Book Review Finding Joy with an Invisible Chronic Illness by Christopher Martin

I was kindly gifted an advanced copy of Finding Joy with an Invisible Chronic Illness, Proven Strategies for Discovering Happiness, Meaning, and Fulfillment by Christopher Martin from NetGallery for a review.

Published 2021

I am a school psychologist, husband, father, and – pertinent to this website – an author who has multiple invisible chronic illnesses.

And an invisible chronic illness is a beast. On top of draining you physically, a chronic illness can impact all aspects of your life ranging from causing financial hardship to harming your relationships to dampening your spirits. Try to be cheerful when you have this unremitting “monkey on your back” known as an invisible chronic illness that constantly demands your attention 24-7. Needless to say, it’s easy to let yourself and others down.

Plus, your family or friends can’t see your illness, as it’s invisible, and they may not understand. Most with an invisible illness are familiar with “advice” ranging from “stay positive” to “you look good” to “Have you tried ___ for your condition?” Yup, you probably have, and it didn’t work.

On top of that, best wishes in accessing (and maintaining) high quality medical care when you are too tired to even take care of yourself.

Welcome to the world of an invisible chronic illness. I should know. I suffer from multiple invisible chronic illnesses, including a primary immune deficiency disorder and bronchiectasis.

But it doesn’t have to be this way – for you or for me. While I am not cured of my illness, I enjoy a fulfilling life and experience ongoing joy, peace, and happiness. Because of outstanding medical care, extensive self-educating and self-care, a supportive family, and a strong faith, I effectively manage my chronic illnesses. But I didn’t want to be the only one to benefit. It was my goal, in turn, to give back to others by doing what I love to do: authoring books on these conditions.

Blurb

“Finding Joy is a vital guide on how to best manage and navigate life with a chronic illness.”—James Nestor, New York Times bestselling author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art

“Finding Joy provides a comprehensive, evidence-based roadmap for not only coping with chronic illness, but personally optimizing self-growth and resiliency from the experience.” —Joanne Joseph, PhD, professor of psychology and interim dean of the College of Health Sciences, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, and author of The Resilient Child: Preparing Today’s Youth for Tomorrow’s World

* How can you experience those good thoughts and feelings, enjoy life to its fullest, and de-stress when faced with relentless physical suffering?

* How can you enhance your relationships, find support, respond to the naysayers, and possibly even help them understand you and your illness?

* When seeking medical care, how can you get the answers you deserve, and access and maintain quality healthcare?

Early Reviews

“”Finding Joy is absolutely phenomenal. Chris Martin’s heartfelt approach offers numerous meaningful strategies to thrive when faced with the many unseen and unrecognized issues of living with an invisible chronic illness.””—Heather Lewis-Hoover, MS, CAS, school counselor

““Finding Joy is a vital guide on how to best manage and navigate life with a chronic illness.””—James Nestor, New York Times bestselling author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art

My Thoughts

I think Chris says it best, the diagnosis is a step forward, it’s not the last.

Finding Joy with an Invisible Chronic Illness is a great find, one for all to read, patients, loved ones, and, family members. It is a simple and practical approach to taking control by understanding how we think and what we have control over when it comes to our chronic condition and healthcare treatment.

Enjoy Reading,

Melinda

Looking for the Light

@LookingLight