I understand the desire to put illness in terms of winning and losing battles. It’s comforting to think that with enough grit, enough firepower and medication and doctors and energy and sheer force of will, we can overcome anything that dares try to stop us. But the problem with this myth is the implication that those who continue to struggle daily, those who do not “win,” are simply not strong enough. We are not trying hard enough.
Caroline Shifke
In this honest and personal essay, Caroline Shifke shares her difficult journey trying to obtain a diagnosis – and how she learned that what really matters is learning how to continue living her life, no matter what her illness may be called. Whether you have an official diagnosis or not, Shifke’s thoughts what it’s like to live with chronic illness are likely to resonate.
