GIFTS COME IN STRANGE FORMS. OUR TASK IS TO LOOK FOR THEM, RECOGNIZE THEM AND MAKE THEM OUR OWN.
The disabled often say that those who are able-bodied are just temporarily so, that most of us at some point in our lives will suffer from some form of physical disability. Many of us believe in the old adage that states that if youíve got your health, youíve got everything. However, unexpected health changes can happen to any of us. Even without the health we may have formerly had, our lives can continue to be rich and full although different.
Our life spans have increased enormously over the past century. Most of us will live into our seventies, eighties or longer. However, the rise in longevity that most of us can expect brings with it the increased probability that we will suffer from one or more physical diseases during our lifetimes. The incidence of heart disease, stroke and cancer is high in Western societies. There is currently a diabetes epidemic that is associated with obesity due to diet and lack of exercise. Adults are more prone to developing diabetes, but an alarming number of children now experience type II diabetes. Many people develop immune- deficiency diseases such as lupus. These diseases are often an outcome of lifestyle choices. However, given the length of our life spans, there is a high probability that a health crisis will come into our lives at some point.
A chronic illness is one that persists over time without an easily definable beginning, middle and end (see the examples on the back page). While the suffering that accompanies a chronic illness can usually be alleviated to some extent, the illness itself is usually not curable. Our society, and the medical establishment in particular, feels more comfortable in dealing with acute illnesses – those diseases that can be treated and cured. This is easy to understand when we consider that society tends to value achievement and action. We prefer to deal with diseases that have a distinct cause, treat them with medication or other interventions, and then wait for the healing to begin. Chronic illnesses are not amenable to such quick fixes. They are conditions that we have to learn to live with – and lacking social support, the task of adapting to a chronic illness can be a major challenge.
Living with a chronic illness brings many issues to the fore. One of the primary experiences of those with chronic illness is the trauma of realizing that their lives have changed, often permanently. Not only do they have to deal with the many changes that the illness will bring to their lifestyle and future plans, but they have to deal with the trauma the illness presents to their loved ones, friends and work associates. Other people fail to understand the disease and suddenly treat the sufferer in a different way – often through avoidance or superficial and uncomfortable support. The person with a chronic illness is sometimes seen as failing to contribute his or her fair share in a work setting. The disruption to families can cause severe conflict because it upsets the normal balance in family dynamics.
The disabled often say that those who are able-bodied are just temporarily so, that most of us at some point in our lives will suffer from some form of physical disability. Many of us believe in the old adage that states that if youíve got your health, youíve got everything. However, unexpected health changes can happen to any of us. Even without the health we may have formerly had, our lives can continue to be rich and full although different.
Our life spans have increased enormously over the past century. Most of us will live into our seventies, eighties or longer. However, the rise in longevity that most of us can expect brings with it the increased probability that we will suffer from one or more physical diseases during our lifetimes. The incidence of heart disease, stroke and cancer is high in Western societies. There is currently a diabetes epidemic that is associated with obesity due to diet and lack of exercise. Adults are more prone to developing diabetes, but an alarming number of children now experience type II diabetes. Many people develop immune- deficiency diseases such as lupus. These diseases are often an outcome of lifestyle choices. However, given the length of our life spans, there is a high probability that a health crisis will come into our lives at some point.
A chronic illness is one that persists over time without an easily definable beginning, middle and end (see the examples on the back page). While the suffering that accompanies a chronic illness can usually be alleviated to some extent, the illness itself is usually not curable. Our society, and the medical establishment in particular, feels more comfortable in dealing with acute illnesses – those diseases that can be treated and cured. This is easy to understand when we consider that society tends to value achievement and action. We prefer to deal with diseases that have a distinct cause, treat them with medication or other interventions, and then wait for the healing to begin. Chronic illnesses are not amenable to such quick fixes. They are conditions that we have to learn to live with – and lacking social support, the task of adapting to a chronic illness can be a major challenge.
Living with a chronic illness brings many issues to the fore. One of the primary experiences of those with chronic illness is the trauma of realizing that their lives have changed, often permanently. Not only do they have to deal with the many changes that the illness will bring to their lifestyle and future plans, but they have to deal with the trauma the illness presents to their loved ones, friends and work associates. Other people fail to understand the disease and suddenly treat the sufferer in a different way – often through avoidance or superficial and uncomfortable support. The person with a chronic illness is sometimes seen as failing to contribute his or her fair share in a work setting. The disruption to families can cause severe conflict because it upsets the normal balance in family dynamics.
Read full article here: http://fvinstitute.com/article/living-with-a-chronic-illness/
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