A Delicate Balance: Living Successfully With Chronic Illness
"Chronic illness doesn't come with an instruction manual," says Susan  Milstrey Wells--so she wrote one. Afflicted with Sjögren's syndrome (an  autoimmune disease that dries the eyes and mouth), fibromyalgia (a painful  muscle disorder), and interstitial cystitis (a chronic inflammation of the  bladder), she knows the ins and outs of coping with chronic illness. InA  Delicate Balance, she provides a compelling mix of useful information and  real-life stories (including an appendix of resource numbers for various medical  and self-help organizations) to help others find the will and the way to survive  and thrive.Wells characterizes the onset of a chronic illness as the beginning of a journey  toward understanding, accepting, and healing, and she organizes her book to help  lead the reader on that journey. The first few chapters deal with the  psychological stages of illness and the perseverance that's often needed to get  an accurate diagnosis and find a suitable health care partner. Middle chapters  detail the search for treatment and the effects of chronic illness on personal  relationships and the ability to work. The final chapter offers the optimistic  view that chronic illness is a gift--albeit one that you don't want and can't  give back, but that will ultimately teach you many important life lessons. Yes,  chronic illness changes your life, she writes, but such change is not  necessarily bad--and having a guide like this can help you through it.--Nancy Monson