Chronic illness Pain Support

Back home to a "new" normal

Hi, friends,

Just a quick note to say we are safely home. We spent about 4 hours home Thursday and then left for the Joni and Friends Disability Ministry Summit conference.

It was exciting and exhausting; God’s presence was surely there, and it was an honor to be a part of it. Needless to say I am emotionally and physically exhausted. It took us 4 hours to pack up our 2 tables and we shipped 10 boxes home and filled every inch of Joel’s car. We unloaded it last night and my car is still packed with all the heirlooms.

I will be checking email and getting orders out Tuesday or possibly Wednesday (with a free little gift for your patience!)

Once I can upload some photos I look forward to sharing more with you about the conference too!

Thank you, thank you for all your loving prayers. Please continue to keep the prayers going for our community. Over 1800 homes were lost. In my son’s school district alone, 20 staff members and nearly 400 kids lost their homes. I remember before people donated items even such as Halloween costumes for the kids and Christmas ornaments for the families. We’ve not yet seen any of the devastation, as those areas are closed to non-residents and we want to respect their space as well, so in some ways it all seems surreal to read about Poway in USA Today and see videos of the president who was just up the street.

Bless you all,

Lisa

On the Way to Joni's Conference

Well, we made it! I will share details later, but God really worked some miracles to let us be here and have (most of) our stuff arrived. I am up but I went to bed about midnight and slept until 2 am. Then got up and worked on my presentation a bit and tried to go back to sleep but my arm ached (too few pillows). Got up at 5:20 and hit the shower and we leave about 7:15 to be there by 8.

Amazing people, amazing passion. I am excited to share more with you later. We're so glad our home and office survived and now we can be here to minister to others. Claudette Palatsky, author of Think it Not Strange has been a long-time "online" friend and we sell here book at the Comfort Zone. She's going to be coming over and helping out with our table so I'm excited to finally meet her after years of online emails.

We had dinner last night with other speakers and sat at a table with two couples I've not seen for ages, but met through Christian Council on Persons with Disabilities when I served on the board. It's so fun to catch up and see what God has done for all of our families and ministries.

Please pray for strength and stamina today. And that something worthwhile comes out of my mouth as I speak (after doing the presentation all week while evacuated and practicing in the hotel lobby last night in whispers, Lord knows He's the one in charge!)

We exhibit all morning and I speak at 1:15 pm and then lead a networking group after that and then tear it all down. I'll send photos of our exhibit later but it turned out beautiful (and big!). I'm wearing our new Hope Endures black v-neck t-shirt today and everyone seems to love them and the new fleece jackets. They literally arrived from the company between my husband's 2 trips to load stuff over to the church. Because of the fires, all our shipping was delayed about 5 days.

Love you all, thank you for the honor of being able to speak on behalf of you and others who live with chronic illness. I'll send you a cute photo later of my sweet boy who is wearing his own Hope Endures t-shirt I did as an iron-on. He was running all over yesterday passing out buttons and pens and quite the little marketer and encourager.

Lisa

Home is safe!

Dear friends,

Forgive me for keeping this brief but I am so tired... but the house is standing! We were able to get back in today and all was fine. Very dirty, obvioulsy a lot of wind and soot had blown things all over, but our whole street was okay. We immediately started loading my husband's Escape with things for the conference and then came back to the hotel about 6 hours later. The car is FULL. I ordered nice new banners that Fed Ex couldn't deliver, so am not sure if I will get them or not. They said they are somewhere on one of the 30 semis at their base. If they scan it tomorrow a.m. theyn they will hold them for me to pick up. But I can deal with that kind of loss!

Due to air quality and not even knowing if we'd have power, we opted to stay here one more night. We had to make a decision by 10 a.m. and since we're all coughing and exhausted it made the most sense. In the monring we will go back to drop the kitty off at a boarding house and pick up medicine at the pharmacy (priorities!) and then go to Pasadena. We've cleaned up the room here and got access to my computer (very smart husband.. boy, do I owe him big for all of his work!) and I've been finishing up my presentation and flyers, signs for the exhibit, etc. Through no fault of the natural disasters our house INSIDE looks like a hurricane went through. Packing at 4 a.m. to evacuate and later a conference will do that to it.

