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Tag: chronic illness

Next Steps: How to Cope with Being Diagnosed with a Chronic Illness

Next Steps: How to Cope with Being Diagnosed with a Chronic Illness

by: Julie Mosher Everyone has dreams they’d like to achieve in life, but being diagnosed with a chronic illness is surely not one of them. Never in our wildest dreams do we expect to be diagnosed with a long-term health condition — and to hear this news from your doctor can make you feel very vulnerable. This is especially true for those who are quite young, as you’re still on the cusp of bringing your greatest goals into fruition. However,…

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Refresh Rewind: Sickness and Health

Refresh Rewind: Sickness and Health

by:  The Refresh Editors Have you ever rolled your eyes at the health coverage you see in magazines or online? If you’re tired of reading cheery listicles of health tips that don’t take chronic illness into account, or paeans to the latest trendy diet, TheRefresh is here for you with pieces that explore not just how to stay well, but how to live a full, rich life even as you face health challenges, and that honor the personal experiences of…

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Living with Chronic Illness in My Twenties

Living with Chronic Illness in My Twenties

by Jordan Griffing I had a wonderful childhood, but when I look back on it, I don’t always think of the family trips or the great adventures or the wonderful people who surrounded me. What I remember are the hospitals and doctors’ offices, the television shows and movies I watched when I couldn’t play outside, and the games my mom and I would make up to pass the time. I still vividly remember the day my mom came to pick…

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How to Be Sick: A Short Primer on Living Well with Chronic Illness

How to Be Sick: A Short Primer on Living Well with Chronic Illness

by Lauren Jonik No one expects to develop a chronic illness. After all, the common narrative around health is that people who get sick either get well within a certain time frame or they pass away. But for many people, there is a universe in between that requires daily navigation. According to the National Health Council, 133 million Americans live with ongoing, incurable conditions. There is little doubt that chronic illness brings challenges above and beyond coping with symptoms. Health…

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Hepatitis B: Living with a Mystery

Hepatitis B: Living with a Mystery

by Katherine Clarke So often, when I tell people I have chronic Hepatitis B, they become very serious. Of course they do — it’s a serious disease. But I know without asking them that they are really thinking of Hepatitis C. (The confusion is understandable. The names differ by one letter, but the illnesses are very different.) And when they ask, “but don’t they have a cure for that, now?” I sigh, because there are 800,000-1.4 million people in the United…

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