COPING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS | Arthritis Information

This is a very good article by Dr. JoAnn LeMaistre about living with a chronic illness. Dr. LeMaistre knows what it is like to deal with a chronic illness on a day to day basis because she has MS. I thought this was a good read....

From the article:

Traditionally, the experience of serious illness has been approached in two ways: (1) a gloomy perspective of resignation, self-denial, and helplessness, or (2) a Pollyanna approach that denies altogether that there has been a real trauma. Both of these perspectives distort and disguise the reality of chronic illness.

The first perspective views the chronically ill person as a failure. This is the patient who does not respond to the "miracle" of modern medicine, and somehow the lack of recovery is often perceived as the patient's fault. This attitude of blame accounts for some of the worst psychological abuses of patients by health practitioners and caretakers, an attitude typified by the too-frequently heard statement, "Stop complaining. You simply must adjust." Unfortunately, the sick person may also adopt this punishing attitude toward himself or herself. Sadly, the word "adjust" too often means "resign," "settle for less than a desirable existence," and "surrender." At its worst, "adjust" is just another way of saying "You are now a nonperson without the right to experience strong passions, desires, or fierce and unyielding hope." All the anger and blame inherent in this attitude is misdirected: the patient rather than the disease becomes the target.

http://www.alpineguild.com/COPING%20WITH%20CHRONIC%20ILLNESS.htmlLynn492008-05-29 05:11:57Very good article Lynn. good posty as usual... great read Ditto. GOod read, oh so true.

It all encompasses the idea as well that "we did not choose this way of life of being ill all the time". My friend and I often speak of this. It is not a choice, if we had to choose a chronic disease/illness we certainly would not have chosen blindless, neuropathy, RA, heart disease, FIbro. But, it becomes our list, but not who we are. Just our list.

Lynn. This is along the same line as the article but I see this a lot at the bedside. And that is attitude. I see patients fare better when they are more upbeat and positive. The ones that act like eeyor, don't do as well in the long haul. It is hard to get out of this rut though, once in it. I had debilitating headaches for 5 years, went from doctor to doctor and was all but told it was in my head, stress, overwork, need more exercise, etc, etc. After a while, that gets to a person. I know what bad chronic pain is and I hope never to go back to those days. Took me a long time to recover both physically and emotionally once they subsided. I was raised believing attitude is everything and that life is to be lived to its fullest. So far, it has worked for me. I can't say that I never get frustrated or lose my patience, but that kind of attitude doesn't last long with me.

Could be because I lost both my parents in my 20's and those beliefs were definately reinforced when my youngest child as diagnosed with cancer. RA has never defined who and what I am and it never will...[QUOTE=jodejjr]

But, it becomes our list, but not who we are. Just our list.

I like that.

Great article Lynn.