Five Things | Books & Chronic Illness
When I post my book reviews, it never fails. I am always asked by at least two or three people how I am able to read so many books in such a short period of time. My short answer is that I have no life and no kids, so I have a lot of free time to dedicate to reading. Most people think I'm saying that in jest, and I am, but I'm also not.
Nearly ten years ago, I was diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune condition that forced me to make drastic changes in my life. One of those changes was having to avoid crowds and public places to keep from picking up germs and getting sick. I'm an introverted person, but sometimes this looks like not leaving the house for weeks on end, and that is enough to give anyone serious cabin fever.
Aside from the long-distance friends who love me so well and frequent family visits, reading has been my only saving grace. With digital access to my library and the Kindle store, I literally have an endless supply of material to read. But more than being a source of entertainment, books have taught me a lot. Here are five reasons why I think books and chronic illness go hand-in-hand.
(1) Books are a good way to pass the time.
Often times, when you have a chronic condition, you have to spend a lot of time in bed, resting and recuperating from flares. You might also need to isolate yourself to keep as healthy as possible, like I do during flu season. There's only so much you are able to do from bed, and believe me, I've tried it all. Writing, painting, knitting, playing video games, and watching movies are some of my favorites, but one activity helps me pass the most time.
I have an infinite supply of books on my To-Be-Read list, so there is no shortage of stories that I can dive into when I am confined to bed and need something to keep me occupied. It's a lot easier to stay busy when I have a great big stack of books and a mug of tea on my nightstand. Plus, it's better for my mental health than spending hours scrolling through Facebook or Instagram when I'm in isolation.
(2) Books can help you escape your life for a little while.
When you have a chronic illness, especially a serious one, it's easy to begin to feel like your life is no longer your own. Between shuttling back and forth to medical appointments and procedures, and dealing with the fatigue, pain, and other unpleasant symptoms of the disease or side effects of medications, so much of your life turns into this endless cycle of taking care of yourself. You miss out on all the things a normally healthy person gets to enjoy, like carefree vacations around the globe and spontaneous evenings out with friends.
I'm often asked what's one thing I would be doing more of if I wasn't sick, and my answer is always the same. I would travel. I would pack a bag, hop on a plane, and explore every corner of this beautiful planet. Unfortunately, this has never been feasible because I can't be far from the hospital and my medical team. Traveling anywhere would involve months of planning, lining up surrogate medical providers in other countries, and ordering and packing enough medications and supplies to last me the duration of my trip. Oh, and when I'd get there, I'd probably need to sleep for 80 percent of my stay.
Reading books has allowed me to have a tiny piece of that though. I am able to live vicariously through the characters and explore new places, both real and fiction. I can open a book and feel like I'm walking the streets of Paris or hiking the peaks of Everest. I am able to escape the mundanity of my own life and live one I've always dreamed of, even if just for a few hundred pages.
(3) Books give you words to describe your experience.
Many chronic illnesses can have obscure symptoms that are difficult to deal with and even harder to explain to someone who might not understand what you're going through. Books have become a great way to share our personal experiences, and with the millions of books in print, it's becoming easier to find stories that we can relate to. Novels, poetry, memoirs, and medical nonfiction are some of the genres that might showcase someone else's journey with a similar chronic illness, but even if they aren't about the exact condition you might have, they could help you find the words to describe your experience to others.
(4) Books allow you to feel that you have a friend.
Chronic illness can be very isolating. I've lost a handful of friends in recent years because I wasn't able to "keep up" with their busy lifestyles anymore, and they just weren't understanding about why I had to take a slower lane. It can also be challenging to make new friends, outside of support groups and other similar interest gatherings. This is one of the reasons I adore books so much. I love being able to build strong connections with the characters I'm reading about. When I find ways that I can relate to a protagonist, it allows me to feel that I have made a friend, and you can never have too many bookish friends. Right?
(5) Books help you understand that pain is not exclusive.
I can remember a particular instance when I was really under the weather and my pain was worse than I'd experienced in a long time. Looking back, I remember thinking to myself, "Why is this happening to me?" When you're in the throes of a chronic illness flare and dealing with pain, either physical or mental, it's sometimes difficult not to wonder why you're having to go through that moment. This is where reading books has been the most beneficial for me in my chronic illness journey.
When you're able to read about someone else's struggle with pain, it helps you better understand that pain is not exclusive. Pain is everywhere, and there are all types of it. We all deal with pain at different times in our lives, and when you can read that someone else has gone through what you're experiencing, it makes the world seem a little smaller. It's been a helpful reminder to read that I am not the only one suffering. I am not alone.
