| When I was diagnosed with Multiple
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| | the context of disability is sparse, many
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| Sclerosis in the mid 1980's as a
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| | thoughtful writers have considered
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| "diagnosis of exclusion" (see, my illness
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| | religion and spirituality to be crucial
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| had been mis-diagnosed for about 25 years
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| | factors in adjustment to disability. BUT,
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| prior to this initial "diagnosis") I
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| | we must be careful not to "blame" God, as
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| became VERY angry with God. "Why me", I
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| | I did, or to say that my disability is
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| asked. Why did I have to be the one you
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| | "God's Will, or punishment for something
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| inflicted with this terrible disease? Why
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| | that I did". Saying these things isn't
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| couldn't you let the Doctors conclusively
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| | taking responsibility for our lives and
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| diagnose the condition? Why did I have to
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| | figuring out how to live a better life by
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| keep pretending that the Doctors were
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| | managing symptoms. Instead, become
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| mistaken, just so that I could live my
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| | reconnected with whatever spiritual
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| day-to-day life?
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| | process/religion that you find speaks to
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| I was asking the wrong question, you see.
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| | you, and live in the present with all of
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| Instead of asking "Why me, God?", I
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| | the gifts that you still have. Being
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| should have been asking, "Why NOT me,
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| | affiliated with a specific religion can
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| God?" See, I was trying to become the
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| | sometimes help those of us with
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| "before the diagnosis" me, and I just
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| | disabilities find comfort in times of
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| could not do it. So, I went into denial,
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| | isolation and despair.
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| and pretended that nothing was wrong.
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| | While little research has been conducted
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| And, as anyone who is disabled, or who is
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| | on the influence of organized religion in
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| living with a chronic condition can tell
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| | the context of disability, studies on the
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| you, living with a disability is hard
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| | general population have been positive.
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| enough without trying to become a pale
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| | For example, a 28-year follow-up of
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| image of who one might have been without
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| | thousands of people aged 18-65 years
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| the disability, i.e., trying to fit into
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| | found that the individuals who attended
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| a world designed by and for able-bodied
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| | at least weekly religious services had
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| individuals, most of whom are equally
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| | lower rates of depression, smoking, and
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| dispirited. It took me quite a while
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| | alcohol use; they also tended to have
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| (about 10 years, actually) to come to the
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| | greater social support. Frequent
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| conclusion that I needed to stop being in
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| | attendees were more likely to have
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| denial; I needed to accept the condition,
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| | engaged in other healthy behaviors,
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| learn how to manage symptoms, and get on
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| | including physical exercise. The effect
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| with a quality life. Indeed, I needed to
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| | on survival was good after other factors
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| ask, "Why not me God!" For living in
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| | were taken into consideration - their
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| denial meant that the ILLNESS DEFINED ME;
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| | risk of death was reduced by 34%.
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| I was very unhappy; I was seperated from
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| | When disability is integrated as another
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| my spirituality; I was alone; and, I
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| | dimension of living, spiritual growth can
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| contributed to disruptive events in my
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| | take place. Please reread this red phrase
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| life.
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| | again. It talks about integrating a
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| It may sound corney, but I used my
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| | disability or a chronic condition "as
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| illness/disability experience as an
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| | anothe dimension of living"! It means,
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| opportunity to get in touch with the
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| | taking back control of your life;
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| needs of my "true self". That is, I
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| | actually "living" again, and managing
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| decided to use this opportunity to take
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| | symptoms as part of every day life! AND,
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| back control over my life; to recommit to
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| | believe me, this is not easy! If you have
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| my spirituality; to discover and live a
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| | the opportunity to acquire the
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| quality life; and, to keep replenishing
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| | Disabilitykey Workbook, you will see that
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| my "well" of personal happiness and
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| | I use my actual condition as an example
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| satisfaction by reaching out to others in
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| | for others to follow. Whenever I have to
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| similar situations. I mean, who better to
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| | focus on my "Multiple Sclerosis Symptom
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| discuss about living with a chronic
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| | Impairment Matrix", I get depressed all
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| illness than someone who does so on a
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| | over again. My brother felt bad about
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| daily basis, and not just some
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| | asking me about his "condition" because
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| Researcher? Who better to create a
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| | he felt that it was NOTHING compared to
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| Workbook (found at to assist others
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| | what I cope with (more about his question
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| obtain disability insurances to which
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| | in further blogs). BUT, I only
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| they are entitled than someone who used
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| | concentrate on the symptom process when I
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| the process herself, and not just a
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| | need to. Otherwise, I concentrate on
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| theoretical social services person? Who
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| | symptom management, and on daily living
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| better to create a website and an online
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| | as quality a life as I can.
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| blog where we of similar condition can
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| | Integrating experiences of disability
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| chat with, and learn about extending our
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| | allows a person with a disability to
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| quality of life than someone practicing
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| | recognize that suffering and hurtful
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| each and every day?
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| | experiences are universal conditions. It
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| Does my spirituality help me in these
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| | can be a time for you to discover
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| endeavors? You bet it does! Spirituality
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| | untapped resources; it can be a time
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| is a quality that goes beyond involvement
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| | where you decide that you DO HAVE TIME TO
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| in a religious organization. It is a more
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| | play with your grandchildren, or read
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| basic construct. The highest level of our
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| | that book you have been putting off, or
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| development is affected by our ability to
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| | research your grandparents as they came
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| appreciate the sacred in life; to live
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| | to America long ago.
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| each day with purpose, and to find a
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| | Spirituality is a way for people with
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| sense of meaning and purpose for our
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| | disabilities to fulfill their potential
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| lives. Spirituality invites each of us
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| | and discover the possibilities while
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| with disabilities and/or dealing with a
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| | learning to live with and integrate their
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| chronic condition to live fully and in
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| | disability-related limitations and yet
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| the present - in REALITY, the here and
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| | expand their boundaries to experience the
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| now. Not in denial, but in control of our
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| | fullness of life.
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| lives, learning about, managing, and
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| | As part of my Internet research for this
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| living each day in quality!
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| | blog, I found the following website
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| Research suggests that people, and in
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| | entitled "Faithability Religion,
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| particular persons with disability,
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| | Spirituality and Disability Resources".
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| depend on spirituality and religion as an
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| | You can subscribe to the site, for free,
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| important, if not primary, method of
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| | and receive (I think - I haven't gotten
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| coping with physical health problems and
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| | anything yet) periodic information. The
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| life stress. Most research, however, has
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| | site looked interesting, so here it is:
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| addressed one's involvement in religion
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| | Once again, your comments, thoughts, and
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| rather than spirituality.
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| | ideas on this and other blogs are
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| Although research about spirituality in
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| | welcomed!
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