Living Well With a Hidden Disability: Transcending Doubt and Shame and Reclaiming Your Life

Rating:
Summary: Very Validating
Review: I find the book to be a great resource, providing helpful and much-sought advice regarding living with chronic pain. I can identify with many of the author's vignettes about how to deal with others, how to deal with the medical profession and how to deal with my difficulties of living with a seemingly invisible condition. It is reassuring to know that there are others who also struggle with chronic conditions; their life experiences provide insight and clues into how to continue to strive to live a full life no matter how much pain or illness is there.

Rating:
Summary: The author obviously knows this subject well
Review: I find the book to be a great resource, providing helpful and much-sought advice regarding living with chronic pain. I can identify with many of the author's vignettes about how to deal with others, how to deal with the medical profession and how to deal with my difficulties of living with a seemingly invisible condition. It is reassuring to know that there are others who also struggle with chronic conditions; their life experiences provide insight and clues into how to continue to strive to live a full life no matter how much pain or illness is there.

Rating:
Summary: Very Validating
Review: I have chronic fatigue syndrome and people constantly make insensitive comments, such as suggesting I'm depressed or stressed out. The author of this book validates that conditions like CFS are real even if other people question the problem. There are tons of helpful suggestions about how to deal with insensitive remarks from others, and how to still feel good about yourself even if you are ill. I also like the focus on the possible environmental causes of health problems which isn't talked about very much. I learned some good advice about reducing my exposure to chemicals, and I've already instituted some of these.

Rating:
Summary: Uplifting and Empowering
Review: Taylor and Epstein do an incredible job of sensitively addressing the particular issues faced by those with disabilities that are not obvious to others, and those who care for them.
Different ways to deal with emotions, spouses, children, co-workers, friends, finances and doctors are just a few of the topics.
The authors intersperse anecdotes, and keep the tone consistently friendly and empowering.
This is a book that you'll go back to for encouragement along what can be a very lonely path.

Rating:
Summary: Helps the caregiver cope too.
Review: This is an excellent book about the realities of living with a hidden disability and loving someone who is disabled. I heard the author give a book talk recently and I was impressed by her groundedness. She is not interested in blaming the ill person and addresses the real issues of trying to work, having a social life, dealing with doctors and just plain trying to make it through a day. This is the best book I have read on the subject and I have read many.