I always find it interesting to read memoirs by people who have dealt with – or are dealing with – medical issues. Particularly if they’re debilitating and, as the name of this book says, chronic. One of my favourite such book was The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, which I have read one and a half times and which is one of the best books I’ve found on the experience of physical frailty. I’ve never read any books about endometriosis before, but I have a few on my TBR aside from this one. What I knew about it going into this book was that it’s painful, debilitating, difficult to treat, lasts years if not decades, is more common than it might seem given how infrequently it’s discussed and is often met with disbelief or dismissal by medical professionals. I was intrigued.
Dimyan’s memoir takes us through her life from late childhood/adolescence to present day, because that’s how long she’s been dealing with some level of pain. When she wrote this book, she was 36. Think about that for a minute. More than 20 years – TWENTY YEARS – of pain. I don’t think it’s possible to imagine the impact that has unless you’ve experienced something similar. Her pain has varied from uncomfortable but surmountable, to so severe that she couldn’t move or talk. She has been to many doctors, had surgery, been given medications and finally did a complete overhaul of her entire life to change her diet, add in beneficial supplements, have regular treatments and form exercise and stress management strategies. Because of this, she now has it mostly under control, meaning her pain isn’t constant anymore and her flare ups aren’t as bad so she’s able to still work through them. Even if they had her up for half the night curled around a heating pad unable to breathe easily.
The most frustrating part of this whole experience – even though I went into this book expecting it – was the way in which one doctor after another either thought she was exaggerating, thought her pain was less than it was and told her to go home and take some Aleve, or just dismissed her completely. I am very aware of the way in which women are viewed by most of the medical profession. I am one, and I’ve spent more time than most as a patient. I’ve gone to hospital in so much pain that I passed out twice, was given morphine that had absolutely no effect, but was still told I was going to be sent home (lucky for me I refused to leave and was eventually admitted. Turned out I needed emergency surgery a few days later). I’ve spent years in pain that could have been avoided if a doctor bothered to order an MRI. I’ve been shamed, belittled, ignored and prescribed medication erroneously. And yet, I feel like I’ve been lucky, because I’ve also found doctors who have been amazing. Doctors who have pushed for treatment and diagnosis, who have called me at the end of a long work day without an appointment just to see if I’m okay, who have fit me in at short notice and gone out of their way to look for answers when they could easily have just shrugged and walked away. Dimyan didn’t have that same balance of experiences, and by the end of this book her view on doctors is pretty bleak, even though she does acknowledge that modern medicine is crucial and she does take medications for other health issues. But it was so heartbreaking to read about her treatment at the hands of those who were supposed to offer help and support. I want so much for this to change, and for women (and all other patients) to be taken seriously when they’re suffering.
There’s so much more in this memoir other than Dimyan’s chronic pain and subsequent diagnosis with endometriosis. That has been a huge part of her life that has impacted her health (obviously), her friendships, her work, her family and her sense of self. But like everyone else, she had other important experiences in her life – love, heartbreak, assault, addiction, etc. – that all combined with this experience to form the person she is today. Not least of this was her marriage and becoming a mother, which she talks about in the most beautiful way. She’s managed, against the odds, to build a life that works for her with people who make it whole. It’s a story that, yes, has a backdrop of horrific pain and suffering, but that also offers hope and solidarity to anyone suffering from a similar issue. And it offers practical resources for other women with endometriosis who are desperate for something – anything – that might help ease their pain. Definitely worth a read if you’re also dealing with this or a similar chronic issue, or if you just want to learn more about what it’s like from a patient’s point of view.
In this powerful debut, Rebecca Dimyan details her experience with endometriosis, a chronic disease which effects one in ten women worldwide. This painful condition takes an average of seven years to be diagnosed and has no proven cure. Most women will undergo multiple surgeries, take countless painkillers and other drugs, and will still endure regular pain and other complications. With honesty, vulnerability, and sometimes humor, Dimyan explores the ways the condition has impacted her experiences, her body, her pain, and her joy. She takes her audience on an emotional journey through her teenage years, early twenties, and into her thirties as she becomes a professional woman, wife, and mother.
Dimyan blends research, anecdotes, and advice as she shares the relief she’s found through alternative treatments and holistic medicine. Chronic isn’t just a story about one woman’s illness—it is a memoir about all the pain, pleasure, heartbreak, friendship, love, and hope she experiences on her path to healing. – Goodreads
Book Title: Chronic
Author: Rebecca Dimyan
Series: No
Edition: Audiobook
Published By: Woodhall Books
Released: June 6, 2023
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Illness
Pages: 200
Date Read: July 17, 2023
Rating: 7.5/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.66/5 (71 ratings)
This sounds good, but sad! That’s an amazing statistic of one in ten women, and still the disease doesn’t get diagnosed!
Yeah, pretty mindblowing. I’ve learned a lot in the past few years about all the different things that aren’t easily diagnosed but have a huge impact on lives. It’s pretty sobering how often it can happen!