Chronic Illness or Chronic Sensitivity? Playing with Words

A couple of weeks ago I was once again reflecting on the widespread use of the term, chronic illness, two words used to describe a wide range of illnesses, everything from diabetes to cancer to migraine headaches to rheumatoid arthritis. Those 2 words evoke, in me, a feeling of finality and futility, a prognosis I admittedly resist. I posted the following query on Facebook, which launched an interesting discussion. It appears I’m not alone in my desire to be cautious about the language we use – and that I may be a little too sensitive. Here’s how it went. Me: I have been grappling with my general dislike of the term “chronic illness” for some time. Yesterday a new term came to mind, “chronic sensitivity.” It occurs as a more accurate description of the long-term journey, with an eye on health and healing instead of illness. What do you think? After you’re done reading the post, I invite you to add your thoughts in the comment section. Ilona Rudolfs: For me as a European, not native-English-speaker, I would not have any idea of what you could mean, when you use these words. For me as someone who enjoys the privilege Read More...