Chronically Happy: Joyful Living In Spite Of Chronic Illness

by Lori Hartwell, Jeffrey Makoff (Foreword by)

If you have a chronic illness, Chronically Happy is the tool you need to shape the life you've always envisioned but never thought possible. Hartwell's wisdom covers a range of subjects, from dating and wroking to building self-esteem and deepening relationships. Through anecdotes and workbook-style exercises, Chronically Happy helps people with illness. Overcome the damaged goods syndrome. Manage pain. Call on the joy instinct to guide your life decisions. get the very best healthcare. Set and achieve life-enhancing goals. Reenter the workforce with ease. Become chronically happy!

250 pages, Paperback

First published October 9, 2002

Reviews

[Ruby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Lori is a very resilient and wonderful mentor. She has lived through some pretty major challenges and I admire her strength. This book would be great for a young person who has been newly diagnosed with chronic illness, for emotional support as much as anything else.

I thought her comments about the impact of chronic illness on spousal relationships was particularly insightful, as was her advice on navigating dating.

Some of her advice was fairly straightforward and seemed like common sense to me, but I guess when we are vulnerable we could all use some reminders: make time for ourselves, look after each other.

I liked that she said that chronic illness should not prevent us from contributing what we can. I believe the power to contribute has enormous healing properties for people with chronic illness, who can feel like they are on the scrap heap if they are not in paid work. She's right - all of us have valuable things to offer others, even if it is just our support to fellow travellers.

Grateful I read this book.

[illnessinspiredwords · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great book if/when your first diagnosed with a chronic illness. Covers a wide range of subjects but doesn't go in-depth, more of an overview. Which if your new to your illness this might be a perfect read. If, however, chronic illness has been apart of your life for awhile or many years this book is a good refresher. Brings into sight things you've probably heard/read previously but wasn't in a "healthy" place emotionally to consider.

[NTE · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine: I'm glad that Ms. Hartwell is able to incorporate so many positives into living with chronic illness. There's nothing revolutionary here, which is probably why it didn't score higher - at this point, I feel like I've read it all 5x over. Stages of grieving your loss; feel your feelings instead of burying them; try to look on the bright side instead of living in the gloom. I guess it's just not the way I'm built, to find the bright side before the gloom (which isn't to say I wander around under a dark cloud all the time, but I'm a sarcastic kind of gal, and my version of happy is much less cheery than this author's seems to be). I'm all for everybody living the best life they can - chronic illness or no chronic illness - but I just didn't feel like there was anything here I hadn't already tried or all that surprising. Everybody's coming from their own place, I guess, and as much as I try to be a Tigger (an analogy from another "good, but I don't think this fits me" book), my Eeyore-ness just shines through. I'm ok with that. It works for me.

[Bonnie Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good ways to cope with chronic illness.