Customer Reviews

Just Fine: Unmasking Concealed Chronic Illness and Pain

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Everybody has a story. As editor of a newsletter, it's not unusual for me to receive an e-mail or letter requesting that I review a book for possible inclusion in our publication. After all, we target a market specifically for those with chronic pain. Most of the time, I'm happy to at least look but I do so with optimistic skepticism. Our readers have a lot to deal with already. If I can't endorse a book, in my editorial opinion, I opt out of giving it published space. My first criteria is that a book should "do no harm" in its effort to do good. I also prefer to give the space to books, which warrant attention. Just Fine deserves both space and attention.

In her own words, the author states the uniqueness of her book: "There is an absence of resources that examines an individual's outward appearance and how it runs contrary to their pain, symptoms, and inner world." While the 336 page book is divided approximately in half, the theme of dealing with appearing "normal" despite how you feel runs consistently from beginning to end. In the first half, the author's revelation of what it is like to uncover and ultimately accept a diagnosis and the limitations, changes and medical challenges that come with that diagnosis - despite looking fine - is unlike any other book I've read. The author's own black and white photographs of people she's interviewed and whose stories are included will greet you in the second half. Stop and look at the faces. The fact that you cannot "see" what disorder they have is what Just Fine is all about.

In Chapter One, "why seeing is not always believing", the author explains, "Human nature, for the most part, is visually oriented. We believe what we see and often make character judgments based solely on visual perceptions. But, what happens when the person who appears healthy, energetic, and just fine to family, friends, and coworkers, is quietly suffering from chronic pain or the challenges of an ongoing illness?" This point continues to be painstakingly revealed in the personal stories collected and shared by the author from others who live and deal daily with these chronic illnesses. The idea that someone can look fine and not feel as good as they appear seems an unlikely paradox. Often the first exchange between two people is, "Hi, how are you?" followed by, "You look great!" Should a person admit their "secret" suffering and/or pain and risk that too familiar look of skepticism?

The author strikes further to the core of the matter: many struggle to live as "normal" as they look and rationalize the consequences when they cannot. She says it simply, "One may recover from the shock of an illness but not from the illness itself. This is where it is essential to develop and utilize new skills". The more disabling the disorder, no matter how invisible, the more your life will change. How will it change and what can you do about it? The author's two decades of counseling experience shines through, especially in the stories. While many offer hope and inspiration, she also includes those stories that don't have it all figured out yet --because with a chronic condition, the story doesn't always have a nice, neat ending.

Just Fine is an amazing book that will touch the reader on many different levels, especially emotionally. This is not, however, a coping book as much as it is a "comfort" book. The author goes beyond the personal and offers the practical as well in dealing with subjects as family, work, friends, depression and medical therapies, including alternative options. It is indeed a resource for those with a "concealed illness" whose story is finally well told -- as well as anyone else -- family, doctors, support group leaders who wants to truly "see" them, too.

This is a well-written, well-researched book that exposes many of the difficulties experienced by people who have illnesses with no readily visible symptoms. The book is light on descriptions of specific conditions, which works to its advantage since it is less about any particular illness than about the experiences people have in common when their illnesses are masked by an outward appearance of health. This book is not only a resource for individuals with concealed chronic illnesses or pain, but also for their loved ones, for health professionals, and for mental health professionals. What Sveilich unmasks in this book is not only the hidden face of chronic illness, but also the harm caused by our appearance-obsessed culture.

Like others have written, JUST FINE is a gift to all those impacted by chronic, invisible illnesses and pain.

Chronic Fatigue (CFIDS) has been my challenge and teacher since my symptoms began more than 30 years ago. JUST FINE, written beautifully by a therapist surviving her own chronic illnesses, says everything I needed to know THEN when little was known and we were told it was a "psychological problem". The book reassures me - even NOW when we recently found out there are at least 5 genetic markers (see the CDC website) - that I am and have been doing MORE than "Just Fine" with the "luck of the draw" biologically & with the life circumstances that may have contributed to triggering my illness.

The photos and narratives of "people with..." function like a "support group in a book" and I KNOW that many readers may not have a group available or be able to reach one because of the limits often imposed by the illnesses themselves. I appreciate the participants' courage in speaking about often stigmatized experiences, while also knowing many of us are longing to be asked by someone who is truly willing to hear us. We continually search for language that can describe our often fluctuating experience: Carol Sveilich and her interviewees have done just that!

I have given this book to clients, friends and family. I look forward to any more writing Sveilich will do in the future, as she clearly has more to say that would be worthwhile to read - to "listen with your eyes".

