Chronic Illness: My Story

All too often, those managing chronic medical issues feel "given up on" - abandoned, deemed "too difficult," or "too complicated." I hope to offer these patients a wholly different experience - the opportunity to feel heard, understood, and supported, no matter what stage the illness is at, or how long it will last.

 

It's clear both anecdotally and in research that the rate of chronic illness (especially autoimmune illness in young people) has steadily increased in recent years. My personal experience with chronic autoimmune disease drove me to dedicate a part of my practice to meeting the unique needs of those struggling with these complicated conditions.

 

My own journey with chronic illness began in my mid-twenties. I began to experience intense abdominal pain, nausea, and fatigue that necessitated fewer and fewer social commitments and taking time off work to rest. Doctors explored many diagnoses, including infection, virus, and cancer. The journey to diagnosis was frightening, and my physical and psychological resources were pushed to their limits. Ultimately I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.

 

In the years following diagnosis, my loved ones and I struggled with the constant demands of managing my chronic illness. My life was filled with prescription medications (and all their difficult side effects), frequent surgeries, seemingly unending recovery periods, and high hopes dashed by the relative failure of all of these treatment approaches. 

 

During these years, I became intimately acquainted with the staggering challenges that chronic illness presents to maintaining healthy relationships, a consistent work schedule, financial stability, and, perhaps most centrally, a cohesive sense of who I was and where my life could go. Contending with these worries was as taxing, if not more so, than the physical toll of the illness.

 

With the integration of surgery, medication, a wonderful group of doctors, and homeopathic treatment, I have now been in remission for several years. As those with chronic illness know, remission is relative. I still need to take the necessary steps to manage my illness each day, and contend with the uncertainty of what the future may or may not hold.

 

My hope is to put these experiences to use. My successful work with individuals with chronic illness thus far suggests to me that my personal experience affords me  a unique ability to understand the challenges associated with chronic illness and a unique way of offering support to those struggling with the same issues. 

 

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