Diagnosis

First things first what is a chronic illness? There are two types of illnesses: acute and chronic. Acute illnesses (like a cold or the flu) are usually over relatively quickly. Chronic illnesses, though, are long-lasting health conditions (the word "chronic" comes from the Greek word chronos, meaning time).

Each health condition has its own symptoms, treatment, and course. Aside from the fact that they are all relatively long lasting, chronic illnesses aren't necessarily alike in other ways. Most people who have a chronic illness don't think of themselves as "having a chronic illness." They think of themselves as having a specific condition — such as asthma, or arthritis, or diabetes, or lupus, or sickle cell anemia, or hemophilia, or leukemia, or ibd or whatever ongoing health condition they have.

When you are first diagnosed you will most likely have a range of feelings. You might feel angry, sacred, confused, sad or overwhelmed. You might also feel relived at finding out what’s wrong or even guilty for no reason. All these feeling are normal and there are a few things you need to remember:

  • This isn’t your fault. Nothing you did caused you to get sick.
  • You aren’t alone. There are other girls going through the same thing.
  • Your doctor is there to help. Be truthful about how your feeling.
  • There will probably be some major changes in your life but you can still live life to the full.
  • It’s normal to have conflicting feelings.
  • It helps to ask lots of questions and find out as much about your illness as you can.
Finaly remember there is always hope.