It’s difficult to cope with a new diagnosis, especially if you have a serious health issues already or a list of chronic illnesses to live with. I’ve recently had a new diagnosis of narrow angle glaucoma and it felt like my body was waging war against me.

Acknowledge Your Feelings

Because getting a new diagnosis can cause us to grieve, we may go into a state of denial. That’s when your support system can come into play especially if you need immediate medical treatment. Once this has passed, go along with your feelings which may run the gamut from anger to fear. I played the pity party for a while because I did not want another thing wrong with my body. I was sad and angry. My family and close friends let me cry and yell and stay alone for a while. Then they were sure that I got to my appointments and followed the doctor’s orders to save my eyesight.

Share With Others

There’s no need to tell everyone you know right at first, or even tell anyone at all. Soon, though talking about it with those closest to you can have a big impact on how you deal with your diagnosis. You probably know the people that will say the right things, be there for you and kick your butt when you need it. I told my husband immediately because I didn’t know if I would be able to make the drive home from the doctor’s office without hearing his voice. Then I shared it with just a few people. When I was feeling more confident after learning more about this type of glaucoma, I wrote about it on my blog.

Support groups specifically for the new medical condition may be helpful. You can find them online and sometimes in person. If this is a long term condition, consider joining an organization that your doctor or support group recommends so you can keep up with the latest information.

Get ‘Er Done

Even if you are still depressed, angry or wanting to advance medical science by 100 years, get treated, get tested, take the medicine you need and do what you can to get better or live with the new diagnosis. It’s not going to be fun, but your life is worthwhile.

If you feel too depressed to make a move, call in the ranks of your support group, tell your doctor or see a counselor, psychiatrist or psychologist. Please promise me that you’ll get help.

Don’t Be A Hero

If this new medial condition causes pain, the new medicine is making you feel sicker, you don’t like the treatment center, etc. tell your doctor. Don’t suck it up. You’re going through a lot right now and you have every right to feel as comfortable as possible.

It’s Not Yours

I never take ownership of the chronic illnesses that I have. You won’t hear me say, “My Sjogren’s Disease is making my eyes dry.” Instead, “That damn Sjogren’s Disease is making my eyes feel like crud.” The medical condition doesn’t have me. I can accept it, but not like it. Try your best not to let your medical condition run your life. It will be hard at first when you’re newly diagnosed, but as time goes on it will become a part of your life and not your life.

There’s still some anger, sadness, even depression and anxiety, but I get help when I need it and I fight when I have the energy. If that’s your style, make that your goal. If you have a different way of coping with a new diagnosis, then find it and go for it.

An online health support forum can be a blessing for people who can’t get out to attend support group meetings. If you have serious health problems finding support from a health forum can provide peace of mind. Just knowing that there are other people like you, going through the same things as you is a way to ease your mind.

For those diagnosed with cancer a cancer forum provides information about treatments and a means to feel positive and optimistic. Many people feel more comfortable opening up online than in person so they may let down their guard and discuss their true feelings. For people working on their health and eating healthy a nutrition forum is worthwhile. You can learn new recipes and even feel more accountable about what you’re eating.

Many people with health issues want to learn how to save money on their medications and treatments, so a health insurance forum can offer the information they need. Getting involved in an online health support forum can offer friendships, information and encouragement.

With everything in life being prepared will help when things get harder to deal with. Health Insurance for individuals with pre existing conditions can be hard to find, but still having insurance will make sure you are ready no matter what happens!

I just joined a group to help us prepare for Christmas. We are going to share idea on how to have a stress free holiday season. Last year Christmas was very rushed and things were done at the last minute. I ended up getting very sick because of feeling so uneasy. For the first time in years I didn’t have a home made Christmas Eve dinner and I didn’t send out Christmas cards.

Cards are very important to me because I only have my mother and aunt living close by. Finding just the right photo holiday cards tops off my Christmas to do list. At 123print.com there are so many bright and cheery cards to chose from. I was able to find both religious and Santa cards, my favorites. It’s easy to upload your photo and find what you want by category as well as folded or flat cards.

I’ll be sharing this with the group so we can get one of our to do items checked off the list and feel the stress release too.