I can hardly think straight and have not had time to realize the emotions involved. But I can say both my husband and I felt a bit like Abraham standing over Isaac saying "We trust you, Lord. If you need this house and ministry you can have it." It's not a fun place to be, but it makes me reassured that we're both somewhere in this spiritual walk together.

Thank you for all the prayers. Friends are checking in and many are safe, but not all homes are accounted for yet. Please continue the prayers as people are still being evacuated even now as the fire continues to spread. The winds have started to die down so it's finally time they can start to "fight" the fire. President Bush arrives tomorrow about 4 miles from our home to give a speech. I remember him just being here for the last fires too. Everywhere it seems to be about fire. We looked at the movie schedule for something for Josh yesterday and saw listed the movie, "The things we lost in the fire" with Halle Berry. Don't think that will be doing well in San Diego this season.

Tomorrow night we'll be at the Hilton in Pasadena (Lord willing, if all the freeways stay open) and the conference is Friday and Saturday. If you missed Joni's new TV show, be sure to record it if you have Dish Network. It's on 4 pm pacific on the NRB channel on Fridays (each week!0. See www.joniandfriendstv.com - it was fun to watch it last week and see all the places we'd just been. I feel so blessed to be in the presence of someone who lives with such joy despite her circumstances.

Love and prayers,

Lisa

Checking in to say thanks

Thank you dear friends and family with the outpouring of love and prayers. We are in a hotel again tonight. It was a day of ups and downs, but the last we heard our house is still standing. Praise God!

We ate breakfast at the hotel buffet and sat next to two families also from Poway.  One said they thought their house was okay, according to news reports. The other woman said her husband had [illegally] gone up to see about their home. And it was the only one left on the street. It was near Lake Poway (about 3 miles north of us, where the "multi-million dollar" homes are -- definately not our neighborhood!) She thought the neighbor's wood pile may have "sucked" the fire over their home along with her own plants she's planted to try to be a fire deterrant.

We wanted to get out of the hotel and thought the air might not be so bad by the ocean so we "roughed it" and took Josh to La Jolla shores where he rode his trike and played with little parachute toys I'd got him at the dollar store. We ended up meeting a family who lived just a mile or so down the street on in our area. She said they'd evacuated, but her husband and son had stayed up all night and so far, no fires in that neighborhood. (A few years ago many homes were lost there.)

We thought that was good news and headed back to the hotel. Stopped to pick up "pain patches" for me and Tylenol cold medicine for Josh and got a call from the woman saying now her family had been evacuated. Came back to the hotel and looked up the maps online and the RED LINE of fire was 1 BLOCK from our street. But an hour after that a neighbor of ours called an said they had snuck back in [illegally] and our street was okay.

We've since received words that it's okay to go back but to keep your car packed. I worked on my presentation for the conference at La Jolla park and have been sitting here doing it for the last two hours. I think it's coming together but I am wiped out. I woke up at 3 a.m. and checked online to see if we still had a house and then Josh woke up coughing and none of us ever went back to sleep. So those 4 hours were heavenly... but not enough after being up 2 days straight.

So far, the plan is to check out home tomorrow, pack up boxes of books for the conference and get everything ready. My first podcast with Claudette Palatsky hasn't happened yet, I haven't gotten the gray colored out of my hair (ugh!); I don't even have eye liner so I really look tired. But hey, I was supposed to have jury duty this week and had asked for an excuse for my own health, my son's, etc. But even the courts are closed. (You have to look for the bright side, right?)

But none of that seems to much matter.

Josh seems to think we are on some kind of weird vacation. Especially since the cat came! We're in La Jolla and can't go outside without white flakes of ash falling on you. But everywhere you go people are on their cell phones talking about it and the TVs keep replaying horrible images we'd rather not see over and over. Over 500,00o people have been evacuated, the most in CA history.

I sat at the beach and flipped through my Bible finding scriptures to reference for my talk, and every single one about "not worrying about what you eat or where" or "wealth is evil" or "don't say... 'today I am going to...' say, 'If the Lord wills it, today I am going to.'" Perspective is an amazing thing.

My husband is turning off his light and I can't type coherently so I am going to stop now, but know how much we appreciate your prayers and kindness. We know how blessed we are to be able to be in a bed, to have food to eat, to have people who care about us and are checking in. Even my husband's work sent out text messages to everyone saying they are closed for the remainder of the week.

