Book Review
The Chronic Illness Workbook: Strategies and Solutions for Taking Back Your Life
By Patricia A. Fennell, LCSW
(New Harbinger Publications, 2001)

Reviewed by Joan E. Simms

The Chronic Illness Workbook would be most helpful to people who have recently been diagnosed with chronic illness, as well as their family members and friends. It explains how to cope with health problems, such as CFIDS, for which there are no remedies.

This guide is a valuable resource for understanding how chronic illness sufferers can meet the challenges of daily living. For the individual, it is a vast do-it-yourself encyclopedia of knowledge usually obtained from many long months of rehabilitation therapy. This is invaluable for people without insurance that covers therapy, or those who lack the energy to engage in therapy.

The vocabulary is easily understood by a lay person. Individuals with cognitive difficulty may have problems with some of the long paragraphs, however.

There is an insightful discussion about alternative vs. standard (allopathic) medical care. This includes many topics on alternative therapies and how to know when to look for another medical doctor.

Among the topics discussed in the "Life Transitions" section are marriage, childbirth, moving, accidents and surgery. Work, retirement and college are considered under "Special Situations."

Fennell outlines four phases of chronic illness in the book, and offers strategies for coping with each phase. The goal in phase one is to "contain the crisis," while phase four covers how to "integrate your illness into a whole and meaningful life." Following the phases is a section of "Suggested Readings."

This is a very thorough and comprehensive book written by a highly regarded professional. It is well worth the price.

Reviewed by Joan E. Simms, from The CFIDS Chronicle, Spring 2002. Reprinted with permission from The CFIDS Association of America.