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To my family & Jacob:"
Because of you all, I have never felt like "
I was fighting this alone."

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Introduction: Backstory
Before diving into this head on, I thought it would be
pertinent for you, my reader, to get to know me. Otherwise,
how can you trust that I have any genuine experience
regarding chronic illness and the challenges that come
along with that? So, while I promise this entire novel will
not be an anticlimactic autobiography- I would like to take
a little bit to tell you about me. It is my hope that you will
find out- I am just like you; struggling, overcoming,
backtracking, persevering and never getting off the roller
coaster that is chronic illness. We have a bond, you and I, in
that we both shoulder the burden of being sick. Sick is a
word I have never liked, because it never seems to
encompass my reality, or accurately describe it. When
someone says theyre sick, the general assumption is 1 of 2
things. Either you have the common cold/food poisoning/
flu/strep, ______ (fill in curable ailment of your choice
here). Or, they think you have something horrendous and
life threatening, like cancer. What about those of us
somewhere in the middle? I am one of many who have an
illness that will not kill me but as far as my doctors have
told me, will never leave me. So this book is for people like

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me, who fall in the middle ground with no end in sight.

Autonomic Dysfunction is what sent me to the middle
ground. Its hard to sum up my twenty-three years of life so
Ill make it as brief as possible and I will refer to my
autonomic dysfunction as episodes. I had my first
episode when I was 4 watching my sister get her blood
drawn, and it is one of my earliest memories. We would
come to find out it was not a fear of needles but rather the
start of my health journey. Over the next few years I led a
very normal life, only having episodes a few times a year,
and always early in the morning. At this point a typical
episode consisted of me breaking into a cold sweat, my lips
turning purple, extreme nausea and stomach pain. As I got
older the episodes became more frequent, and by middle
school the stomach pain was accompanied by stronger
headaches and near fainting experiences. Fast forward a
few more years, and Im being carted around to specialists
all over the country and going through MRIs, EKGS,
blood draws, tilt table tests, week long blood pressure
studies, diet changes, hospital stays and further declining
health. By 14, I wound up under the care of an
electrophysiologist at Duke Medical Center who would

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officially diagnose and start treating my condition. I went

on to get a dual chamber pacemaker implanted at 15 and
the years to come would be some of the hardest of my life.
I learned that even though I had an official diagnoses, and
my episodes now had a name and a medical explanationAutonomic Dysfunction (specifically, Vaso Vagel Syncope
and later Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
accompanied with Chronic Migraine) was not something
that had a cure. On my worst days I would wake up with
nausea and vomiting, debilitating migraines that would
cause me to lose my vision, fainting multiple times a day
resulting in more gashes, bumps and bruises than I can
count, sweating, shivering, heart racing, blood pressure
dropping and just feeling down right miserable. My doctor
at Duke was ambitious and relentless in trying to improve
my quality of life, but even he recommended seeing
additional specialists- referring me to the best of the best. It
was at the Mayo Clinic that I was required to see a therapist
for the first time, to ask me how I was coping with being
sick. I was 17, had been forced to medically withdrawal
from college, and was just now facing the fact that this
diagnosis had the power to drastically alter the vision I had

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for my life- and that, as Im sure you know, is a very hard

pill to swallow. That was roughly six years ago. The low
points to follow were devastating and heartbreaking but I
write this to you in a period of my highest high. I am
twenty-three years old, working part time, going to school
full time and weeks away from graduating from
Appalachian State University. I will end this by saying, I
am in no way a medical professional- I am not writing this
to share with you my secret cure, although I wish it was
that easy. The truth is my health is beyond unpredictable
but I have learned how to live despite it and I am
experiencing one of the healthiest stretches I have ever had
(knocking on every piece of wood in my surrounding).
Despite feeling good most days, it is during this time that
the thought of backtracking hits the hardest. When you are
in the pits of being sick, your focus is not on the mental
aspect of your disease but the physical symptoms and just
trying to make it through the day. As I sit here writing, the
only thing I still recover from is the emotional and mental
toll that chronic illness has taken on my life. I am so
healthy today and I hope that one day the pessimistic
worrisome voice in my head will be forever silenced. The

