According to the Center for Disease Control, 6 in 10 Americans are battling a chronic health diagnosis and 4 in 10 Americans are battling multiple chronic diseases.
That’s a lot of people dealing with a lot of heavy stuff.
I’m one of them.
Here’s a list of books you need to read when you are faced with a diagnosis. Books that will help you feel less alone, find the humor in the midst of struggle and most importantly, show you the way forward.
You’ll find links to my Amazon and Bookshop affiliate stores below. Thanks for your bookish support!
Broken (in the best possible way) by Jenny Lawson
Broken (in the best possible way) by Jenny Lawson was a journey. Honestly, I typically read like I live my life: move from book to book rather quickly, read in small pockets of time so I can fit everything in and try to find the message or lesson right from the start. But this book was different. And while Jenny bemoaned the fact that her brain works in this longer-winding-why-do-I-think-about-these-things kind of way, I envied and so enjoyed reading her thoughts. Far too often, I simply go, go go and miss the beautiful mundane in between and the problem is, once you realize you’ve forgotten to enjoy the little things, they aren’t there anymore. Jenny seems to not only understand this, but embraces it, a lesson I need to learn.
Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad
In the summer after graduating from college, Suleika Jaouad was preparing, as they say in commencement speeches, to enter “the real world”. She had fallen in love and moved to Paris to pursue her dream of becoming a war correspondent. The real world she found, however, would take her into a very different kind of conflict zone.
Between Two Kingdoms is a profound chronicle of survivorship and a fierce, tender, and inspiring exploration of what it means to begin again.
How to Heal Yourself When No One Else Can: A Total Self-Healing Approach for Mind, Body, and Spirit by Amy B. Scher
I can sum up my review of this book in a single word: hope. Amy Scher has given readers hope for the healing that is possible inside their own bodies, even when other approaches have failed. No. ESPECIALLY when other approaches have failed. Her ideas are based on her own personal healing journey, but supported with and by professional literature and science. And while some of the ideas presented might be a bit outside readers’ ideas of conventional healing, Amy reminds us to take what feels right and leave the rest. This book gives us an entirely new perspective about health, wellness and healing and I’m incredibly grateful for the power inside the pages.
No Cure for Being Human: And Other Truths I Need to Hear by Kate Bowler
Well, this book was a beautifully written exploration into the human experience. Kate takes us on a journey through a very difficult time in her life starting with her stage 4 cancer diagnosis. She artfully weaves concrete accounts of her experience with reflections on what it means to be alive and embrace a life well lived. I felt like I was right there alongside her, feeling all the emotions, and wondering what my own reactions might have been to such a life-altering experience. I now have a new hero and mentor to turn to. This is a beautiful book.
Will on the Inside by Andrew Eliopulos
This book is a heartfelt account of one boy’s struggle to figure out who he is on the inside as he battles a health condition that changes everything. Will is a middle school student starring on his school’s soccer team when things start changing. He’s tired, his stomach hurts all the time and doesn’t feel like himself. After being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, Will attempts to get back into his own life, but everything has changed: he’s dealing with side effects from his new medication, grappling with his time off from the soccer team when they need him the most, questioning his identity and trying to understand the conflicting messages he’s receiving from his church, too. When things become too much to handle, Will finally asks for help in making sense of it all so he can truly heal. Readers will feel an instant kinship to Will as he navigates his new reality. The author’s intimate understanding of Will’s condition paired with his ability to portray characters and situations with striking clarity and empathy for all sides is commendable. This book is for readers grappling with a similar health condition, questioning who they are on the inside or willing to ask tough questions about how the world works. It’s a must-read for middle grade readers and adults alike.
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey
Ironically, time seemed to slow as I read this book about snails. I settled in, became fascinated by something I never thought would interest me and explored a new side of humanity and what it means to be alive. Bailey’s heartfelt and beautiful writing was mesmerizing and I was transported to the terrarium observing the snail right alongside her. This was a short book packed full of wonder for a mysterious creature and a mysterious illness that kept her bedridden to experience it. This book is for anyone wanting to deep dive into their curiosity or to understand what it must be like to live with a chronic, debilitating illness.
