What I Got Really Wrong About My Chronic Illness
I got some things REALLY wrong.
When I look back on the years that I was operating on these false assumptions about my chronic illnesses, I wish I could go back and have a nice, long chat with myself. But, here we are, and I can’t do that. Instead, I want to share what I have learned with you.
I am hoping to give you some shortcuts to Chronic Wellness that I wish I had known about. While the particulars will probably look different for you, here are some Chronic Wellness fundamentals that I got completely wrong.
I thought that if I followed my doctors’ orders, that would be enough.
I could not have been more wrong about this one - so, it gets top billing. Most of my doctors are of the best in their fields. But, they have their lane. They tend to be very traditional and spend next to no time discussing what I can accomplish through lifestyle changes. It’s just not a thing for them.
While I am all for using traditional medicine for what it is good for AND following doctor’s orders related to that, I could not disagree more with the notion that there is nothing you can do for your chronic illness besides medication, chemo, surgery, etc.
In my experience, there is a TON that you can do for yourself through lifestyle changes that relate to reducing stress (physical, mental and environmental), better nourishing your body, exercising, reducing inflammation, hydrating, etc. While you may or may not be able to cure your illness, you can certainly make a positive impact. In my case, taking a more holistic approach completely changed my life and health for the better.
This can look different for all of us. If you are looking for your answers, Day 2 of my Chronic Wellness Challenge contains a self-assessment that provides the basic areas of your life to consider. Once you have an idea of what areas might need some attention, you can dig deeper on figuring out how to take some action.
I took a passive role and looked to my doctors as the experts on me rather than recognizing how much of an expert I was about my situation.
I did not advocate enough for myself at certain junctures. I thought that what my doctors said was the law. And, I was a lawyer - so, that seems ridiculous!
I did not push back hard enough or soon enough when my former oncologist was blowing off my incessant coughing during chemo. I brought it to his attention and my concerns were minimized. I figured he was the expert, not me.
Unfortunately, the coughing turned out to be a sign of a reaction to chemo that permanently damaged my lungs. I should have been taken off that chemo drug immediately when the coughing started, but instead I had at least a couple more rounds of it because my cough did not present in a “typical way.”
I did not push the issue, and I could have. I could have refused the drug once I had concerns. Of course, my doctor should have recognized what was going on, too. But, here we are.
This one hurts. My hope is that you realize how much of an expert you are on your situation. Trust your gut AND act on it. Be your own advocate.
This involves using your informed intuition and not giving up on getting the care you need. For more clarity on this, check out Day 5 of my Chronic Wellness Challenge.
I looked at my chronic conditions as isolated situations rather than connected.
This seems obvious to me now. But, somehow I missed the fact that all of my issues have some connection to my underlying immune function problems - autoimmune issues and lymphoma.
But, when I was getting sick every other month, I thought that each isolated cold or infection was just that - an isolated event.
When I started to take a more holistic approach to my health, everything started to improve - my lungs, the frequency of colds and infections, and my energy level.
Since my main goal is to keep my lymphoma at bay, I would say that having less distractions for my immune system has been a great achievement that I could only have accomplished by recognizing the connections between my issues, and working hard to improve my underlying immune health.
One of the ways I was able to do this was by changing my mindset. I realized that I needed to start working on figuring out how to better support my body and my immune system. This realization was the impetus that led me to make a lot of changes.
Thriving Mindset — but how?
For more information on having a Thriving Mindset, check out Day 6 of the Chronic Wellness Challenge
I thought that I had to only work with traditional doctors OR go full tilt into alternative medicine.
Oh my! I suppose this was a function of the fact that the only non-traditional methods I was aware of involved people who did not resonate with me - they did not see any place for western medicine.
What I did not realize is that there was the possibility of taking an integrative approach that could encompass all kinds of modalities. I finally figured this out and started doing things like getting acupuncture, seeing a naturopath and getting bodywork WHILE still seeing my traditional doctors.
The end result is that I know better what my body specifically needs (and doesn’t) and I am open to doing what is right for me regardless of the camp it falls in.
If you are looking for who might be missing on your healthcare team, check out Day 5 of Chronic Wellness Challenge Consider whether there is room on your healthcare team for an integrative provider.
In summary, I got a lot wrong.
Of course, hindsight is 20/20. But, it took me years to change my thinking. And, I am so glad that I did because once I started to take a more integrative, personalized and proactive approach, I started to get healthier to the point that I feel better than I did in my 20s.
I am honored to share my experience with you in the hope that you can fast track your path to Chronic Wellness.
I don’t necessarily know what the future holds with respect to my chronic illnesses. But, I do know that I am a lot healthier, stronger and have more agency than I ever have.
What are the lessons you have learned on your chronic illness journey that you wish you knew before?
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