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voice, that irrationally pleads to never have another episode

filled day again. As much as I am writing this book for you,
friend, I am writing it for me as well. I will inevitably have
thousands of bad days throughout my full life but I have
overcome them before and I know I can again if I have to.
So to all the people who fall in the sick middle groundheres to hoping our good days outnumber our bad. We
cannot control our health, but there is so much I have
learned that is within our control, and I pray this book will
be of some assistance to you.

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Chapter 1: Surviving School

School: better defined as one word, six letters, and my
biggest nightmare. Don't get me wrong; I actually enjoy
school. From an early age I loved to learn, spend time with
friends and eat pizza sticks and Smores Pop Tarts for
lunch. But being successful in school while dealing with a
chronic illness has been my biggest challenge to date.
School is a place where schedules are strict, rules are hard
lines in the sand, and accommodations are not freely given.
Im an average student whose work ethic makes me
exceptional. I did not easily earn As in my classes but I
would put in enough work to make sure I got them. My
freshman and sophomore year of high school I was
fortunate to get a few teachers who did whatever necessary
to help me succeed. I spent most of my days in after-school
tutoring to make up for days missed in class, or pouring
over state assigned textbooks to teach myself what I needed
to know. Everything started to unravel pretty quickly and
despite having great grades and doctors notes, my
absences were getting higher than allowed. So with no
assistance from the administration, some dedicated teachers
and a sweet nurse helped me figure out how to work the

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system. I would be sick in the nurses office for as long as I

could, then pushed in a wheel chair to my class so I could
sit in the room long enough to be considered present for
the day. I had teachers who would give me one look (and
believe me, I looked miserable) and tell me to lay down in
the back of the classroom because the system is so
ridiculously flawed. Borderline unconscious and without a
shred of pride left, I made it through my first two years of
high school. Not without sitting in Saturday school to earn
recovery hours for the amount of absences. I was fed up
and my parents were even more so, arguing with my
principal about the lack of guidance or support. For two
years we got no where, but then the greatest blessing
occurred. A new school was being built, new lines were
drawn in the county, and I was now zoned to complete my
junior and senior year at a different school. It was during
these two years that I experienced a school administration
that really fought for their students, an administration that
wasnt consumed with my attendance but my education,
and a new administration that listened incredulously at my
high school experience thus far. If you remember nothing
else from this book, remember this- you have rights as a

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disabled student to accommodations that will help you

learn- but you have to educate yourself and demand them!
If I wouldnt have switched schools, I never would have
learned how the system could bend for me, and make my
learning experience tolerable and empathetic. At my new
school I immediately got set up with a 504 Plan and then
later, an IEP. According to DO-IT, an organization
promoting inclusion and success for people with
disabilities, The 504 Plan is a plan developed to ensure
that a child who has a disability identified under the law
and is attending an elementary or secondary educational
institution receives accommodations that will ensure their
academic success and access to the learning environment
(DO-IT, 2015). More detailed than a 504 Plan is an IEP,
which stands for Individualized Education Plan. When
setting up an IEP, there will be a meeting between you,
your parents/guardian, as well as members of the school
faculty and administration. After sharing documentation
and educating the school on your disability, you all work
together to list what accommodations will best suit you.
Immediately, I was allowed an elevator key to avoid steps,
granted permission to leave class early to steer clear of