But please continue to pray for everyone, as they are still evacuating -- they even told the Marine Corp "not to come in unless you were senior personnel...." Wow! So many of you wrote to tell me of family and friends who live here of yours too. I pray they are all safe. And of course, the firefighters and even the newscasters (one who lost his own home and stood in front of it as it burned.)

And pray the winds don't start up again. Our home is in a pocket of areas without fires, but completely surrounded. Lord willing it will all stay safe.

Love to you all,

Lisa

Does "Hope Endure" Through the California Fires?

Dear friends, personal email here...

I sent out an email last night to many saying we were likely going to be evacuating from the Southern California fires, the second time in 4 years, the last time being the "worst fires in the history" of California --in 2003. The people in charge have called this a "de ja vu" of the 2003 fires, only with Santa Ana winds MUCH, MUCH worse. Who could have thought they could be any worse?

I stayed up the entire night listening to the radio and cutting little Hope Endures cards. Bagging little Hope Endures pins and magnets. And before I left today I threw in one of our new tote bags that I absolutely LOVE... that says-- you guessed it -- "Hope Endures."

But I didn't feel joyful. I felt a bit resentful. Was God going to test my proclamation that HOPE CAN ALWAYS ENDURE?

By 5 a.m. I woke up my husband, who was lightly sleeping with the radio on and I said, "We have to pack the car. It's getting close." By 7 a.m. a neighbor who works for the city reported back that the smoke on the hill above us was getting close and to "GO! GO, NOW! GET OUT!" And then, as we all started walking towards our doors, biting our bottom lip to stop any tears he yelled out, "It's an adventure."

I am beyond spoiled. While people are gathered at Qualcomm Stadium (for the Chargers football) I am sitting comfortably at a Residence Inn. I woke up my sister at 5 a.m. --she works as a manager for Mariott--and said, "Is there anything? Can you find me anything?" She stumbled downstairs and coherently made us a reservation in... La Jolla. So here I sit, in one of the vacation destinations of the world. We aren't really supposed to be outside and it's hard to get away from the TV. I just called my house for the 2nd time today and the answering machine picked up, which means the house is still stading. Over 50 homes in Poway (our little "city in the country") have been lost.

Over 300 homes just up the street are gone. It brings back an awful feeling of the lost homes in 2003. It was like a war zone with nothing but chimney's standing an occasional perfectly untouched BBQ or Play House.

Your outpouring of thoughts and prayers strengthen me. We try to think "best case scenario--worse case scenario..." Either way God is in charge. It's out of our hands.

But honestly... I am scared. Because I feel like this could be a perfectly acceptable way for God to grab ahold of my blessed life and put it to the test. "Does your hope REALLY ENDURE, Lisa? Could you go to the Joni and Friends conference and stand there and say, 'God is good and faithful and hope will always endure? Prove it!" Not that God is mean, but He desires to see us grow spiritually and lately I feel like I've been the slacker disciple.

For example, I skipped church yesterday. I was so sore, tired, and we had a lot to do to get ready for the conference and then... Legoland in the afternoon. (Yes, it was a sin, I know....but I'd promised my kid and I couldn't do both church and Legoland and we couldn't do Legoland Trick-or- Treat the next week because he is going to be with me helping with my ministry at the conference. He wants to "pass out free pens" and "talk to  more people in wheelchairs" -- he said in his own words.)

He watched the Joni and Friends new TV show with me just Friday and said, "There's Joni! There's where I ran! There's your meeting!" He saw Joni talking to  Nick Vujicic was born without arms or legs and said, "why did God do that?" So I skipped church... but we were still doing ministry, right?

So anyway, the TV was on Dr. David Jeremiah preaching about struggles and then I went in the other room and I hear a muppet yelling "Today's word of the day is STRUGGLE!" I thought, hey, cool, Dr. Jeremiah has a kid's thing. But I checked the TV and since we were Tivo-ing Sesame Street it had turned to that channel. In all my years of watching Sesame Street I don't ever remember the word of the day being STRUGGLE. The word of the day is something like "weather" or "feelings."

So, thank you my dear friends, for your journey through this all with me, even the ramblings of a woman who has not slept in 40 hours. I pray our home and the RM office will be safe... But I pray regardless I will pass the test that I can always tell people, "Yes, Hope always endures."

