Angela Kaatz - Living with Chronic Illness

Hi There, I'm Angela!

...and I live daily with chronic illness

I'm a Mom, a wife, and a business owner who was diagnosed with chronic illness over 10 years ago. Some days are rough, some days are great, and other days I just have to find the humor in it all.

Living with chronic illness alone causes me to face challenges that I never could have imagined before. From lupus, to Hashimoto's Disease, to endometriosis and everything in between, I live each day trying to find ways to make my life the best it can possibly be.

For the longest time I suffered in silence for fear of being judged or criticized. When I finally started opening up, I realized that I'm not alone in all of this and if you have a chronic illness, neither are you! Welcome!

Common Questions

What Is Chronic Illness?

A chronic illness is generally defined as an illness or disease that lasts for at least one year or more and requires a degree of medical attention. It can go even a step further and be defined as a disease that affects your day to day activities and life due to its ongoing presence. Generally these illnesses are without a cure and can lead to other long term health problems.

Some general examples of chronic illness are heart disease, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, lupus, asthma, chrohn disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, cystic fibrosis, dementia, arthritis, COPD, alzheimer's disease, and so many more. How is this different than other diseases like the flu? Other illnesses that have a clear and general treatment plan, as well as resolving within a short time span. A chronic illness not only lingers, it can practically take over your life and life decisions.

How does chronic illness affect most people?

For everyone, the effects are different. In general, most people with chronic illness commonly complain about:

pain
fatigue
restlessness
depressed moods

Physically, chronic illness can affect your appearance. If you can't get sleep, you may look tired. For some illnesses, your hair may become thinner while your skin may change in appearance. If you have trouble with exercise or malaise, weight gain may begin to take place. For those who lose their appetite, you may begin to become thinner in appearance. Even medications can affect your overall looks from the potential side effects.

As far as the mental aspects, chronic illness can become even more of a challenge. When your life begins to revolve around something day in and day out, of course it begins to take a toll mentally. People with chronic disease report anxiety and depression as their two biggest mental hurdles.

How can I improve my life with chronic illness?

If you live with chronic illness or a chronic disease, don't think for a minute that your life can't be one filled with laughter, love or even days of pure joy. Although life can be tough in general or challenging, here are a few ways you can improve your overall physical and mental health.

Exercise is key to staying healthy. When you don't have a lot of energy or you're in pain, this activity can be quite a challenge. I suggest a small walk a day. Getting exercise outdoors is generally preferred, but if you can't make it outside, a small treadmill inside can provide relief. If you suffer from arthritis or another painful illness, yoga is a very healthy and mindful way to keep your body moving.

Watch your diet. Now, this doesn't mean you have to cut out every food you love, but being mindful of what you eat and how your body reacts is important. For some, cutting out meat or dairy has shown improvement, while others can benefit from removing foods known for causing inflammation. Find out what works for you and avoid foods heavy in sugar and empty calories.

How can I help my friend or family member who has a chronic illness?

For those who are caretakers or supporting those with chronic illness, you have a super important role. Dare I say, you have one of the biggest roles of all. You are our support system.

People like you can make our hurricanes seem like small showers. We all need the rain but supportive friends and family are the ones who hold the umbrella. It sounds like a really big job, but imagine what struggles and battles are faced daily by that amazing chronic illness warrior in your life.

Remember that not every gesture has to be a grand one to help your chronic illness companions. Some days a text or a phone call can help motivate us or get us out of a rut. Providing a meal (even if you don't cook it yourself) says "I care about your well-being."