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crowded times in the hallway incase of fainting episodes,

assigned a peer buddy to accompany me to classes/lunch/
bathroom so that I was not left unattended if fainted, note
takers when missing class, extension on deadlines when
sick, and countless other arrangements to help me excel.
All of these additions were helpful and while school was
smoother my health was not and eventually I needed more
support. Seeing my declining health and rising stress, the
vice principal came to my house and talked to my family
about setting up medical home-bound. Medical homebound is essentially home schooling. The school would
arrange for teachers within the Cabarrus County School
System to come to my house several days a week and
spend time giving me individualized instruction. If you are
at the point where home-bound is on the table, it can feel a
lot like a defeat. Believe me when I say, it is not. Homebound made it so I could focus on managing my health
while still receiving the education I deserved. With home
bound I was free from attendance limits and having to risk
my safety to sit in a traditional learning environment. In
order to keep this system from feeling like a punishment,
my vice principal made it so that I was allowed to check in

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to school as a guest and sit in my normal classes

whenever I felt good enough to. I graduated high school in
a student government position, with several A.P. courses
under my belt, multiple scholarships, college acceptances
from everywhere I wanted to go, and a confidence in
myself that I could learn despite my health obstacles.
If you are struggling with a disability and being
successful in school, I encourage you to reach out to your
administration and share your story. What worked for me,
may not work for you, but you have to be an advocate for
yourself and get your school system to think outside of the
box to help you. My first two years I assumed that the
school was doing all that they could for me and I was
wrong. Make sure you are not settling for a poor school
experience when there are so many non-traditional options
out there. Ask about a 504 Plan, an IEP, and medical
homebound. When you start to get behind in classes,
immediately let your teachers and administration know so
you can set up a plan for tutoring and additional support.
Communication and education are your greatest tools so
make sure you take advantage of them!!

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Chapter 2 - Surviving Doctors Appointments

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Spending ample amount of time in cold, sterile doctors

offices and hospitals is pretty much unavoidable. Waiting
rooms filled with awkward silences, bad music and
outdated- germ covered magazines are just about my idea
of hell. Even the cool places like Levines in Charlotte or
The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota are still not places I want to
spend my time. No matter how many bright art installations
hang from your ceiling and walls, they do not mask the
things you see, hear, and smell. Its almost impossible to
wrap your mind around the level of opposites that take
place within medical walls- deaths and births, agony and
joy, sickness and health. I think these polar opposites are
what cause my discomfort.
Whats important to remember when youre in these
places is that the men and women surrounding you, are
trying their hardest to help you and everyone else. When
you sit for almost an hour before your appointment, try to
imagine the person who just needs a little more time today.
On our sickest days, no one wants to feel rushed out of an

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appointment and reminded that ultimately health care

practices are still businesses.
I have read horror stories of people being mistreated by
doctors, being accused of faking, or just handed pills
instead of care. While I have not been pleased with all of
the doctors I have crossed paths with, I have been beyond
fortunate in the level of care I have received. I have met
some the most dedicated and caring doctors, nurses,
physicians assistants and specialists over the years, and I
will be eternally grateful to them. If you are one of the
plenty who have had a negative doctor experience, don't be
discouraged, there are so many caring medical
professionals that will not treat you poorly. While it is true
you cant believe everything you read on the Internet,
Facebook is actually a great outlet for doctor
recommendations. I belong to several Facebook groups for
patients suffering with the same illnesses as me; thousands
of people participate in this group feed. In less then five
minutes you can join a group, post a question, and get
hundreds of recommendations for where people received
their best care.

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Once you find the office and professional that best

addresses your needs, you need to make sure youre always
honest. Believe it or not, I am not a whiney person by
nature so it took me awhile to realize that Im not helping
the doctor or myself by pretending I feel better than I really
do. Its not complaining to rattle off symptoms and
ailments, but rather necessary. No one knows how you feel,
except you. So be honest and advocate for yourself. I was
guilty of putting on a polite smile and playing down how
bad things were going. Luckily until I learned to advocate
for myself and be honest, I had a mom who was absolutely
fierce at it on my behalf.
In addition to becoming your own advocate, my next tip
for you when attending appointments is to make sure you
have kept a record of your symptoms. Especially when
dealing with specialists, you may have weeks to months
within visits and it can become easy to forget important
events during a short few hour appointment. You will have
to find out which form of journaling and organizing works
best for you. I found it easiest to print out a calendar chart
and record main events through out the day. For example, if
on March 3rd I vomited, had a migraine, and fainted three

