I Joined a Support Group

Recently, I joined a support group for people who have a chronic illness through my company Chesapeake Energy.

I really work for a great company. We have three chaplains at Chesapeake who are super passionate about helping people. The woman chaplain started the support group, and I really love it. It is a small group of about 6 of us who all have some kind of chronic illness. The group is all women too, which makes it easier for us to open up and share with one another.

Even though we all have different illnesses, we can relate to each other to easily. Many of us take the same kind of drugs, and much of our illnesses are inflammation related. We are all living with the illness and work a 40 hour a week job too. It can be difficult to hold a fulltime job when you do not feel well more than the average person. A lot of people with our illnesses go on disability, and I hope I never get to that point. 

I can relate to these women in a way I cannot relate to anyone else. They get me. When they nod their heads when I am sharing, I know they really do get it.

We talk about relationships, doctors, working, family, holidays, diet, stress etc.

We encourage each other and vent to each other.

Sometimes things just suck, and we need to acknowledge that.

You might think sitting around talking about chronic illnesses might be depressing, but it is not. It all depends on the attitude you bring to the table. We are all women who want to succeed in life, work, have relationships and be more than our illness. Yes, sometimes we feel down, but we get back up.

Talking with each other from week to week is so encouraging for me. It helps me to see that I am not alone. I am not the only one battling health issues as a young woman. It is a struggle, but who doesn’t have a struggle in their life?