Welcome to the first installment of my blog series, Living Well with Lee. Here, I talk about my journey living with chronic conditions — while still living my best life.
I believe that we all have more power over our conditions than ever before. I believe in taking control of my health and making the most out of each and every day. And I love sharing thoughts, tips, and tricks with readers like you.
I guess my story starts like most people’s. Average American childhood. Average teens, twenties, and so on. Decent job, good home — great family. Somewhere in there, I got older. And I learned that as you age, you collect things. Happy memories, lasting friendships. Also health issues. I’ve got a collection of those, too.
The thing is, I’m not alone. Millions of people have chronic conditions.
“You can’t change what you won’t accept.”
Health issues aren’t something we have to simply accept and learn to live with. We can do something about health issues. A whole lot more than meds, tests, and appointments.
I’ll be the first to admit it — health issues suck. And accepting them is hard. Trust me, accepting my condition didn’t happen overnight.
At first, I didn’t want to tell my kids. I didn’t want to scare them. Honestly, I didn’t want to scare me. But the more I learned about my chronic conditions, the better I felt about them. Then, it just came out. Both of my kids were over for dinner. And my daughter asked me how I was doing. Before I knew it, I’d put down my fork and said it.
As a family, we got to talking. Soon I realized this issue was just life. My kids had friends in their twenties with the same chronic conditions. They weren’t hiding under a rock. Health issues and all, they were doing everything in their power to live their best lives.
I don’t usually believe in epiphanies and all that, but that conversation changed
something in me.
And a little later, when I was diagnosed with another chronic condition, it was easier.
That’s why I think it’s time to call it like it is.
