Because of medical advances in the treatment of serious childhood diseases, 600,000 chronically ill teens enter adulthood every year who decades ago would not have survived--they and people diagnosed in adulthood face the same challenges of college, career, and starting a family as others in their twenties and thirties, but with the added circumstance of having chronic illness.Life Disrupted is a personal and unflinching guide to living well with a chronic illness: managing your own health care without letting it take over your life, dealing with difficult doctors and frequent hospitalizations, having a productive and satisfying career that accommodates your health needs, and nurturing friendships and a loving, committed relationship regardless of recurring health problems. Laurie Edwards also addresses the particular needs of people who have more than one chronic illness or who are among the twenty-five million Americans with a rare disorder. She shares her own story and the experiences of others with chronic illness, as well as advice from life coaches, employment specialists, and health professionals.Reading Life Disrupted is like having a best friend and mentor who truly does know what you're going through.

    She did.Sophie navigates being the only black scientist in her lab while studying the very disease, HIV, that she hides from her coworkers.For Victoria, coming out as a transgender woman was less difficult than coming out as bipolar.Author Michele Lent Hirsch knew she couldn't be the only woman who's faced serious health issues at a young age, as well as the resulting effects on her career, her relationships, and her sense of self. What she found while researching Invisible was a surprisingly large and overlooked population with important stories to tell.Though young women with serious illness tend to be seen as outliers, young female patients are in fact the primary demographic for many illnesses. They are also one of the most ignored groups in our medical system--a system where young women, especially women of color and trans women, are invisible.And because of expectations about gender and age, young women with health issues must often deal with bias in their careers and personal lives. Not only do they feel pressured to seem perfect and youthful, they also find themselves amid labyrinthine obstacles in a culture that has one narrow idea of womanhood.Lent Hirsch weaves her own harrowing experiences together with stories from other women, perspectives from sociologists on structural inequality, and insights from neuroscientists on misogyny in health research. She shows how health issues and disabilities amplify what women in general already confront: warped beauty standards, workplace sexism, worries about romantic partners, and mistrust of their own bodies. By shining a light on this hidden demographic, Lent Hirsch explores the challenges that all women face.

    This resource helps you focus on building a meaningful life that contains illness as opposed to a life of frustration and fear. Designed for patients in at all stages of the chronic illness journey, this book will also be illuminating for caregivers and loved ones.From the book: ""I've learned that having a chronic illness is not a prison sentence. It does not mean I must spend the rest of my life feeling depressed and angry, locked away from the world inside my little sick box. It does not mean that I am useless and no longer have any gifts to share, but it may mean that I must develop some new ones.""You Don't LOOK Sick! addresses practical aspects of chronic illness, such as: hiring a doctor managing chronic pain coping with grief and the loss of function winning battles with health and disability insurers countering the social bias against the chronically ill recognizing the limitations of chronics illness care and charting a path for changeIn You Don't LOOK Sick!: Living Well with Invisible Chronic Illness, you will find stories, dialogue, humor, examples, and analogy of the three stages to illustrate a challenging but navigable journey. You will also find suggested reading materials for learning to live well, medical Internet resources, illness-specific Web sites, names and addresses of national associations, and a bibliography of medical books by topic. The short chapters and straightforward language of the book will be helpful for readers who are weary and dispirited. From the authors: "I've learned that having a chronic illness is not a prison sentence. It does not mean I must spend the rest of my life feeling depressed and angry, locked away from the world inside my little sick box. It does not mean that I am useless and no longer have any gifts to share, but it may mean that I must develop some new ones."--Joy H. Selak"My goal is to work with patients so that, like world class athletes, they can perform at their peak capacity. My job is more than giving answers; I must educate, counsel and encourage patients to set goals and implement a personal care program as well as take appropriate medications."--Dr. Steven Overman The authors are experienced public speakers. If you wish to inquire about their availability to speak to patients or health care professionals, please contact Joy Selak by email at JoyWrites@austin.rr.com.

    Today as much as 10 percent of the population of the United States suffers from chronic pain. It is more widespread, misdiagnosed, and undertreated than any major disease. While recent research has shown that pain produces pathological changes to the brain and spinal cord, many doctors and patients still labor under misguided cultural notions and outdated scientific dogmas that prevent proper treatment, to devastating effect. In "The Pain Chronicles," a singular and deeply humane work, Melanie Thernstrom traces conceptions of pain throughout the ages--from ancient Babylonian pain-banishing spells to modern brain imaging--to reveal the elusive, mysterious nature of pain itself. Interweaving first-person reflections on her own battle with chronic pain, incisive reportage from leading-edge pain clinics and medical research, and insights from a wide range of disciplines--science, history, religion, philosophy, anthropology, literature, and art--Thernstrom shows that when dealing with pain we are neither as advanced as we imagine nor as helpless as we may fear. Both a personal meditation and an intellectual exploration, "The Pain Chronicles "illuminates and makes sense of the all-too-human experience of pain--and confronts with extraordinary grace and empathy its peculiar traits, its harrowing effects, and its various antidotes.