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times- all of that would get recorded. If my migraine finally

broke on March 7th, I would record that and highlight the
same color as the day it began. This format may not be the
best for you, but its really important to go into
appointments with concrete knowledge on whats been
going on with your body since the last time you were seen.
I found symptom tracking especially helpful when new
medicines or therapies were introduced so it was easier to
pinpoint reactions and outcomes.
The best piece of advice in terms of doctors
appointments is to make sure that you are making the most
of them- take advantage of the one on one time you are
receiving. By coming prepared with symptom history,
current medications, and any changes you are giving your
doctor the best chance to pinpoint what adjustments need to
made. Finally, I reiterate the point that nobody knows how
you feel but you, so speak up and advocate for what you
need!

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Chapter 3 - Surviving Non Traditional Approaches

So after waiting months to get in, I was at the Disney

World of Doctors aka The Mayo Clinic and had a whole

week scheduled of back-to-back appointments. I remember
reading over the schedule I had been given and when
scanning over it, wondering what Biofeedback was. It
was a quick appointment and during the forty-five minutes
I spent with the doctor, I got a quick introduction on what
biofeedback was and was able to try some of the therapies.
In short the goal of biofeedback is to be able to try and
regulate functions of our body that is normally involuntary,
such as muscle tension, heart rate, blood pressure, etc.
Biofeedback therapy can be beneficial for countless reasons
but I used it specifically to deal with the chronic pain that
comes from my conditions and migraines. After one
session, I felt so relaxed and lightened from my day, it felt
like a miracle. In conjunction with my normal medical
treatment, I was thrilled to find something else that could
ease my symptoms.
Experiencing biofeedback and witnessing the effect it had
on my body, my family and I became very interested in
other alternative therapies that may be useful. Through
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out the ups and downs of my health journey, people are

always suggesting and sharing what has worked for them
and if it wasnt a standard approach I had always been
skeptical. After that forty-five minute appointment at the
Mayo Clinic, I was hopeful. From that point on, I took
every suggestion to heart and would research it and ask my
specialist his opinion before writing it off. I was lucky to
have a doctor who was to encouraging of alternative
therapies, rather than dismissing them.
In the years to follow since my biofeedback appointment,
I began eating gluten free and regularly getting
acupuncture, along side biofeedback sessions. I do not
think any one thing is the cause for my current peak in
health- but I cannot deny how much these practices have
made me feel better overall. Again, what works for me
may not work for you and I am not suggesting alternative
therapy is the magical cure for chronic illness- or in
anyway a substitute for the traditional care I receive. That
being said, all of these approaches are natural and make me
experience no negative side effects. These days when you
take a prescription drug, sometimes the side effects are
worse than the problem you were taking it for in the first

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place. Call me desperate, but I was at the point where I was

so miserable everyday that I would try anything that
wouldnt make me worse. Through trial and error, I have
found several non-traditional approaches that have aided in
my recovery. I encourage you to think outside of the box
and do some research on what options exist outside of, or in
addition to, daily prescriptions. Even if you use them to
cope with the mental burden of chronic illness, there are so
many amazing natural and safe treatments that can be
helpful.
My number one recommendation to you would be to give
acupuncture a try. Being sick is hard, I will get into that
more later, but sometimes what I need more than any drug
or IV therapy is just a sense of peace and calm. When your
body is constantly in pain, it causes your mind to be
exhausted, too. For me, acupuncture can take me to a place
of calm- where for a little bit I can just focus on breathing
and not worry about the school work thats late or the
friends party I missed. With every deep breath I can drift
away from the reality of my situation, and when my session
is over I leave better than I came, even if its just by a little
bit. I think everyone needs a safe vice that eases the burden

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of chronic illness and refreshes them, and I hope and pray

you find whatever that is for you.

