The scene: You're sitting on a comfy couch having a conversation with a good friend or a family member. Someone you're very close to. Maybe you're having a cup of coffee/tea or a glass of wine. It's been a good night of sharing with someone you trust. The issue you're talking about doesn't necessarily have to be Crohn's, but let's say it is. You're feeling comfortable, so you are very honest about your experience. You decide it's okay, just for a moment, to let go of that tone of optimism you normally adopt when speaking about your disease. It's not that you've actually given up hope, you're just tired. After you finish your tale, your friend/family member looks at you lovingly and says something like, "you're the strongest person I know" or, my personal favorite, "it'll just make you stronger in the end."
I've been trying to write this post for a while now, and I've been having a lot of trouble with it. I've been pretty frustrated by trying to get out what I want to say as well as the topic itself. Here's the thing. I don't want this to be accusatory in any way. I understand these reactions. I've had these reactions. But something needs to be said about the near uselessness of the pep talk in relation to chronic illness.
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