Another list, with many common elements with other lessons learned from being in the ‘kingdom of the ill’:
- The onset of chronic illness or pain is the beginning of a grieving process
- This is just your life
- When creating a new life, think outside the box
- Don’t spend your precious energy worrying about what others think about your medical condition
- There’s no way around it: Friendships are affected by chronic pain and illness
- You can be working even though you’re not working
- Don’t be afraid of the blues
- Make a conscious effort to find the positives in your new life
- Find beauty in the commonplace
- Thank goodness for the Internet
- It’s okay to be a “walking contradiction.”