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Chapter 4- The Stereotypes and Stigmas

As I mentioned before, being sick is hard and sometimes

the extra baggage is worse than the physical condition

itself. Most of the extra baggage that I deal with pertains to
the fact that my illness is classified as invisible. An
invisible illness is one that despite having a disability or
symptoms that extremely impair your life, outwardly you
show no physical signs of your illness. So what happens
when there is a pain others cant see? Most times, it is
questioned due to lack of understanding. For example, I
have a handicap parking pass that I use very sparingly. I
was having an extremely symptomatic day and needed to
quickly run into a store. My friend was driving my car and
when we got into the parking lot she pulled right into the
handicap spot. I have the pass so I am the shortest distance
to getting out of the road or parking lot- fainting conditions
and parking lots/roads arent really a great combination.
Additionally, should I faint after getting out of my car
(position changes are a fainting trigger) than I am closer to
a store or business in hopes that someone will see me.
Essentially, I use the After parking and getting out of the
car a security guard came over and very rudely said, what
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disability do you have to be parking there?!! I remember

the shock and embarrassment I felt when he asked me and I
nervously stammered out that I had Autonomic
Dysfunction and was granted this pass by my doctor, and
quickly walked past him. That was a few years ago and my
anger towards the situation has grown profoundly since
then. This anger is mostly directed at myself because I
missed a prime opportunity to teach an ignorant human
being something that would have maybe changed his
perspective. If I could go back and have this encounter
again, I would tell that security officer that his accusation
filled question was beyond offensive and that I hope he
does not have a habit of singling people out ask asking
them that. I would tell him that just because you cannot see
that I have an illness, doesnt mean its not there and by
questioning it he has tried to discredit every struggle I have
fought to overcome. Lastly, I would tell him that I hope if
he had any questions he would ask me, and maybe we
could have had an intelligent conversation that would stick
with him forever so the next time he though about judging
or jumping to conclusions about someone- he would think
better of it. I missed my opportunity that day, and whats

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even worse is I allowed that man to let me feel embarrassed

and ashamed when I had done nothing wrong.
Unfortunately, the man judging me in the parking lot was
not the first nor last time that I will experience negativity or
doubt regarding my health. I have mostly encountered
lovely people but I am not so naive as to think comments
have been made behind my back questioning why I look
perfectly healthy one moment and sick the next. I
encourage you to not let yourself be burdened by any
ignorant, haphazard comments that stem from ignorance of
invisible chronic illnesses. But in the event that you are
treated poorly, speak up. I didnt speak up to the security
guard in the parking lot but I did in another situation. My
first year of college, I lived in a true college town. The
downsides of this small college town was that the medical
centers seemed to be more used to dealing with more self
inflicted drunk/drug related medical issues from college
students than true conditions. After visiting the health
center on campus, and speaking with my local doctor- I
was encouraged to get admitted at the closest hospital.
After getting through the emergency room and finally
seeing a doctor, I was treated so poorly. My medical history

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was not even taken into consideration and I was instructed

to drink water, as if my condition was being a drunk
college kid.. In instances like these- especially within a
medical or professional community- you need to report
your treatment! After suffering through my time there and
getting out as quickly as I could, I filed complaints with
the hospital and was informed this was not the first
complaint this doctor had received. While you cannot keep
speculation from arising about your health, you can
absolutely make sure that you get the care you deserveeven if you live in a college town, full of drunk college
kids.