    She elected to specialize in critical care--to become an ICU physician--and imagined herself swooping in to rescue patients from the brink of death. But then during her first code she found herself cracking the ribs of a patient so old and frail it was unimaginable he would ever come back to life. She began to question her choice. Extreme Measures charts Zitter's journey from wanting to be one kind of hero to becoming another--a doctor who prioritizes the patient's values and preferences in an environment where the default choice is the extreme use of technology. In our current medical culture, the old and the ill are put on what she terms the End-of-Life Conveyor belt. They are intubated, catheterized, and even shelved away in care facilities to suffer their final days alone, confused, and often in pain. In her work Zitter has learned what patients fear more than death itself: the prospect of dying badly. She builds bridges between patients and caregivers, formulates plans to allay patients' pain and anxiety, and enlists the support of loved ones so that life can end well, even beautifully.

    This edition includes the most current advice on:· The new genomic classification of breast cancer and its importance in treatment planning· Cancer gene testing, which determines if a woman will benefit from chemotherapy· New developments in breast cancer treatments with new targeted agents· The continued importance of getting a second opinion: why it’s important, what questions to ask, and how to decide which team of doctors is best for you.Conscious of the rapidly evolving spectrum of treatment options, Dr. John Link outlines the latest findings and professional wisdom for patients in pursuit of the most effective treatment plan for them. The Breast Cancer Survival Manual continues to be a must-have for any woman seeking accurate and accessible information about managing breast cancer today.

    You’ve deloaded, done your recovery session, even taken a hot bath. Oh how nice a massage would be right now. The problem is not all of us have the time or the money to invest in some good soft tissue work. Want a cheap yet extremely effective way to get rid of your aches and pains? This easy to understand guide will help you address all of those problems and more. Best of all, you don't even need to leave your house or buy any expensive tool. Just grab a tennis ball and get started.Being able to treat your own pain is a very valuable tool. It can save you a lot of money and mean less trips to the physiotherapist as well as ensuring that you are keeping your body in good condition. Trigger points and tight muscles are a common cause of muscle and joint pain. They can refer pain to other areas as well as causing problems at the site itself. Although they don't count for all the pain you might be suffering from, releasing them can certainly help get rid of a lot of the pain, if not clear up your problem entirely. Have you ever been to the doctor and he or she told you that theres nothing wrong, even after extensive scans? You might simply need some work on your muscles. Keeping the muscle tissue quality high will help reduce the amount of injuries you suffer from, improve your posture as well as help a lot of muscle and joint pain.In this book you can learn how to effectively get rid of shoulder pain, neck pain, upper and lower back pain, hip and glute pain and stiffness, leg and knee pain, calf pain, ankle stiffness, Achilles problems and much more.Actual excerpt from the book of how I discovered this great technique."When I was playing in Germany, I had really bad shoulder pain. The kind that ran down to my fingers and made me unable to put my arms over my head. One night trying to get relief I grabbed my old Motorola and started laying on it, with it digging in under my shoulder. Slowly and excruciatingly I released the rotator cuff muscles and gave myself a pain free range of motion that I had only dreamed of before. Needless to say, I thought I was a genius and upgraded to a tennis ball pretty quickly."

        Jill Nystul started her blog, One Good Thing by Jillee, as a means to take steps forward after emerging from rehabilitation from alcohol dependence and battling a slew of equally tough issues that tested her confidence as a wife and mother. Her goal was to pursue her passion and help others along the way—one day at a time and one step at a time—by writing about one good thing each day.   It is clear that Nystul’s ability to appreciate the little things has resonated with readers everywhere. Fans have fallen in love with her crafty household endeavors, delicious recipes, and words of wisdom. One Good Life presents 75 Good Things by Jillee, fifty of which have never before been published, intertwined with Nystul’s personal story, revealed in this book for the first time. Drawing from her own experiences, Nystul shows how she has overcome tremendous hardship to finally re-embrace her faith and appreciate, each day, one good thing.

