Oftentimes when someone is diagnosed with a chronic illness it
changes their entire life. What has happened from one day to the
next? What happened between yesterday and today when you received
the dreaded news? The label you were given changes everything. Why
does that label have so much power?
You were experiencing a lot of symptoms and seem to manage from day
to day but when you receive a label that all seems to change.
Researching the illness opens up a lot of understanding of things you
have gone through but it also opens up a pattern of thinking that
fits you into that "box" of the illness. You also look at all of the
prognosis information as well and suddenly feel very powerless.
The only thing that has happened since yesterday is you were given a
label. Now your thinking dooms you to the fate of the label you were
given. What if that "label" was wrong? How do you think you would
progress. It is imprinted in your mind that you have this illness.
It makes sense since you have had some strange symptoms and this
label seems to fit. This information and knowing changes how you see
yourself. All of a sudden you are not someone with a few aches and
pains and unexplained symptoms but now you are in a category and have
a label.
It is so important not to give up your power to any diagnoses.
Everyone is unique. Everyone reacts differently to a disease or
chronic illness. It doesn't mean that you are doomed to the fate
that others have with this disease. None of us have any guarantees
in this life. We could be taken out on the freeway in an instant.
It is the quality of your life that is important. If you died today,
would you have regrets? Could you say I have lived a full life? I
had a patient once who had very bad heart disease. His father died
of it at fifty-four and he was turning fifty-four. He went from his
bed to the balcony to the living area of his home and was virtually
waiting to die at the age of fifty-four like his father did. He did
this for over two years. His fear crippled him. His "label"
crippled him. Yes he did have very bad heart disease, but what about
living? He forgot to live his life and sat around waiting to die.
Do not give up your power to any diagnoses. Yes it is important to
get care and research ways to minimize the effects of the illness,
but do not forget to live your life. Do not give the disease your
power. We all have our own unique healing abilities. We chose
illness to help us learn about ourselves. It is meant to take you on
a path of self-discovery. Do not give up your power to it. It is
simply a tool to discover who you truly are in the scheme of things.
Walk in peace
Jeannette
Jeannette E. de Langis R.N., CSL has taught meditation and self-
awareness for over twenty years. She has taught at risk teens and
those with chronic illness to release fear and take control of their
pain and lives. For more info: www.innerconcepts.net
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