Lisa

Joni Tada is Coming to T.V. Oct. 19th!

We're very happy to announce that Joni Eareckson Tada has a new television show starting on October 19th and airing on Direct TV (They are working on having it held on other televsion broadcasting options.) It's a wonderful half hour program that will leave you rivetted to your seat. (Trust me, I saw one of the pre-produced programs and it was fabulous!)

If you are not familiar with who Joni Eareckson Tada is, and you have a chronic illness, do take some time to visit her web site at www.joniandfriends.org and check out some of her books. We carry my personal favorite, When God Weeps.

The stories in the half hour television program are "hard"-- in the way that they do remind us that life is not easy. But when people who have survived the unthinkable look into the camera and say "God is still in control..." Well, let's just say if you were having a bad day or wondering if life was worth living, God could really reach you with this TV show.

The program airs Friday nights. Check your schedule here.

~Lisa

Lisa's visit to Joni and Friends Disability Center

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to go up to Agoura Hills for the annual affiliate meeting of organizations who are affiliate of Joni and Friends. If you are not familiar with Joni Eareckson Tada, I invite you to read more about her and her ministry outreach to those with disabilities at www.joniandfriends.org

I remember as a young girl hearing about this teenage girl who dived off a dock and broke her back. A book, Joni, came out about her story and I read it more than once under my covers late at night with a flashlight (well past my bedtime.) To imagine a teenager not much older than myself who was experiencing so much pain, but also insight, was amazing.

Joni's web site states her bio as the following:

"A diving accident in 1967 left Mrs. Tada a quadriplegic in a wheelchair, unable to use her hands. During two years of rehabilitation, she spent long months learning how to paint with a brush between her teeth. Her high detail fine art paintings and prints are sought after and collected.

Due to her best-selling books, beginning with her autobiography, Joni, as well as having visited 35 countries, Joni's first name is recognized around the world. World Wide Pictures' full-length feature film, JONI, in which Mrs. Tada recreated her own life, has been translated into 15 languages and shown in scores of countries around the world.

Mrs. Tada's role as a disability advocate led to a presidential appointment to the National Council on Disability for three and a half years, during which time the Americans with Disabilities Act became law."

Truly... that barely covers it!

I've always been a great admirer of Joni's but when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 1993, her ministry took on new meaning for me in a personal way. Although... I still longed to fellowship with those who had illnesses and I didn't feel like I fit in quite as much as I desired with the experiences and daily struggles as those with more severe disabilities. After talking to Joni at a book signing and asking, "Is there a ministry out there like yours for peopke with chronic illness?" she said no, and "go for it." Hence, Rest Ministries began.

I've had the chance to cross paths with her over the years a number of times and I have a very large print of her Heaven artwork (which she paints with her mouth) in my office. She's been my beacon of light when I've felt overwhelmed with the daily-ness of living with illness and doing ministry as well as the lagrge goals to try to get the church to care and understand that they are to "go out" and bring in the disabled to church.

A few years ago I received a call from Steve, a wonderful man who is the communications director at JAF, and who also happens to live with a chronic illness. He became such a wonderful help in building bridges between Rest Ministries and Joni and Friends, most notibly when we were asked to be an affiliate of the organization a few years ago.

You'll notice I speak of Joni often and highly; I have dreams for my ministry, but she is doing ministry right now in a large way, traveling all over the world to impacting political debates on stem cell research and more. The most exciting news about Joni and her organization is that they recently moved into a brand new building that they built themselves (all paid for!). It's beautiful, but it's not about the walls. It's about the ability to reach more people with Good News that the building can bring. The grand opening was last spring, but just a few weeks ago all the affiliate organizations and the different branches of Joni and Friends around the country gathered together to have our own "grand opening."

It was an amazing time, full of joy, passion, reflection and hope. I took many photos to share with you so you could experience a bit of what I was blessed to share in.

The building! Completed Spring 2007

Front desk - behind it is a beautiful black "pool" of water - which for some reason I didn't get  a photo of. But it's all very serene and peaceful.

When you walk in there are two wheelchair ramps that go up, one on each side. My son later tried them out with a few other children, to see how fast they could race up and down them. Befoe I lost all respect I told him to stop, but one of the staff members assured me it was fine and that they were actually called "Ryan's Run" after another staff member's son. I'll need to get more info on the reason behind that name later. The chapel is in the middle and feels like it's floating.

