Tag Archives: Compassion
What in the World Is an Observer?
I use the word Observer in a specific sense throughout this website. It means a compassionate person who meets the needs of invisibly disabled people. Needs varying from simple interactions to complicated endeavors. I also use the word Dweller to indicate the person who dwells in storms of chronic illness and invisible disabilities. Who are […]
Continue readingHow to Love Someone with Chronic Pain
Sallie Belle Howell’s guest post talks about caring for a person living with chronic illness using love, acceptance, communication, and self-care. And she points us to a way to achieve that love. Visit Sallie Belle’s website, Mourning the Pain, for more info. Watching someone you love live with chronic illness can be difficult. At times, […]
Continue readingA Celebration of The Life of Evelyn Reader
Evelyn Reader, my sister-in-law, spent the last 13+ years invisibly disabled and in chronic pain. Prior to that, she was a wife and mother, spending time with friends and being active in church. She loved to make music, playing the piano and other instruments. Evelyn sewed for her girls and loved to make crafts. She […]
Continue readingLynn Loskot Reader now dancing with Jesus
These past couple weeks have been tough. My sister-in-law, Lynn Loskot Reader, had a hard battle with Covid when it caused double pneumonia. She lost. Now she dances with Jesus. I am paying tribute to her today. She was part of our invisibly disabled community, yet she still impacted many lives. Lynn Loskot Reader April […]
Continue readingInvisible Disabilities! But Why Don’t You See ME?
Chronically ill people often feel unseen by others. But why? Because social isolation may be caused by their invisible disabilities. And this leads to feeling lonely. Can the isolation be mitigated and the loneliness decreased? In the early years of my problems (after recovering from the initial severe injuries), my limitations did not isolate me […]
Continue readingHealthy People – This Post’s for You!
Connected Carole's note: Due to a sick day – not mine, but my husband, Joe's – this is a shortened version of what I intended to write about "Dear Healthy People" by Ken McKim. We spent seven hours in the ER yesterday and found out that Joe had had a tiny stroke (not a TIA […]
Continue readingIs My Life Hard to Understand? Find Help Here!
Where do I start? My first thought when someone asks what’s wrong with me! Maybe other dwellers think that, too. Especially if they have multiple issues or a difficult-to-describe rare condition. It's not that I don't want to explain; I just don't know what to say. The desire to be understood is a deep need […]
Continue readingPull Back the Storm: Comfort Your Friend
When your friend lives in storms, his life is difficult even when he’s successfully navigating them. But, sometimes storms hit harder, and things get tougher. And you can help pull back the storm—with comfort. However, there are wrong and right—and even better—ways to comfort. I remember two days early in my storms when I visited […]
Continue readingLend Me Your Hope – PLEASE!
Some days, we dwellers feel that life’s too difficult to want to live another day. It doesn’t mean we’re suicidal. We’ve just lost hope, at least for awhile. We need to borrow some from you. But, you, friends give invisibly disabled people hope. Borrowed Hope Lend me your hope for awhile. I seem to have […]
Continue readingHow Do You Help? Know Your Friend
Can you see your invisibly disabled friend needs help in his storms? Before you offer help, answer these questions. How well do you know your friend? You know she dwells in storms, but do others? Does he want others to know? Is she a private person? Or does he not care who knows? These answers […]
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