    And it can also be the perfect gift of guidance, encouragement, and uplifting inspiration to family, friends, and loved ones struggling with the many terrifying or disheartening life changes that come so close on the heels of a diagnosis of a chronic condition or even a life-threatening illness.The author, who became ill while a university law professor in the prime of her career, tells the reader how she got sick and, to her and her partner's bewilderment, stayed that way. Toni had been a longtime meditator, going on long meditation retreats and spending many hours rigorously practicing, but soon discovered that she simply could no longer engage in those difficult and taxing forms. She had to learn ways to make "being sick" the heart of her spiritual practice and, through truly learning how to be sick, she learned how, even with many physical and energetic limitations, to live a life of equanimity, compassion, and joy. Whether we ourselves are sick now or not, we can learn these vital arts of living well from How to Be Sick.

    Worse, as they failed to cure her, they hinted that her devastating symptoms were psychological.The Lady's Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness is a memoir with a mission, to help the millions of (mostly) women who suffer from unnamed or misunderstood conditions.Ramey's pursuit of a diagnosis and cure for her own mysterious illness is a medical mystery that she says reveals a new understanding of today's chronic illnesses as ecological in nature, driven by modern changes to the basic foundations of health, from the quality of our sleep, diet, and social connection to the state of our microbiomes.

    In this book, you will learn how to Take Back Your Life using the techniques and strategies Tami has used to get well. More than just a lifestyle or self-management guide, this is a concise reference book woven with Tami’s own fibromyalgia story. This book is a page-by-page survival guide for the action-oriented fibromyalgia patient who wants to feel better as quickly as possible. It’s written for the patient overwhelmed with a new fibromyalgia diagnosis and for the fibro-veteran who is stuck and needing new ideas. It is also a great resource for the caring family members and support team of anyone suffering with fibromyalgia. In this book, Tami discusses what it means to have a fibromyalgia diagnosis, from the perspective of someone living with it daily. She will show you how to: • Stop the pain. • Increase your energy. • Improve your quality of sleep. • Work with your doctor. • Help yourself heal. • Bring more joy into your life.

    Teri Robert has been there—in fact, she experienced her first Migraine at age six. Now, in this groundbreaking holistic guide to the diagnosis and treatment of headaches and Migraine disease, she brings a patient-empowering message to all headache sufferers: you don't have to live with daily pain. She provides you with all the information you need to know about getting the help you need, including:Understanding side effectsTreatments for long-term reliefRisks and symptomsIdentification of the various types of headachesTraditional and alternative therapiesInformation on finding health care practitioners and supportNumerous case studies and expert advice

    Since its first publication, Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired has offered hope and coping strategies to thousands of people who suffer from ICI. Paul Donoghue and Mary Siegel teach their readers how to rethink how they themselves view their illness and how to communicate with loved ones and doctors in a way that meets their needs. The authors' understanding makes readers feel they have been heard for the first time. For this edition, the authors include a new introduction drawing on the experiences of the many people who have responded to the book and to their lectures and television appearances. They expand the definition of ICI to include other ailments such as depression, addiction, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. They bring the resource material, including Web sites, up to the present, and they offer fresh insights on four topics that often emerge: guilt, how ICI affects the family, meaningfulness, and defining acceptance.

    Yes, she's tried everything: intravenous drugs, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, subliminal messaging, marijuana (for medical purposes only), heavy drinking (which just made it hurt more), and lots and lots of chocolate. A pint of ice cream makes her feel better, but her insurance doesn't cover mint chocolate chip.In this painfully honest, smart, and funny memoir, the popular PastaQueen.com blogger who chronicled her nearly two hundred pound weight loss in Half-Assed shares her incredible journey to find relief from a chronic headache. As she visits countless doctors, indulges all manner of unsolicited advice from the Internet, and investigates every possible cause, from a brain tumor to a dead twin living in her brain, Jennette considers what it means to suffer, how to live with pain, and why the best treatment might be the simplest: laughter.

    Initially conceptualized as a survival guide for children, teens, young adults and parents; it quickly transcended into this unprecedented, critical volume. This encompassing work responds to the many desperate and heartbreaking pleas of those affected by dysautonomia; included are clear explanations of medical information, evidenced-based research, best practices for clinical diagnoses and treatment options, alternative/complimentary medicine approaches, non-medical strategies, coping techniques, helpful tips, patient rights and options, and inspiring narrative accounts of people living with the syndrome around the globe. The book contributors and its readers join hand in hand to represent the POTS dysautonomia community's shared struggles and hopes, concerns and endeavors, unequivocally serving as a living testament that "Together We Stand." This is the 3rd Edition!