| Those of us left in a wheelchair due to a chronic | | | | word is not synonymous with fatal. |
| disease (COPD) that no longer makes it possible for | | | | It is true that for most people they will have to live with |
| us to move around without aid, can quickly start to feel | | | | the results of the chronic disease for the rest of their |
| alone and frustrated with our lives. | | | | lives up until death, but it is also true that usually they |
| The normal tasks that most people take for granted | | | | have plenty of years of life left before this occurs. |
| quickly become out of our reach such as using the | | | | With this fact in mind, now is the time to take back |
| restroom, driving a car, or simply taking a walk as | | | | control of your life because even if your illness has |
| weather can quickly influence our ability to get | | | | taken control of certain aspects of your body it has |
| outdoors. Instead, we are left in a world in which we | | | | not taken control of your life and neither will it be able |
| are dependent on someone else for our every need | | | | to unless you allow it that power. |
| which can quickly breed resentment, hate, and | | | | Your mind, emotions, and enjoyment out of life are still |
| self-loathing. | | | | all in your hands if you learn to understand your |
| Most of these feelings result from an overwhelming | | | | disease and learn effective coping mechanisms that |
| loss of control over our lives that the illness or malady | | | | will help take the place of the hopelessness and anger |
| leaves us with, and the even worse part is that since | | | | that comes from the illness. Instead of getting angry at |
| we are suffering from a chronic ailment there is no | | | | those around you, get angry at your illness and rage |
| solution or future in sight. | | | | war against it by taking back control of your days. |
| This leads in turn, to even more apathy, hopelessness, | | | | One of the best ways to do this is to find a support |
| and overall deep sunken depression as the light at the | | | | group of people who suffer from the same condition |
| end of the tunnel quickly gets shut off. However, | | | | as you that can offer their advice, well placed |
| becoming homebound in a wheelchair does not have | | | | sympathy, understanding, and simple friendship. |
| to mean that we are alone, if we develop the right | | | | Although this may seem hard to do if you are |
| coping mechanisms and tools to help gain back our | | | | homebound, with the advent of the internet there are |
| sense of control. | | | | now many support groups and forums online for those |
| The first thing that most health advisors will | | | | that take advantage of the opportunity to get involved. |
| recommend to someone that is homebound in a | | | | Here you will not only find a wealth of support, but also |
| wheelchair or homebound period, is that they seek out | | | | a wealth of information that when combined can give |
| a fuller understanding of their health condition. Even | | | | you back your lease on life. |
| though a health malady may be termed chronic, this | | | | |