Hope And Help For Living With Illness

OCaring for ourselvesO is a popular topic across all segments of the population. As people age, many are facing their own and loved ones' health issues. An uplifting resource offers suggestions for dealing with sickness and disability, and a unique approach to issues of health and spirituality.

When Marisa Zeppieri was 22-years-old she found herself face-to-face with a raven-haired elderly woman who had emerged from a crowd and gently taken her hands: God will use these hands to change people's lives.Years later Marisa's once-spirited demeanor was shrouded in anger and bitterness. Triggered first by a near-fatal car accident that sent her 100-lb body flying from a crosswalk and later by a painful Lupus diagnosis, she became stuck in a season of brokenness.But in the seasons that followed, an insatiable emotional, spiritual, and physical hunger took over: She learned how to nourish her broken body with the help of food, herbs, and a gastronomically-gifted Italian grandmother, while also nourishing her broken heart and crushed spirit through a deeper relationship with God.With Chronically Fabulous, Marisa fulfills the old woman's prophecy by offering pure nourishment to those of us living with chronic illness, helping us create wholeness and well-being through a love of food. Here, the founder of LupusChick, a nonprofit supporting those with autoimmune diseases, offers guiding principles, personal stories, and recipes that support whole-life thriving. With the depth, smarts, and spiritual advice beloved by her dedicated followers, Marisa shows us how faith, passion, and persistence can radically change our lives.

The problem with a long-term chronic illness is that it isn't a quick fight, taking a few drugs and having a couple of weeks in bed will not cure it. It isn't ever an out and out win, you never beat the illness forever. It is a long-term war, some battles you lose and some you win: It is an on-going campaign. It is a chronic illness, after all. In the end, the struggle is about getting to a place where you can live together, the illness and you, and trying to make the most of the environment you share, an attempt to make it a positive life.This book is a collection of experiences I have faced living with a chronic illness, experiences I am still learning from and having to deal with every day. It is like living in no man's land, somewhere between feeling ill and feeling healthy, but not really being healthy or ill.I hope, by sharing my experience, I can help you with your journey, dealing with your chronic illness or give you some tools to help you make some sense of living with a chronic condition. Please note: small sections of the book are only relevant to the UK NHS system.Book Chapters are:Why should you read this book?What is a Chronic Illness?Hello, this is meMy stagesTalking about 'it.'PacmanWho is your battle with?Who to trust with your health?Cheese sandwich again?Remission, relapse are just wordsInspiring? Me?Learning to trust yourselfEverybody has their own battlesFragilityInvisible illnessRare DiseasesMy personal thoughts on ...Changes we can make from today; master of my fate.Final word

Chronicles one person's true life story of illness and her physicians compassionate commentary as they journey through the four stages of chronic illness; Getting Sick, Being Sick, Grief and Acceptance and Living Well. Designed for people at all stages of the chronic illness journey, this book is also illuminating for caregivers and loved ones.

Unlike a leg in a cast, invisible chronic illness (ICI) has no observable symptoms. Consequently, people who suffer from chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and many other miseries often endure not only the ailment but dismissive and negative reactions from others. Since its first publication, Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired has offered hope and coping strategies to thousands of people who suffer from ICI. Paul Donoghue and Mary Siegel teach their readers how to rethink how they themselves view their illness and how to communicate with loved ones and doctors in a way that meets their needs. The authors' understanding makes readers feel they have been heard for the first time. For this edition, the authors include a new introduction drawing on the experiences of the many people who have responded to the book and to their lectures and television appearances. They expand the definition of ICI to include other ailments such as depression, addiction, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. They bring the resource material, including Web sites, up to the present, and they offer fresh insights on four topics that often emerge: guilt, how ICI affects the family, meaningfulness, and defining acceptance.

This practical, compassionate, and inspiring book helps people with cancer navigate the often complex and difficult journey from diagnosis through treatment and life after disease. It illuminates the challenges associated with a cancer diagnosis and provides inspiration and guidance to help you not only to find the right doctors and care plan but also to cultivate hope and purpose. In Cancer with Hope, former CEO Mike Armstrong chronicles his experience with leukemia, prostate cancer, near-fatal sepsis, and a crippling autoimmune disease. Mike shares how his often difficult journey from humble beginnings to leading some of the world's top corporations taught him the importance of hope and purpose, tools that proved invaluable throughout his cancer journey. More than the tale of one man's experience with cancer, this important book includes expert advice and vetted resources to help patients best manage their disease, as well as compelling stories from a wide range of cancer patients who have faced seemingly insurmountable odds yet managed to maintain hope and find meaningful purpose.

The bestselling step-by-step guide that will show you how to break the cycle of fear and cure your feelings of panic and anxiety. My heart beats too fast. My hands tremble and sweat. I feel like there’s a weight on my chest. My stomach churns. I have terrible headaches. I can't sleep. Sometimes I can't even leave my house.... These common symptoms of anxiety are “minor” only to the people who don't suffer from them. But to the millions they affect, these problems make the difference between a happy, healthy life and one of crippling fear and frustration. In Hope and Help for Your Nerves, Dr. Claire Weekes offers the results of years of experience treating real patients—including some who thought they'd never recover. With her simple, step-by-step guidance, you will learn how to understand and analyze your own symptoms of anxiety and find the power to conquer your fears for good.

Support and wisdom when serious illness strikes Sally Wilke gets it. She has lived with and through the serious chronic illness of someone she cared deeply about. And she has provided pastoral care to individuals and families in similar situations. Waiting for Good News captures her hard-won, helpful, and hope-filled wisdom. Wilke organizes this book around seven questions that those who face serious illness often ask. From "What Is the Diagnosis" to "Where Do I Find More Help?" she accompanies readers on their own journey. The heart of the book is the stories--Wilke's own, those of others who have struggled with severe illness, and accounts from the Bible. Here, readers will find strength, support, and a way forward in a difficult situation. As practical as she is wise, Wilke offers tools, tips, ideas, and resources for reflection and for obtaining additional support. Chapters conclude with questions that may be used for personal reflection and discussion with family members, patients, and support groups. Clergy, other pastoral-care providers, and family and friends of those who struggle with serious illness will find examples and helpful practices to guide their efforts as they partner with those seeking to find their way.