Finding Courage to Face Life by Using the CHRONDI Creed
My previous eight columns addressed the CHRONDI Creed, a plan anyone can put in place when seeking to live better with a chronic disease. The CHRONDI Creed is challenging to put in place as a way of life. It takes courage to face life honestly and to make the changes needed to move toward well-being. It takes courage to wake up every day with a chronic disease and to stand tall with the CHRONDI Creed as your action plan.
Life is about choices. Using the CHRONDI Creed is a choice. I could say to myself, “I am tired of having to do all this hard work.” And on bad days, that voice gets annoyingly loud.
That voice was particularly loud while driving to my monthly doctor’s visit for my other chronic disease, ocular histoplasmosis. It’s an eye disease, and I need chemo treatment injected in the eye every month. This treatment is scary. Imagine watching a needle coming straight for your eyeball and then watching the fluid being injected. Imagine the thoughts and fears.
I sign a waiver every time because of the risks involved with this treatment. Do I want to want to do this? Dumb question, right? But if I don’t do it then there is a chance the disease will eventually take my sight. It’s a choice. I could choose not to do it, but instead, I choose to face this scary treatment every month. Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather facing fear and doing what promotes health.
It takes courage to use the CHRONDI Creed as a way of living better with a chronic disease. CHRONDI stands for the following:
C – Compassion: I will act compassionately toward others and find gentleness toward self.
H – Happiness: I will seek the inner bliss of happiness that is not material in nature.
R – Rehabilitation: I will apply courage and mindfulness to a total health rehabilitation plan.
O – Others: I will genuinely communicate with others about my experiences and maintain an attitude of gratitude for their help.
N – Nature: I will take time to embrace nature and all its beauty, which may include gardening, walks in the forest, and just sitting with nature.
D – Death: I will find the courage to face the terror of the “death of self” (loss) and not let it control me.
I – Individuality: I will continue to express my individuality and my purpose beyond the disease.
The CHRONDI Creed is a series of self-affirming statements. (For more detailed information about each one, click on the links above.) I start each day with these statements and have been doing so for years. They have become my inner dialogue — most of the time. It’s a healthy inner dialogue to replace all the negative, sometimes nasty, inner noise. Keeping that negative noise numbed down to a level of minimal impact is an important part of my personal plan for well-being.
Choosing to live by the CHRONDI Creed is not quite as intrepid as a needle stuck in your eye, but it is still something that takes a strong dose of courage. It takes courage to look honestly at your life and ask, “Am I living by this creed?”
I have found that the CHRONDI Creed gives me more strength, helps me to have more courage, and adds to my quality of life while living with a chronic disease. I am always looking for a way to live the creed more completely.
Where have you needed to draw upon courage in making choices to live better with a chronic disease? Please share in the comments below.
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Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.
About the Author
Charles
Thank you Doctor C. I'm a very negative person about this disease and I have been in denial for over 2 years. Your columns bring me hope and peace that one day
I will accept the fact I have this disease.
Dr. C
There are days when I am pretty negative about the disease also. There is research that indicates early intervention is important when dealing with PD. Many of my columns are about that, about early signs, about putting a total health rehab plan in place as soon as you. Use the CHRONDI Creed to make balanced rehab plan so that is gives you the most potential for having a high quality of life. It requires courage and hard work, but it's worth it as the reward is a slower disease progression. Thanks for the positive comment and please keep writing them.
Francine
Just a wonderful article of courage and devotion and determination. I think it is a positive way to deal with any disease or illness and to have the hope that there may be a light at the end of the tunnel.
Dr. C
Thanks for your support and I am glad you enjoyed the column. Hope, and light, I do believe that both can help.
Dr A Ramya
dr c...your columns are really inspiring..iam an ayurveda physician from the state of kerala, india working as associate prof,dept of panchakarma , ashtamgam ayurveda medical coolege,here...i too work with pts with parkinsons..its incidence here is def on a rise....ayurveda def has many good options with internal medicines and panchakarma therapy....we able to improve quality of life...prevent further progression...still continuing with journey...in this your writings are really good...god bless you
Dr. C
Thank you for your support and kind comments. I am always open to alternative medical approaches to helping people live better with chronic disease. I like to find some science on the approach, technique, medicine, or treatment prior to using it. I take the same stance when looking at Western medicine. But I never rule out the possibility that someone finds something that just happens to work really well for them personally.
Cal Desmond-Pearson
I don't live with Parkinson's but I do live with Chronic Disease/Pain.
I found this article by accident and was totally blown away by it.
I plan to incorporate
the CHRONDI Creed into my life.
Dr. C
Hi Cal ~ It is always such a pleasure to hear that my columns and thoughts can transcend to other people facing similar issues. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your comment and perhaps there will be other helpful ideas in my other columns. Thanks for checking in, and taking the time to share your comment. Thanks for reading my columns along with keeping up with the BioNews Services website.
Dr. C.
Jacqueline Fuller
I too don't have Parkinson's, but a neurological condition that has some Parkinsonian symptoms. Thank you so much for developing the CHRONDI creed. I am frightened by the severity of my physical issues and am digging deep for courage. This helps.
Dr. C
Hi Jacqueline ~ I really appreciate your comment, and the time you spent reading the column. I'm glad to hear that it is helping in your challenge. Take each day as it comes and the struggle with fear and unknowing will be replaced by your courage. I'm in the middle of a series of columns describing the "conductor" that might be of interest to you. I hope you can check in again soon and follow my thoughts on this.
Dr. C.
Mike Balen
Dr. C, My wife (65 y.o.) was just diagnosed with PD. She is pretty freaked out and in need of assistance in dealing with the disease. I'm a total novice re PD but am reading and learning about it daily. I will forward this article to her because it may help. I'd also appreciate any guidance or advice you may have regarding what I can do to help her as we enter and move through this new phase of our lives together.