Foreword
We live in a time when health care is complicated and frustrating. In the world of medical practice, we have shifted from a simple, personal interaction with the patient to a "hurry up" managed care, bureaucratic, defensive, complicated mess. Naturally, it is shocking and overwhelming to accept and understand the diagnosis of a chronic illness. What should I expect? Why me? How is my life going to change? Suddenly, many diverse questions come to mind and very few answers. This journey of uncertainties becomes less stressful when traveled with empathetic caring from charismatic healthcare providers.
As a physician in private practice for over 13 years, caring for patients with chronic illnesses, I am well aware that miracle cures are few and far between. Long ago, I settled into the role of provider not only of patient care, but also information regarding alternative treatment options and, most importantly, hope.
I have known Linda Ruescher for over 8 years, initially as her physician who diagnosed her with a terrible chronic illness called systemic lupus. She has demonstrated to me that health is much more than the absence of illness. As a lupus patient and the director of support groups for the Lupus Foundation of America, Greater Florida Chapter, Ms. Ruescher has been passionate about the promotion of body/mind to heal and improve itself. This book is a self-help manual of frequently asked questions and answers, as well as a practical recommendation with real resources available in any community for patients newly diagnosed with a chronic illness. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to Ms. Ruescher and Dr. Robert Norman for their great effort to provide encouragement and for the diligent effort taken to produce this book. Great job!
Sincerely and respectfully, Edgard Janer , MD
Acknowledgments
Our heartfelt thanks to Nancy Duffy for her gentle guidance in bringing this book to fruition. We also thank the staff at Jones and Bartlett, especially Sarah Bayle and Sara Cameron, for their hard work on this project. We are indebted to the many patients whose struggles and concerns about living with chronic illness taught us so much.
Linda extends special thanks to the members of her medical team—Dr. Edgard Janer, Dr. Alexander Sonkin, and Dr. Ramesh Shah—for their compassionate care, for being true partners in managing lupus, and for their support and encouragement.
one. The Basics
A chronic illness is an illness that lasts for a very long time, sometimes for a person's entire life.
What is chronic illness?
A chronic illness is an illness that lasts for a very long time, sometimes for a person's entire life. Chronic illnesses usually develop slowly, often over the course of several years. Symptoms may come and go, varying in intensity, making many chronic illnesses difficult to diagnose. In fact, some patients search for years for an accurate diagnosis. Chronic illnesses may be progressive, getting worse over time when left untreated, like coronary artery disease[1] or type 2 diabetes[2]. Other diseases like lupus and Crohn's disease[3] have periods of activity and periods of relative calm. The majority of chronic illnesses have no cure. Even though there is no cure, chronic illnesses still need to be treated. The goals of treatment are to manage symptoms, prevent permanent damage, and stop or slow the progression of the disease. Some diseases like HIV/AIDS[4] and cancer are gradually shifting away from being a death sentence to becoming chronic conditions.
Acute illnesses, on the other hand, have a clear beginning, climax, and resolution. Think about the common cold. You begin to feel sick. Your nose gets stuffy. You feel tired and achy. You cough, and your throat hurts. You run a fever. When the cold is at its worst, you go to bed. You sleep a lot, the fever breaks, and you begin to feel better. Soon you are back to normal with no lasting problems. Some acute illnesses pass with time while others can be cured with medication. In cases of acute illness, patients recover and return to normal (most of them) or they die.
- [1] Disease of the blood vessels that involves the heart.
- [2] Diabetes occurs when the body is not able to keep blood sugar balanced. Type 1 diabetes is autoimmune. Type 2 diabetes develops as a result of obesity, lifestyle, or age.
- [3] A chronic inflammatory disease affecting the digestive tract.
- [4] A virus-induced disorder of the immune system whereby a person loses the ability to fight infection.
