You Don T Look Sick

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.

This life-affirming, instructive and thoroughly inspiring book is a must-read for anyone who is--or who might one day be--sick. And it can also be the perfect gift of guidance, encouragement, and uplifting inspiration to family, friends, and loved ones struggling with the many terrifying or disheartening life changes that come so close on the heels of a diagnosis of a chronic condition or even life-threatening illness. The author--who became ill while a university law professor in the prime of her career--tells the reader how she got sick and, to her and her partner's bewilderment, stayed that way. Toni had been a longtime meditator, going on long meditation retreats and spending many hours rigorously practicing, but soon discovered that she simply could no longer engage in those difficult and taxing forms. She had to learn ways to make "being sick" the heart of her spiritual practice--and through truly learning how to be sick, she learned how, even with many physical and energetic limitations, to live a life of equanimity, compassion, and joy. And whether we ourselves are sick now or not, we can learn these vital arts of living well from "How to Be Sick."

But You Don't Look Sick features 123 powerful voices living with chronic invisible illness- voices often stigmatized or ignored by society.

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.

You Donít Look Sick chronicles one personís true-life story of illness and her physicians compassionate commentary as they journey through the four stages of chronic illnessóGetting Sick, Being Sick, Grief and Acceptance and Living Well. The authors address such practical aspects as hiring a doctor, managing chronic pain, coping with grief and loss of function, winning battles with health and disability insurers, countering the social bias against the chronically ill, and recognizing the limitations of chronic illness care and charting a path for change and more. This warmhearted resource helps you focus on building a meaningful life as opposed to a life of frustration and fear. This book is thoroughly revised and updated based upon feedback from readers of the first edition. The authors have added a new section on Grief and Acceptance, address the passage of the Affordable Health Care Act and Dr. Overman has added practical travel tips that bring organization and focus to each phase of the journey. Designed for people at all stages of the chronic illness journey, this book is also illuminating for caregivers and loved ones.

“Coming to terms with this reality was a lot like accepting the death of a loved one.” You Don’t LOOK Sick!: Living Well with Invisible Chronic Illness chronicles a patient’s true-life accounts and her physician’s compassionate commentary as they take a journey through the three stages of chronic illness—Getting Sick, Being Sick, and Living Well. This resource helps you focus on building a meaningful life that contains illness as opposed to a life of frustration and fear. Designed for patients in at all stages of the chronic illness journey, this book will also be illuminating for caregivers and loved ones. From the book: “I’ve learned that having a chronic illness is not a prison sentence. It does not mean I must spend the rest of my life feeling depressed and angry, locked away from the world inside my little sick box. It does not mean that I am useless and no longer have any gifts to share, but it may mean that I must develop some new ones.” You Don’t LOOK Sick! addresses practical aspects of chronic illness, such as: hiring a doctor managing chronic pain coping with grief and the loss of function winning battles with health and disability insurers countering the social bias against the chronically ill recognizing the limitations of chronics illness care and charting a path for change In You Don’t LOOK Sick!: Living Well with Invisible Chronic Illness, you will find stories, dialogue, humor, examples, and analogy of the three stages to illustrate a challenging but navigable journey. You will also find suggested reading materials for learning to live well, medical Internet resources, illness-specific Web sites, names and addresses of national associations, and a bibliography of medical books by topic. The short chapters and straightforward language of the book will be helpful for readers who are weary and dispirited. From the authors: “I've learned that having a chronic illness is not a prison sentence. It does not mean I must spend the rest of my life feeling depressed and angry, locked away from the world inside my little sick box. It does not mean that I am useless and no longer have any gifts to share, but it may mean that I must develop some new ones.” —Joy H. Selak “My goal is to work with patients so that, like world class athletes, they can perform at their peak capacity. My job is more than giving answers; I must educate, counsel and encourage patients to set goals and implement a personal care program as well as take appropriate medications.” —Dr. Steven Overman The authors are experienced public speakers. If you wish to inquire about their availability to speak to patients or health care professionals, please contact Joy Selak by email at [email protected].

In 2014, Kristen's world flipped upside down when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis while working as a Kindergarten teacher in her mid-twenties.Through this book, join her as she finds her path to health and journey to living the best life possible! Included with her personal story of how she was finally put on the proper medication are ten words of advice for those living with MS, more details about this autoimmune disease, and suggestions for what not to say to people with invisible illnesses.This is a personal and TRUE story told from a girl who survived a tough year of fighting for the right to be treated.

Presents a practical theory of health and disease that aims to revolutionize the way we look at illness. This book provides readers a holistic approach to living that will empower them to get well - and stay well.