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Chapter 5- Surviving Relationships

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The blessing and curse with chronic illness is that

you learn pretty quick who is in your life for the long haul.
Despite best efforts on my part, those closest to me have
taken on the caretaker role at one point or another. This part
of being sick I have never been good at, and while I have
improved significantly, I want to share with you some of
my experiences. I feel as though at least some of my
readers will be able to relate to my struggles with
relationships and will benefit from the lessons I have
learned. Looking back over the course of my illness I can
pretty much pinpoint the mistakes I made along the years
and what I should have done instead.
Mistake 1: Denial. High school was a pretty high time of
denial for me. Despite being the sickest I had ever been, I
was also the least open about it with my friends. I would
push myself so hard to be normal that I probably made
myself significantly sicker. If my friends were doing
something, I was never going to say no because of my
health. I had amazing friends that I had the most incredible
fun with, but I never shared with them my lows or let them
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in on my struggles. Obviously its hard to hide a fainting

condition, and they knew about it, but I never would ask
them to cater our plans to my needs. Then inevitably my
body would have enough of my normal behavior and I
would be bed bound with only a friend or two in sight.
Angry and hurt, I would log these moments in my head and
let them fester until I found myself considering certain
people bad friends and writing them off. Now looking back
on that situation with a greater maturity level I realize that
people dont know what you need until you tell them. Most,
(not all) fifteen year old kids are too wrapped up in
themselves to have any idea how to be a good friend to
someone who is chronically sick. Instead of cutting friends
off, I should have been more open and honest about what I
needed from them. My suggestion to you, is when engaging
in meaningful friendships to share with people the ins and
outs of your condition. I would tell my high school friends
that I cant stay up all night and that when Im not feeling
well it would be awesome if they would come to my house
and be lazy with me. I would tell them I dont want to pick
between a social life and my health, but I value their
friendship and I hope they can understand. You have to

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teach people how you want them to address your life

situation, rather than denying its existence and being mad
they dont acknowledge it or understand it.
Mistake 2: Burden. Once you have taught people how to
address your chronic illness, your relationships will become
so gratifying. At this point, I have narrowed my circle of
friends down to people who really know and love me. As
my relationships strengthened, I no longer had to ask to
be cared for, rather people responded to whatever state I
was in. I cannot tell you the immensity of gratitude that
comes from being cared for by family and friends. I am
forever appreciative of the love and support I receive
during my highs and lows with my health. That being said,
I am not a burden, and it may have taken me twenty-three
years to say this, but I am not. I do not engage in
relationships with people only because they are willing to
care for me when needed. Additionally, people do not need
to constantly be rewarded for providing support. Even as I
write this, I fear being misunderstood. My point is that just
because I faint and my boyfriend (Jacob) rushes to my side
to take care of me does not mean I owe him anything.
Relationships are composed of two or more people who are

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mutually benefitting from each other. I know that if the

roles were reversed and Jacob was the sick one, I would
never question taking care of him, its just an added
component of what comes with loving him. I am grateful
for his care amongst a million other things, and I know he
is grateful for things I do for him. Why is this important
you ask? Well, when you think of yourself as a burden, you
are putting yourself in a position to become taken
advantage of. Being chronically ill puts you in a vulnerable
position because you lose your independence and you need
help from others. The people who help you, should not be
looking at this as a service to you. They shouldnt get
something for taking care of you because its not a favor, its
a part of your life. If you find yourself brushing off
someones bad behavior because they took you to the
doctor last week- run. If you find yourself in a relationship
where what they have done for you is constantly being
brought up- run faster. Appreciate what your loved ones do
for you but dont allow it to be held over your head.

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Chapter 6- Surviving your Faith

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I would be lying if I told you I was never filled with rage,

demanding to know, why me?! in moments of weakness.
But as these moments subside, I have always found
strength in my faith. My faith gives me hope of a bigger
plan, a purpose in my journey, and I have leaned on that
during my lowest lows. As a Christian, I am not unfamiliar
to others looking at the bad situations and asking where my
God was then. So if you are a believer, and a chronic illness
sufferer- do you ever question where God is? I think that is
natural, it can be confusing to believe in a higher power
with the capability to heal, and yet you suffer. But my
creator knew me before I was born, he weaved my journey,
knows my hardships and hears my cries. In Corinthians
there is a verse that says, My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I
will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that
Christs power may rest on me. That is why, for Christs
sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in
persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am

