5 Gifts that Come from Chronic Illness - Guestpost & Giveaway
Last week I interviewed Danea Horn about her new book for HealthCentral. Danea agreed to do a guest post for The Seated View and generously offered to give away a copy of Chronic Resilience: 10 Sanity-Saving Strategies for Women Coping with the Stress of Illness
. This is a great book that has lots of real, practical tips on creating a good life with a chronic illness. I plan to give it to several women I know, including some that don't have a chronic illness — the tips can be used by anyone who needs help with managing stress. Check out the bottom of the post for instructions to enter the giveaway.
Take it away, Danea!
. This is a great book that has lots of real, practical tips on creating a good life with a chronic illness. I plan to give it to several women I know, including some that don't have a chronic illness — the tips can be used by anyone who needs help with managing stress. Check out the bottom of the post for instructions to enter the giveaway.Take it away, Danea!
Illness comes with many unpleasant gifts: fatigue, pain,
appointments, worry, medications and a host of other inconveniences. These are
obvious. What is less apparent are the unexpected blessings that can come from
dealing with a chronic illness.
Of course, no one would choose to be sick for these gifts.
However, if you have to cope with an illness, it’s good to be reminded of the
positives that can come from the journey.
I was born with a congenial disorder that set me on a
lifelong healing path. I’ve had many of the unpleasant gifts: pain, infertility
and I am currently on the national kidney transplant list. I know that illness,
in and of itself, is decidedly not a gift.
Yet, if the sky is blue, it is blue. There is no sense in
arguing with reality. So, I decided to go on a treasure hunt through my health
history to find 5 amazing gifts that have come from my health challenges.
1.
A Good Excuse to Rest: Everyone needs to rest sometimes. It is important
for our body to recuperate from the rigors of work and family responsibilities.
Every few months my back will remind me, through not-so-subtle pain, that it is
time to take a break. I respond by putting life on pause and engaging in much
needed self-care.
2.
Motivation to Eat Healthy: Due to the nature of my kidney disease it became
important for me to adopt a vegan diet. I can’t say that I would have made this
choice without the doctor’s nudge, but I’ve had more energy and felt better
even with limited kidney function. I have also enjoyed inventing vegan versions
of my favorite comfort foods. Last night we had biscuits and veggie “sausage”
gravy. Yumm!
3. Brings Dreams to Life:
Illness is a poignant reminder that we don’t have all the time in the world. If
there is something you’ve always wanted to do, now is the time. As the lab
measurements of my kidney function declined, I knew I needed to switch gears. I
quit my corporate job and began writing. Amazing thing is that my first book is
in stores now.
4.
Gratitude for the Small Things: I
have never been more grateful for buttered crackers than after surgery.
Disappearing pain, a call from a concerned doctor, warm hospital blankets, easy
needle stick, short wait for an appointment, all of these tiny things become
moments to rejoice in.
5.
Acceptance: I believe acceptance is one of the more important skills we can
learn as humans. We do not get to control all of the circumstances and
challenges in our lives. We do get to control our reaction. Accepting what we
cannot change frees our energy to focus on how we can adjust and participate in
our care. Illness has made me more trusting, more vulnerable, more open and
more loving than I would have been without it.
These gifts don’t come wrapped with a bow. They are not
always shiny, or even welcome at times. However, gifts are there, we just have
to look for them.
Today, I’d love to give away a copy of my new book, Chronic
Resilience: 10 Sanity-Saving Strategies for Women Coping with the Stress of
Illness. If you’d like to enter for a chance to win,
Lene and I would like to know:
What gift have you received from chronic illness or other
challenges in your life?
Write your answer in the comment section below before Sunday, August 11, 2013 at 6 PM EST. Winner will be selected at random and announced on Monday, August 12, 2013. NB: Please remember to include your name on your entry!
________
Danea Horn is the author of Chronic Resilience: 10 Sanity-Saving Strategies for Women Coping with the Stress of Illness. She blogs at www.ChronicResilience.com.
. She blogs at www.ChronicResilience.com. 
Comments
Now every second Monday, I ensure I limit any work ( it is officially my non working day - so I'm not completely there with my prioritisation) and I have a range of massages and beauty treatments, coloured nails make me smile each day and the massages really help.
I also make sure that I do not waste effort on what I cannot influence - agonising over the worry of others in cases when I can't help is probably a driver for my disease.
If not for RA, I might not have such empathy for others. It has made me a better person.
For example I never would have met you, Lene
Finding my happiness from self-assessment, not the false beliefs of others who try and judge my capacity for activity.
Appreciating and treasuring the moments I can spend giving to my partner, as well as the time he spends helping me care for myself.
I have always been a bit too independent. That had to change as my illness progressed. In return, I gave me an appreciation for those moments I can reach out to my partner with whatever support I CAN share with him. It helps tremendously to make receiving his care a thing I am thankful for instead of a thing I wish weren't necessary.
I also have learned to have many fewer moments of frustration. It still happens, but much less often. Relaxing into a moment instead of ineffectively thrashing toward a (currently) unattainable goal is something that makes life much better on a daily basis.
Cris Peacock