Inside the chapel. It has amazing acoustics, so even if you can't hold a tune, you will sound pretty good in here. Just be careful. Your voice can be heard all over. It's a place that people wander up to and start singing Amazing Grace.

A neat little sitting area, very classy, that has the history of Joni and her ministry etched on glass "banners."

1974: Joni was on The Today Show which gained her a large national kick off for her ministry.(I've been researching "how to get on The Today Show" so this confirms I'm not totally crazy.

Uh. . .Right?)

A gym... okay, a nice thought, but I would hate to have my cubicle beside the gym, wouldn't you?. How can you walk by that every day sipping your latte and not feel guilty?

No this isn't the library, but rather bookshelves of the books Joni has either written or has given an endorsement or foreward for. So if you are an author looking to get her endorsement, know that she is pretty busy. Be patient!

Joni's office. We got to go through and snap photos while she wasn't there. I think most of us felt a little silly, but we just made excuses about how we needed them for our blog. :)

Joni's office. I had to snap this because this is the photo I have on my office wall of hers.

More of her amazing art. Not only is she a servant of God, an amazing business woman, but a very gifted artist.

Joni's very clean desk (for photo opps, right?)

Joni's working desk. We all admired her piles because this side of the office felt much more familiar to all of us who work with--not file folders--but stacks.

(Look, mom! It works for her,so it can work for me too, right?)

A very nice wall and office divider. Seriously though, the whole building is done in white and rose-colored walls. It's peaceful and comforting. Compared to most office buildings with those big grey cubicles this was heavenly!

And "wouldn't it be loverly" to work in a place where scripture is etched onto the walls??

 

This is called the "Friendship Room" near Joni's office where meetings are held. It's beautiful when the sun hits it just right, but the whole building is filled with Friendship Rooms.

Joni herself, welcoming us and singing a song she wrote lyrics to to tell us how much we meant to her. With the millions of things she has to do, she took time out to write a song that would make us both laugh and cry. What a woman!

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I hope you've enjoyed your personal tour through the new building and that you will keep Joni and Frends ministry, as well as Rest Ministries, in your daily prayers. Walls are a wonderful thing to have when you ae trying to plan programs and write materials for churches. But without a strong foundation in God, and not the cement, it won't go anywhere!

Lisa

Call for submissions for PROPOSAL for Chicken Soup/Illness Book

I am currently working on a proposal to pitch a book to Chicken Soup for those with chronic illness. I am looking for the “best of the best” stories to include with my proposal You may submitt a story (or 2 or 3.. however many you want, just be selective) for possibly inclusion with the proposal. Even if it doesn’t end up with the proposal it could end up in the book if it comes to be.

If you know of anyone who is an excellent writer who has a chronic illness or experience in that area, such as a caregiver, please forward this to them too!

DEADLINE: 2 WEEKS, OCTOBER 26, 2007!!
I am pitching soon!

Personally, I don’t believe Chicken soup books are the answer to people’s hole in their lives that only God can fill. Reading nice stories can cheer a person up or make them take a second look at their own lives and decisions, but ultimately they still need God.

But the truth is, the chicken soup series has reached millions of people (108,000,000 the last I heard) and there are over 100 million people who live with illness in the USA. As part of Rest Ministries goal to REACH those who do not know Jesus, if I can write/edit a Chicken Soup book for these people and it has the potential to lead them to Rest Ministries and ULITMATELY GOD… than it’s a wonderful tool for evangelism.

That said, if you’ve read the Chicken Soup books you know that the term “God” is used somewhat loosely except in the specific Christian books. I don’t “endorse” this, but I do believe that God can use anything.

So… for the 3 stories I submit I need 2 to not be spiritual. I don’t like that fact, but I need to convince those in charge that I understand it’s not specifically a Christian book. Since my background is specifically in Christians with chronic illness area, they are going to be looking closely to see if I will try to slant the book in this way.

If the proposal is accepted, then I can find out what a suitable amount of stories can flat out mention God in the book. So keep that in mind when you are writing.

If your story is really spiritually related, try to tell the STORY and all the specifics and emotions involved and then sum it up as your “answer to prayer” or “how God brought the pieces together.” Does that make sense?