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strong The last few lines of this verse have always been
my favorite, I will delight in weaknesses for when I am
weak, then I am strong. Instead of letting my pain create a
separation between my faith and I, it has strengthened it.
Consider all you have learned throughout your journey with
chronic illness? Personally, because I have struggled and
then overcome, I want to bring hope to those who are
suffering. My health has helped mapped what I hope to get
out of my life, something I may not have discovered
otherwise. After dealing with so many sick days, I hunger
to be able to make to bring joy to others during their
moments of heartbreak and pain. I acknowledge that it is
easy to accept my health during a period of good days, but
my faith is even more vital when I am down.
No matter what you believe in, I encourage you to stay
strong in your faith during times of struggle. Rather than
asking why me? acknowledge that you dont understand
the plan right now, but one day you will.

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"
Chapter 7- Surviving your Dreams/ Living

"

One of the hardest parts of chronic illness is how

unpredictable it is in nature. Good days are hoped for and
bad days are planned for, which makes setting long term
goals very intimidating. Nevertheless, they are so necessary
and so vital. Not setting long-term goals is admitting defeat
and letting your illness define you. Even if your goals seem
impractical and impossible, let them be the hope that drives
your recovery process. Long-term goals give you
something to look forward to, and to plan on. Those goals,
hopes, plans or dreams are what you set your mind to when
youre in a rough patch. That being said, long term goals
are just that- long term, and out of reach for the immediate
future. Equally as important as long-term goals are shortterm goals. In a period of consecutive bad days, months,
even years, you need to set small goals in order to celebrate
successes. When I was newly placed on homebound, my
small goals were getting to school for at least one class
period a week. It seems like an easy venture, with classes
only lasting an hour, but there were some weeks I didnt
meet it. So when I didnt meet a goal, I would try again the
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next week and keep trying until I succeeded. I recommend

having several goals, rather than just one. These goals can
be so simple, maybe your goal will be drinking x bottles
of water, getting in a twenty minute walk, doing crunches
in your bed, getting out of the house, etc. Meeting these
goals fills a sense of accomplishment that otherwise you
may not experience within your low points.
Feeling successful, having dreams, and striving for goals
are all things I used to be happy no matter what my body
was going through. I used to think that you could wake up
and automatically be happy, but I have realized it is more
about making a set of choices while maintaining a specific
mind set that will lead to happiness. There are going to be a
lot of setbacks and days where your instinct is not to feel
positive, but I encourage you to find joy. Do not let this
illness break your spirit, rather, everyday wake up and
chose to find something to smile about despite your health.
Having a chronic illness has definitely shaped who I am as
a person, but I love some of the qualities I have developed
as a result of it. Being chronically ill has given me a
constant desire to do well in this world. Because I have had
a taste of hardship, I want to help anyone who struggles. I

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want to pay forward all the kindness, dedication, and

prayers I have received whilst being on this journey.
Throughout all the negatives that exist within our society
on a day-to-day basis, because of my chronic illness I have
grown up seeing love, and selflessness from friends, family,
teachers, strangers and medical professionals- its actually
been a really humbling journey that I am so thankful for.
So for now, thats all the wisdom and advice I have to
share with you on living with chronic illness. From the
bottom of my heart, I hope that something I have written
will resonate with you and make your journey a little bit
smoother. Always remember that chronic illness does not
need to define you, but if managed efficiently and with a
positive attitude, it can help you see the world in a beautiful
way. Always advocate for yourself and make sure that you
are receiving the appropriate care and accommodations you
are entitled to. And finally, lean on your faith or belief
system, as well as your friends and family during your bad
days- and they will lighten your load.

"
Heres to next time, when I can hopefully share my survival
guide on my experiences in the workforce.

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