There's graduation?

Thanks. Reading Fixmeup's OP, I was just going to mention the Kübler-Ross model as applied to chronic illness, then there it was...

stages of chronic illness

Personally I've had a hard time with that 'acceptance' stage. I'm there insofar as those things I need to do to cope, and handle the vicious cycle (see below) when it raises its ugly visage, but at the same time, not accepting -- not acquiescing -- is what keeps me going. Or maybe that's just a return to the Denial stage...

Don't know -- don't care. I'm sucking what marrow I can out of this life.

Another phenomenon helpful to be aware of is the Vicious Cycle, involving 2 or more of pain/stress, depression, & insomnia.

vicious cycle pain depression insomnia

Being aware of these things helps us understand what we are going through, that we are not alone -- because others go through it -- and they are natural things to go through.

Doc