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Recipe for A Winning Chicken Soup for the Soul® Story –

I’ve adapted this from the Chicken soup web site for the kind of stories I am looking for.

A Chicken Soup for the Soul® story is an inspirational, true story about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It is a story that opens the heart and rekindles the spirit. It is a simple, inter-denominational, living art piece that touches the soul of the readers and helps them discover basic principles they can use in their own lives. They are personal and often filled with emotion and drama. They are filled with vivid images created by using the five senses. In some stories, the readers feel that they are actually in the scene with the people.

>>>> My very loose chapter ideas are as follows (if you have ideas, let me know – it’s hard to form themes when the stories don’t exist yet)

CHAPTER TITLES

· Making choices about living despite facing a diagnosis (attitude choices and adjustments, events that led you to make them)

· Finding comfort or joy in unexpected places (surprises you found through this less than desireable experience)

· It’s a family affair (how illness impacts your family, questions kids ask, struggles about feeling like a parent who is not fulfilling the “job requirement”, etc.)

· Surviving the daily-ness of illness (what gets you up in the morning, etc. Little things that keep you going)

· Grief that pops up and creative ways to respond

· Waiting rooms that change lives (things that happen in the medial world/hospital/waiting room/interactions with nurses, etc.)

· Spirituality that provides hope in the darkness (BIG time GOD stories here… there’s no other explanation!)

· It’s the little things that make the difference (things people did that helped or encouraged you)

· Sharing the journey (ways you’ve reached out to others, made a difference, found your calling, etc.)

Chicken Soup stories have a beginning, middle and an ending that often closes with a punch, creating emotion rather than simply talking about it. Chicken Soup for the Soul® stories have heart, but also something extra…an element that makes us all feel more hopeful, more connected, more thankful, more passionate and better about life in general.

A story that causes tears, laughter, goosebumps or any combination of these. A good story covers the range of human emotions. >>>> this is the most important part of the submission. Give me those WILD moments you saw God-“coincidences”

The most powerful stories are about people extending themselves, or performing an act of love, service or courage for another person.

Guidelines for a Chicken Soup for the Soul® Story

1. Tell an exciting, sad or funny story about something that has happened to you or someone you know. Make sure that you introduce the character(s).

2. Tell your story in a way that will make the reader cry, laugh or get goose bumps (the good kind!) Don’t leave anything out — how did you feel?

3. The story should start with action; it should include a problem, issue or situation. It should include dialogue and the character should express their feelings though the conflict or situation. It should end in a result, such as a lesson learned, a positive change or pay-off.

4. Above all, let it come from your HEART! Your story is important!

What a Chicken Soup for the Soul® story IS NOT:

1. A sermon, an essay or eulogy.

2. A term paper, thesis, letter or journal entry.

3. About politics or controversial issues.

4. A “My Grandma Just Died, and Let Me Tell You What A Wonderful Person She Was” or “Let Me Tell You About My Disease or Operation” or “I Gave a Bum Some Money, Aren’t I Incredible?” or “Why My Mother Is the Best Mother” or a personal testimony that may mean nothing to the reader.

Story Specifications

· Email them back to me via email or as a “Word” document (not Word Perfect please) to REST@RESTMINISTRIES.ORG

· Please be sure to type the author’s name and contact information, including a postal address, phone and email

· Stories should be non-fiction, ranging in length between 300-1200 words.

Many People Don't Give Advice About Illness, Survey Says

Sometimes it can feel like everyone is giving you advice about your illness but it's actually less than half the people (or so they say...) In fact, in light of my recent blog about some personal health issues my son is experiencing I asked for prayer rather than thousands of emails of advice. Most people completely understood, but a few took total offense (of that I am sorry). I just knew as a worn-out mom with my own illness I could only handle so many emails that said, "You need to be...." or "You should have...."

The recent study also revealed that 82 percent of people acknowledge that they know someone with a chronic illness. This seems to be much higher than in the past. Part of the reason I believe is because healthy people don't realize all that the term "chronic illness" entails, such as diabetes, lupus, heart disease, arthritis, etc. Now, with more media attention, perhaps they are realizing all the this term encompasses.

I had some other comments to make on this, but just lost my whole document... so I will let the statistics speak for themselves for now. But I wonder... how can I get Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend into the hands of those 82 percent who have a friend with an illness?

