So much of the literature on chronic diseases deal with "fighting the disease."And I have no real idea what that phrase means, except that, to me, it is absolutely an absurd concept. What I try to do is the opposite. I try to accommodate my disease, to give in to it. When I am sick, I act sick, and then I try to treat my sickness, but to do that I need to give in to it, not fight it...just like an athlete who listens to his what his body is telling him, I have learned to listen to what my disease tells me, and rather than denying the message, I give in to it, accept it, and then I try to make the best of it, to smell what roses are left for me to smell.

If another person were in your shoes what would you counsel them to do...to fight the disease means to resist, to push back, to resist. But that makes no sense.if you were to really fight a disease, you'd refuse to go to a doctor, and not take meds, or seek help.

But I say when another person has fatigue, don't hand them a shovel, give them a pillow. And, please, be as kind to yourself as you would to someone else.

I have also quit trying to describe my symptoms to others, I just say that I am sick today, and leave it at that. If they want to know more they'll ask...and most do not.