“We are more than our body and its symptoms,” writes author Karen Zielinski, O.S.F., though living with a chronic illness can make it difficult to accept this wisdom. The physical and medical aspects of a chronic illness are often the ones that demand the most attention, but spiritual and psychological complications also must be addressed. In this CareNote, Zielinski shares how one woman took a holistic approach to her own challenging diagnosis in sections titled:  You are not your disease, Befriend your disease, Be your own advocate, Become aware of your body, and Add prayer to your medical life.

By Karen Zielinski, OSF