How to Do Life with a Chronic Illness: Reclaim Your Identity, Create Independence, and Find Your Way Forward

by Pippa Stacey

Overview

'I know that living with a chronic illness in this inaccessible world is tough. Trust me, I know. But you deserve to find peace and contentment just as much as anybody else. So welcome to your one-stop guide on how to make the most of life alongside your condition, in a way that truly works for you'.

Chronic illness affects everybody differently, but we all share the goal of living meaningfully and making the most of what we have. This book exists to help you take accessible steps towards that goal and build a life that truly feels like yours.

Instead of focusing on the medical side of long-term conditions, this book dives into the important parts of everyday living that often go unspoken about - from practical advice on friendships, dating and independent living, to more reflective guidance on rediscovering your identity and learning to self-advocate.

Between these pages, you'll find bespoke information and resources curated through 10+ years of lived experience, alongside words of wisdom from diverse contributors and subject experts. This book also contains journal prompts, resource lists, and (perhaps most importantly) words of comfort and validation that people with life-altering conditions simply do not hear enough.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781805010180
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	04/18/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	713 KB
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Pippa Stacey is a disabled creative and writer, living in Yorkshire, UK. Having acquired a chronic illness as a teenager, she is passionate about accessibility and growing understanding of chronic illness. She is named on the Shaw Trust's Disability Power 100 as one of the most influential disabled people in the UK.

Table of Contents

1 - Introduction
2 - Hobbies and Interests
3 - Pacing And Condition Management
4 - Friendships
5 - Socialising
6 - Dealing With Stigma And Changing Attitudes
7 - Mobility Aids
8 - Dating And Relationships
9 - Mental Health and Wellbeing
10 - Finding Independence
11 - Eleven - Self-Advocacy
12 - Goal Setting and Future Plans
13 - Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

This book is a true gift for anyone living with chronic illness. Pippa has written an invaluable guide to help you rediscover yourself, even when life looks different from how it did before. Stuffed to the brim with genuinely helpful, tangible tips, fresh perspectives on how to adapt everyday tasks, along with journal prompts and exercises to guide you in figuring out what "doing life" means to you-this is a book that I would have cherished reading when I was first diagnosed with a chronic illness many years ago (and saved me years of trying to figure it out on my own).

Natasha Lipman - Journalist & Host of The Rest Room Podcast

Stacey's voice is clear, calming and funny - this is a book that people navigating chronic illness can gain so much from, that doesn't centre the medical models most resources are built on. Every piece of this book feels extremely well thought-out and accessible, with insightful journal prompts and plenty of moments for self-reflection.

Charli Clement

High praise for 'How to do Life with a Chronic Illness' Stacey's book is easily navigated by weaving her own experience and supports the reader to live the best quality of life. She has chosen to avoids medical jargon, and it was great to read about often neglected areas such as relationships, ableism and removing the stigma of disability. An extremely practical and personable book.

Isobel Knight MSc. author of A Guide to Living with Hypermobility Syndrome

A practical guide to navigating life with chronic illness - accessible and chatty, it feels as though she's talking directly to you. The book makes visible the challenges of living with chronic illness, whilst giving hope of living a valuable fulfilling life.

Dr Lucy Gahan

High praise for 'How to do Life with a Chronic Illness' Stacey's book is easily navigated by weaving her own experience and supports the reader to live the best quality of life. She has chosen to avoids medical jargon, and it was great to read about often neglected areas such as relationships, ableism and removing the stigma of disability. An extremely practical and personable book.

Isobel Knight MSc.