This is a sponsored post. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Invisible Illness Week begins on Monday, September 14th at 9 AM. It’s a virtual conference and the schedule is for the whole week, ending on September 20th. This conference supports those of us who are chronically ill but don’t have outward signs of our illness. There has never been more of an important time, in my opinion to take part in National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week than now. Thank you to Lisa Copen who coordinates this event every year.

Since congress is making a decision on Health Care Reform, let our voices be heard! We are often the ones who pay high prescription costs, get denied Social Security Disability even though we cannot work so we go without insurance, and/or get denied insurance because of pre-existing conditions.

Please watch Marianne Hoynes, who has Sjogren’s Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis as she attempts to speak at a town hall meeting on Health Care Reform:

It was noted that many people could not see that Marianne was not in a wheelchair. So even those of us who have “visible traits” of a sickness are not given the right to speak out on issues that matter to us all.

We all matter.

Lisa Copen is a force to be reckoned with. Although she has Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia, she is the leader of the National Invisible Chronic Illness Week aka Invisible Illness Week. She also runs Rest Ministries, which is an online support group for people with chronic illness.

Lisa was diagnosed at 24 with Rheumatoid Arthritis so she can understand what it is like to be a young person facing a life long disease. She feels exhausted a great deal of the time and her hands and feet hurt most of the time. In fact right after last year’s Invisible Illness Week, she had to have surgery on her foot. She continues to have issues with infections as well as the ongoing pain.

Although Lisa is found everywhere on the web, she does have a personal life too. She is married and has a 6 year old son. She openly shares about the struggles she goes through on a daily basis, but those issues are tempered with her strong Christian faith and the support she receives from her family and friends both online and in real life.

Invisible Illness Week is September 14 - September 20th this year. It will be an online conference like last year, held on Blog Talk Radio. This allows people from all over to attend, as well as those who may be unable to due to sickness. Some of the speakers and topics this year include:

• Coping with Chronic Illness in Your Marriage with Bill & Pam Farrell
• Can Versus Should: Pregnancy, Children and Chronic Illness with Laurie Edwards
• Applying and Winning Disability Assistance When You Are Chronically Ill with Scott Davis
• Being a Teenager with a Chronic Illness with Naomi Kingery

There will be time for phone calls, questions and chances to win prizes. There are many ways that you can help. For example, you can blog about II Week, donate a prize, or hand out brochures.

Lisa Copen leads by example. Being chronically ill herself,  she volunteers to provides awareness about a subject (Invisible Illness) that many people do not understand or even knows exist.  She shares her personal struggles and her triumphs. She has a sense of humor about what comes her way.

She supports others in similar situations through her online work, her empathy and her kindness. She is always willing to share the limelight and gives credit to those who assist her in her work.

One of Lisa’s favorite scriptures that she hopes encourages others is “My comfort in my suffering is this: promise preserves my life.” Psalm 119:50

This is an ongoing effort to spotlight people with chronic illness, health issues and disabilities who are making a contribution in some way despite their pain, sickness, etc.

I know too many women who have been touched by breast cancer. And since I’ve had a bit of a scare myself recently (No, I haven’t heard about the results yet. I will call tomorrow.) I’m even more aware about this type of cancer. And now I’ve found a way that I can help make a difference.

BeeWell Miles is a program run by Bumble Bee Foods to raise money to provide support women diagnosed with breast cancer. They are donating 15 cents for every mile that you walk or run to the Breast Cancer Network of Strength.

I know that some of us who have a chronic illness or a disability may not be able to walk or run that much. But keep in mind that you can help in two ways. You can still log in your miles because this is a group effort. And you can spread the word. Share this info with others and get them to take part.

Being active in some way is healthy. Even though I am chronically ill, I still try to walk as much as I am able. I walk around the house and in stores when the weather is too hot, like today. Even though I wasn’t up and about that much today I learned that I actually walked about 1/10 of a mile. It may not sound like much to someone who is healthy but for me on a bad day it’s great! I’ll take it!

Please register for BeeWell where you can take part in this event which runs from today (April 1) to October 31, 2009. You’ll find support, advice on healthy eating, getting ready for your walks or runs, a way to calculate how much you walk in your favorite places and fun games too. You may even be able to inspire others by what you are doing. So even if you walk a little, you can help a lot.