Coping with Chronic Illness

Today I will continue the series of posts regarding Chronic Illness, which began with the first post entitled, “The Positive Side of Chronic Illness”.  As was stated in the previous post, a good working definition of chronic illness is an illness or disease that continues for a long time or perhaps will never go away.  In many cases of chronic illness, there is likely no end in sight as there might be with a sudden illness or accident in which a patient needs short-term care but does improve and regain healthy physical/emotional status.  It is important to note that not all chronic illnesses are necessarily fatal illnesses, but some are conditions which can be managed with proper information about the illness and perhaps extra help from family members or a professional caregiver.  Examples of these might be diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, heart conditions, or many other such illnesses.

In researching this subject, I found a very good article and would like to post some of that article today.  The article was published on the Home Instead Senior Care website; it listed 10 steps to help a person (or the caregiver) cope with chronic illness.  These 10 steps were written by the Harvard Health Publications.  I will list the 10 steps and summarize the details and add to them from my own experience.

1. Get information. Make sure to get good thorough information from you doctor(s) or other medical personnel as related to the chronic illness.  Do your research on the internet and report findings to your doctor(s).
2. Don’t leave everything to the doctor. Pay close attention to your body and any physical/emotional/mental changes.  The doctor will be better able to work with you when you are able to report all symptoms or changes occurring.
3. Build a team. One doctor may not have all the answers, so this is when it is vital to seek specialists, dieticians, psychiatry, and your primary physician.  I have also used a chiropractor and an acupuncturist.
4. Coordinate your care. Once you have built your team, decide upon one doctor who will coordinate your care.  In essence, make sure all who are treating your illness are aware of the other team members, aware of all treatment plans, and are working together as a team to care for you.
5. Invest in yourself. Make the healthy lifestyle changes necessary to better manage the illness – for example: stop smoking, eat healthy foods, and exercise more.
6. Make it a family affair. When making your lifestyle changes, it will be much easier if you involve your family or caregiver rather than trying to make the changes alone.  This gives you the extra support you will need when ill.
7. Manage medications. Normally a chronic illness will require medications as part of the treatment plan.  Make sure you have an updated list of all medications, including strengths and dosages.  Organize the medications in the labelled pill containers (Sunday-Saturday), and if appropriate use more than one container for morning, noon, evening medications.
8. Beware of depression. Many articles I read relate depression to chronic illness.  It is very common, and understandable, for a person with chronic illness to become depressed.  Know the signs of depression and be sure to report any signs or changes in behavior to your doctor.  This one factor can play a large role in how a person copes with chronic illness.
9. Reach out. Seek out a support group.  Talk with people who are dealing with the same illness.  You will not feel isolated and alone when you know there are others fighting the same battle you are fighting.
10. Plan for end-of-life decisions. As stated previously, not all chronic illnesses are necessarily fatal.  However, it is wise to have a plan of action and a plan of care in place, just in case the illness becomes worse.  Having a plan ahead of time will give you peace of mind.  I would recommend a written plan of care and an advanced health directive, so that you will know your wishes will be carried out should the illness progress.

Harvard Health Publications’ list is a good list of solutions for coping with a chronic illness.  I will add a few more from my own set of coping skills while dealing with chronic illness.  This is a very important time to practice all the measures of self-care which we have discussed in previous posts such as sleeping well, eating properly, and practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation. Stress over chronic illness will only worsen the illness; therefore it is vital to practice coping skills to combat any stress. For myself, the most important coping solution I use is prayer and the reliance upon God.  Prayer brings a peace to me that nothing else can bring; and I make it a habit to let go of what I cannot control and give the illness, and the healing of the illness, to God who does have control of all things in my life.

Please feel free to leave notes in the “comments/reply” box with any suggestions you may have for coping with chronic illness.  I love to incorporate suggestions from the readers into my posts!

Have a wonderful evening!