Chronic Resilience: Strategies for Living with Chronic Illness

August 9, 2013May 14, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 4 Comments Book review, Living with chronic illness like RA

My first glimpse of Chronic Resilience

When Danea Horn contacted me last year to be interviewed for her upcoming book, Chronic Resilience I had no idea of her story. Danea was born with VACTERL Association, a rare kidney disorder. She has turned living with illness into a mission to explore redefining “positive” and to bring “creative affirmations” into others’ lives.

Today, Danea’s new book arrived in the mail. Of course I read the chapter with my interview first. 😉 But peeking through, I’m convinced the other chapters will be wonderful. The chapters contain the stories of nine women who “exemplify resilience as they each gracefully manage their own chronic illness.”

Being chronically sick sucks, but how does chronic resilience help?

<br /> Danea does not lie about the fact that “being sick sucks.” But she and the other 8 (and I) have walked in our shoes of living with an illness that becomes an unwelcome yet permanent companion. We have had to learn to manage IT (illness), and not let it overtake our lives.

Sometimes I’m asked what I meant by being an RA warrior. I make the mistake of thinking it’s as obvious to everyone as it is to people living with Rheumatoid Disease (PRD). It’s about fighting FOR our lives. Fighting to never let the disease win. To get as much of our lives back as possible. To never give up. To keep the disease from ever taking over us. To seek whatever information and support we need to live the best life we can, to take care of ourselves – and to share the same with others.

This book is about – and for – warriors like that.

From Danea Horn’s Chronic Resilience website

Chronic illness changes everything… we place pressure on ourselves to be the model patient, find a cure, be positive, or to continue on with life as if nothing is wrong. This only causes more stress. I have coped with chronic illness since I was born, but in 2006, my health took an unexpected turn toward needing a kidney transplant… feeling lost I needed to find a new way to cope with illness.

Chronic Resilience is my journey to become a more compassionate caregiver to myself. In the book, I offer you everything I’ve got about becoming an owner of your own diagnosis. You’ll read my triumphs, embarrassments and insights about navigating illness. Within the pages you’ll find practical tips to:

Stop pushing yourself so hard.
Use research to empower – not frighten – yourself.
Let yourself be pissed!
Train your troops in how to care for you.
Cultivate focus and flexibility.
Find things to be grateful for.
Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t.

You’ll also read the stories of nine amazing women who exemplify resilience as they each gracefully manage their own chronic illness. The illnesses covered include: cancer, autoimmune disorders, idiopathic pulmonary hypertension, transplant, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Cushing’s disease and diabetes.

Postblog: Guys: this book is about and by women, but men who live with chronic illness are also resilient. For men, there may be some different resilience strategies, but they are still needed. After I finish the book, I’ll report back more on that. If 2 million people have RD in the US, then at least 460,000 are male.