Just when I thought no one truly understood what I was going through comes this phenomenal book that not only tells it like it is, but SHOWS it like it is. The use of photographs to show the reader how deceiving looks can be is a wise move on the part of the author. Not only does JUST FINE contain cutting edge coping tips, unique resources in both traditional Western Medicine and Alternative healthcare, and helpful hints from people who live with a variety of chronic health challenges, but the book offers hope and practical advice for those who appear one way but feel very differently. I can't recommend JUST FINE highly enough. I live with several chronic conditions including ARTHRITIS and chronic fatigue syndrome. I also experience frequent migraine headaches. This book is a must-read for every person living with chronic symptoms of any kind, including DEPRESSION. It is also a great book to hand to physicians, nurses, family members, and complementary healthcare professionals. I can't say enough about it. Get this book! You'll be glad you did. KUDOS to the author...a counselor who lives with several chronic illnesses herself....for writing this definitive guide and resource for the millions who battle chronic conditions and illness on a daily basis, but who appear "just fine" to the people around them.

I'm not easily impressed. This book impressed me.

I have read just about every book available on the topic of coping with chronic illness and pain. None of them come close to this one by Sveilich. She seems to know the subject quite well and presents unique resources from experts and professionals in the field.

Of course, the best experts are the people who actually live with chronic health disorders and they are respresented throughout this book. The profiles are amazing. I saw my story in just about all of the 55 profiles included. I also found some great coping tools to apply to my own life.

Good insights and coping tips were offered by psychologists as well as physicians. The author also discusses mind-body medicine and complementary approaches as well as traditional medicine. From Zen to Zoloft and everything in-between... this book has it all.

My only remaining question is, why isn't JUST FINE on the New York Bestseller list?

It should be.

Having chronic migraines, I have noticed how I can look one way, but I feel quite another way. For example, I ask myself how I can be in such horrible pain at work and no one around me even notices. Truly frustrated with this dilemma, I picked up a copy of Just Fine: Unmasking Concealed Chronic Illness and Pain by Carol Sveilich to see if I could find some answers.

The book discusses hidden health disorders in a unique way because the author not only offers insights and coping tips offered from physicians and psychologists, including traditional medicine and mind-body medicine. She also has included profiles of people living with a hidden health disorder and she lets them tell their story in their own words, along with their photographs.

What I really liked about the book was being educated about other types of concealed illnesses, and at the same time, how I saw myself in many of the stories. There were common threads of emotions from these people living double lives.

Some of the topics from the book included how to deal with canceling plans, learning how to answer people when they ask how you are, being envious of other people in good health, sacrificing personal goals, making adjustments, and how to respond to people when they question the severity of your symptoms.

I was surprised and relieved to see the author even dealt with the subject of sex with a chronic illness, which I never saw explored before in a book.

This book definitely made me feel not so alone with my double life. It was very comforting and it taught me how to look at people differently, because someone who is smiling in the office might be living with a hidden health disorder like me.

We all want to project a healthy visage to the world, but a very strange thing happens when chronic hidden pain wears down our insides without necessarily manifesting itself on the outside. Some of us pretend to be our outsides, and often that leads to despair. Some of us may feel we have to justify our illness, our appearance, our emotional balance and that can lead to bitterness. Carol Sveilich has given our insides a voice and a face, mediums of expressions we may have suppressed. She has, therefore, given us hope.

Carol has hit the nail on the head. So many of my patients come in to me with the same complaint; "I look fine, but I feel horrable and my doctors don't believe me".
This is great resource and support for my patients with chronic pain and illness. Carol has captured the essence of what the patient needs to hear. There is hope for these patients and "Just Fine: Unmasking Concealed Chronic Illness and Pain" is a very valuable resource.
Dr. Steven Ross

This is a great book for anyone to read who has a relative, friend, patient, or client who is living with a chronic pain condition. Such conditions are usually invisible and difficult for both the sufferer and the spouse, children and other in close contact to live with and understand. The lack of understanding or recognition by those close to the sufferer just compounds the pain and stress of daily living. This book will enlighten your awareness, understanding, and ability to exercise compassion and be effective. It actually is a must-read for those who live with and/or treat individuals living with chronic pain. The author is very knowledgeable and thorough. This is an excellent introduction to the topic and the only user-friendly book about the real thing that I have come across thus far. And, I live with someone who has a chronic pain condition.

I enjoyed this book because of the suggestions for chronically ill people and also the many people in the book who wrote a personal page or 2 about their experience with chronic illness. There were alot of correlations between people who have different chronic illnesses it felt good to know that there are people out there like myself. I would suggest this book for anyone who has to deal with a chronic illness.