Let's talk about Chronic Ilness

Acute vs Chronic Illness

Before I was diagnosed with an Autoimmune Disease I had no idea what chronic illness was. I thought that you were either well or sick. If you were well, all was great and you would live a normal life. If you were sick, you were usually dealing with aging issues or had a terminal illness such as cancer. I thought this was how life was because I witnessed my grandma and a childhood classmate die from terminal cancer.  They were “sick” and this is what sick looked like to me.

I never dealt with an illness so unfortunately, this is where my uneducated mind was around the terms “sick and well.”

I never broke a bone and rarely got sick with the flu or colds. I was an athlete and I was pretty darn well. I was healthy and strong.  In my experience, if I got sick with a cold, I would be out for a few days but eventually I would get better and get back to normal living.  Those days would be cumbersome and often annoying, but I always knew that the end of my illness was near and I would be back to my old self again.

I had no idea that you could be sick with debilitating symptoms that would last for months and years that would not result in dying. I didn’t know you could be sick and have to live with it. I didn’t know you could be sick and have to manage your symptoms day to day and hour by hour. I didn’t know until it happened to me. Several years ago, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness (an autoimmune disease) and my life turned upside down.

Acute vs. Chronic

Health problems can be characterized as either “acute” or “chronic.”  Acute conditions usually begin suddenly, have a single cause, are easily diagnosed, last a short time, and get better with medication, surgery, rest, and time. Think broken leg or flu.  Most people with acute illnesses are cured and return to normal health. There is usually little uncertainty for the patient around outcome.  On the other hand, chronic conditions usually begin slowly and proceed slowly. Unlike acute conditions, chronic conditions usually have multiple or unknown causes. Chronic conditions usually are persistent, long lasting, and lead to more symptoms.  Rarely is there a cure for chronic conditions (Lorig, Sobel, Gonzalez, 2012).

Here are some examples of chronic diseases:

• Allergies and Asthma

• Alzheimer’s Disease

• Anxiety/Depression/PTSD

• Arthritis

• Asthma

• Autoimmune Disease (lupus, endometriosis, Celiac, gastrointestinal disorders, chrons diseases, AAG, etc)

• Cardiovascular Diseases

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

• Chronic Pain

• Chronic Heart Burn and Acid Reflux

• Diabetes

• Dysautonomia

• Epilepsy

• Fibromyalgia

• Gastrointestinal Disorder (IBS, IBD, etc.)

• Heart Disease

• Hepatitis

• Lyme Disease

• Migraines

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Parkinson’s Disease

• POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)

• Stroke

• Substance Abuse Disorders

• Many More

Just because someone doesn’t have a terminal illness or might not look “sick” doesn’t mean they aren’t experiencing symptoms that make them feel sick. People with chronic health conditions face a new reality. Simple and even enjoyable stuff like meeting up with friends is often more difficult than it is for a regular person. There may be good days and there may be bad days but the health condition doesn’t go away.  Every day is a day that requires management and acceptance of the disease. It’s never easy.

So…let’s have a little more compassion, understanding, and education around chronic illness. Be careful of judging others because no one knows what invisible battle anyone is facing.

Leave me a message if you or a loved one is dealing with a chronic illness. There is hope and you can live well with a chronic illness! I am here to help. Let’s get this discussion growing.

Reference:

Lorig, K., Sobel, D. &  Gonzalez, V. (2012).  Living a healthy life with chronic conditions. Boulder, CO:Bull Publishing Company.