Blessings,

Lisa

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Chronic Illness Often a Taboo Subject: Survey

October 11, 2007 08:40:42 PM PST

THURSDAY, Oct. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Along with taboo topics such as politics and religion, many Americans are reluctant to discuss managing a chronic illness with family or friends, according to a new survey of more than 1,000 adults.

The survey, released Oct. 11, found that 82 percent of respondents said they knew someone with a chronic illness, but only 34 percent were likely to suggest ways for this person to better manage their care. That's about the same number who said they'd debate politics (37 percent) or religion (33 percent) with a loved one or friend.

Respondents were more likely to discourage friends or loved ones from buying the wrong house (65 percent), loan them a large amount of money (56 percent), advise them against taking a job they didn't think was right for the person (48 percent), and tell them their spouse was unfaithful (41 percent).

The survey was released by Evercare, a provider of health plans for people who have chronic illnesses, are older, or have disabilities.

The reasons why many Americans are reluctant to offer advice to chronically-ill friends or family include:

• They think the person has the situation under control (66 percent); they are not a health care professional (31 percent);
• they don't want to seem like a nag (31 percent) or rude (29 percent);
• they don't believe the person would listen to them (27 percent);
• they didn't think the matter was that important (15 percent).

Other findings:

• Twenty percent of respondents said their spouse was the easiest person to give advice to about health, followed by a child (20 percent), mother (13 percent), and father (5 percent).
• Most respondents said they'd prefer to receive advice about managing a chronic illness from a health care professional (67 percent), followed by a spouse (10 percent) or parent (7 percent). Men were twice as likely as women (14 percent versus 7 percent) to have their spouse give them such advice.
• Men have an easier time offering health advice to their spouse (28 percent) than women (19 percent). Women have an easier time offering health advice to their children (24 percent) than men (16 percent).
• Thirty-four percent of respondents said the person closest to them with a chronic illness is a parent (34 percent), followed by another relative (16 percent), spouse (14 percent), friend (11 percent), sibling (8 percent), and child (6 percent).

Evercare offered tips on how to help family or friends with a chronic illness:

• Talk to them in order to get an understanding of their goals. Get the conversation started by discussing events or activities they used to enjoy or future events they want to be part of, such as a family reunion. Once you understand their goals, you can help them achieve them along with health care providers, doctors or community service agencies.
• Appoint an "ambassador" -- someone your friend or loved one feels comfortable talking with and respects enough to heed his or her advice. This person can help your friend or family member manage their condition.
• Increase your comfort levels by educating yourself about the person's chronic illness. This will make you feel more comfortable speaking with them about the condition and reinforcing the advice the patient has received from their doctors.

By 2020, about 157 million Americans will be afflicted by chronic illnesses, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Disability Summit Will Provide Tons of Resources and Networking

I am writing to let you know, as well as others who live in states surrounding California, about the Disability Summit being held October 26-28 in Pasadena, CA. This event is hosted by Joni and Friend International Disability Center and Co-hosted by the First Church of the Nazarene in Pasadena.  Scroll down for more details! Rest Ministries is going to be there too!

The Key Note Speakers are: Joni Eareckson Tada and Nick Vujicic. I have the honor to be presenting a workshop and leading a networking group on the topic of "Invisible Disabilities: Effective Tools Every Church Should Have for Outreach Ministry Both Inside and Outside the Church Walls."

Rest Ministries will also be exhibiting at two tables: one with all of our Rest Ministries and HopeKeepers information and one announcing our newest program Hope Endures Radio Podcast.

Please feel free to forward this email to anyone who may be interested. Even if you are unable to attend, take a moment to click on this link to read the brochure-- If you are someone who serves in a leadership role with disability or illness ministry, be sure to put it on your schedule for next year. If you are someone who lives with illness, I hope it will encourage you to know that there are many many people who are working passionately to educate the church body on illness and disability and provide tools and awareness information to be able to better comfort you when you need it--and encourage you to participate in church leadership when God calls you to do so.

For the complete brochure and registrationd details click here (brochure) and here (info)

Thank you for continuing to be a part of our ministry family. We appreciate any prayers you provide on behalf of this conference!

Lisa Copen
Rest Ministries Director