So here I am talking about Chronic Illness and injury and it hit me that some people may not know what the definition of Chronic Illness may be. Here is my take on it. Chronic Illness is an medical term for a range of illnesses including but not limited to…
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Diabetes
- Chron’s disease
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Arthritis
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic illness can be of four main types…. they can be permanent but the severity can vary over time, they can get worse over time (degenerative, like CF), they can improve as the result of medication or the illness running its course or they can remain stable. Many Chronic Illnesses can lay dormant for years then appear suddenly – known as an “acute episode”, which means it temporarily becomes more severe. As you can see there are many different illnesses that can fall under this term. However, no matter what your illness is called, it will affect each person in different ways and every ones way of coping with illness is different – not better or worse, just unique to that situation.
For people who have a loved one with a Chronic Illness it can be very confusing and upsetting when one day their loved one is fine and the next they are in extreme pain. Or in some instances they may not look sick but they are really very ill. It is always really important to just treat them as you would like to be treated in the same situation. With patience, love and a level of understanding.
When living with illness and injury it can be really hard to try and communicate the pain, anger, sadness or problem you currently have to your loved one. It can take a lot of energy when energy is at a premium but to do so will only benefit you and your loved ones a hundred times over. Being upfront and open about what is going on will give each party a level of understanding that can only help them cope in the long run.
Now if I am going through something that is weighing on my mind, I am open about it. I don’t talk about my health all the time but when I do, it is with the purpose of giving those around me a better understanding of what is happening and how I feel about it. We can then discuss what we can do together to help us get through that moment. I do it with patience, love and to give a level of understanding to my “support network”, after all KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! By communicating as best you can, Chronic Illness will not divide you from those that love you and most importantly, it will NOT conquer you either!! Make communication part of your positive approach to living with Chronic Illness and you too will reap the benefits!
All the best, Lily
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