A client who lives with MS told me that he wishes he was Clark Kent. With the slip of a cape, he’d become his real self: Superman! And then his left leg work wouldn’t drag, his right hand would grip properly and he’d walk to his car minus the cane.
No one would have […]

My good friend’s “baby”, Jimmy, got a diagnosis today of ulcerative colitis.   Jimmy has always been a strong guy — and he’s lost 15 pounds in the past month!  He told his mother that for the first time in his life, he felt like he was drowning.
The “good news” is […]

I’d take a guess that if you’re reading this, you live with some chronic issue - pain, fatigue, limbs or brain that doesn’t work right. Have you noticed how often people leave a conversation with, “Happy Thanksgiving”? Probably more times than you can count.
I know I find […]

A reader emailed because she’s trying to figure out if and how to tell co-workers about her new chronic disease diagnosis. She wondered if I still offer “Free consultations”. (By the way, check out my newly designed website — with new resources!)
I don’t because it doesn’t offer enough value and since I can’t […]

This past Friday I missed an appointment with a client because I spent two hours waiting to see a hand surgeon about an infection in my thumb.
By the time I saw him, the tears were welling in my eyes.  Nope –I don’t cry when I’m angry.  This experience brought back the memories full force of […]

According to a survey of 1,000 people, (thank you Amy at Diabetes Mine for the direct link) 82% of respondents said they knew someone with a chronic illness but only 34 percent were likely to suggest ways for this person to better manage their care.
Well, hurray for the 66% who know better […]

I was speaking to the State Street Global, Disability Awareness Group yesterday (I’ll bet you didn’t know that it’s National Employment Disability Awareness month?) and I got this question:
   “I often think that I’ve explained myself (why I can’t do something) only to find people are angry or disappointed with me. […]

There’s no such thing as fair… in love, war or office politics. Certainly, not in health. When you don’t have good health, nothing good comes from thinking about fairness.
A client, in a burst of “honest disclosure” recently shared with her boss that it’s not fair that she got MS at this […]

My post from Sept. 13, Talking About it Does Help, got a lively discussion going. What should you, can you, “rightfully” and thoughtfully, expect from others when you bring up the big CI (chronic illness).

Nope, no answers … you knew I’d say that … but I do have another suggestion. […]

I coach, I write and think about this topic: how can a person live as full a life as possible when living with invisible chronic illness?   Yup, people do tell me me that I can get to be a bore, always referring to this.  It’s become a reference point for me for […]