read more...]
More Than a Bathroom Key – a Pass!
September 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment
If you have interstitial cystitis, prostatitis, pelvic pain syndrome or another condition that requires emergency access to a bathroom, have you ever been unable to convince someone that you really need to get in there... & fast? Well, the Interstitial Cystitis Network Mail Order Division has a solution: a ICN Medical Restroom Access card. This card can be shown to flight attendants, shop keepers & anyone else who might help you gain access to a restroom. Their web site states, "This is a vital part of your IC awareness arsenal. Not only will it help you gain access when you need it, but it can educate others about the true, & occasionally desperate, need for restroom facilities for patients struggling with urological … [Read more...]
Living with An Illness That is Invisible: Getting Past Misconceptions
August 27, 2009 By 9 Comments
Living with an illness that few people can visible see can cause assumptions and frustrations among our relationships. How can we change this? "You look so good! You can't be as bad as you say. You look perfectly healthy." "You think you have fatigue? Try working full-time plus having four children! Then you'll know what chronic fatigue is." "I think you're spending too much time thinking about how you feel. You need to just get out more." "If you really wanted to get well, you'd at least try that juice drink I gave you last week. It won't hurt to try it." And the comments go on. . . and on. And it really hurts. You may be surprised to hear that nearly 1 in 2 Americans has a chronic illness or physical condition that impacts … [Read more...]
