Acceptance – emotional
Every dynamic individual confronted with a debilitating condition will experience atleast one distressing emotion before they finally accept their situation.Guilt, anxiety, denial, desperation, anger, confusion and self-doubt typically loomlarge in the minds of the newly diagnosed chronic disease sufferer.
Navigating this emotional snake pit is a precarious undertaking because any one of the negative emotions could inflict a paralysing bite. The individual has to be very brave as they move warily past each lurking viper; one eye on the predator, one on the road ahead and not panicking, is a perilous balancing act.
Management - physical
The daunting challenge of experimenting with drugs, treatments and therapies will test the mettle of the most pragmatic chronic disease sufferer. Rarely does a manageable solution emerge early in the journey and when all appears lost, surrender seems inevitable.
It’s hard to keep going but the alternative is unacceptable. Sometimes the cure seems worse than the disease and there’s always uncertainty about the efficacy and permanency of programs. The only course of action is to soldier on and hope that even if the condition doesn’t remit, the symptoms will diminish.
Momentum - psychological
The path ahead is full of trip hazards. Tentative steps make for a slower journey and the falls are gentler whereas courageous leaps progress faster but the falls can be spectacular. The chronic condition voyager faces difficult choice severy minute of every day and has to be mentally tough to pick themselves up and move on regardless.
Resilience, adaptability, courage, determination, focus and freedom are all tested to varying degrees as the chronic condition sufferer tries to achieve their goals and fulfil their aspirations.
For the person affected by a chronic condition, their victories are sweet. They don’t come easy but when gauged by personal abilities and not external expectations, they are fulfilling.
The successful professional balances inspiration and pragmatism to achieve goals, often at an unconscious level. When hijacked by an oppressive chronic condition, they are easily blocked and need to be consciously wakened and massaged back to full functionality. Learning how to manually do something that always came naturally is a shock, but the truly pragmatic protagonist will find a way.