Easy for You to Say: Q&As for Teens Living with Chronic Illness or Disability

This was probably the best thing hat happened to me just after I was diagnosed with a chronic illness in 2002, at 14. There are no empty words - like "You can't let the disease rule your life" or "It doesn't have to define who you are"- which is exactly the last thing a scared, angry and sad teenager needs. On the contrary, the book shows how much your life may change, that sometimes it won't be easy to be accepted by friends and boyfriends, who might not believe that you're tired or feeling sad or in pain. However for the very first time I understood that there are plenty of people out there who felt just as lost and aprehensive as I did and still managed to be "normal" (feeling just like everyone else is pretty important when we're growing up)and HAPPY! For the first time I didn't have anyone saying that maybe I was going to get better and THEN be happy but that I could have a great life even if I was sick!! The author covers everything from your relationship with your doctors, with your parents (and the different reactions they may have), your social life and even your sex life, all in a Q and A format. She uses the most popular questions teens have to discuss the themes in a sensitive, judge free way. It's totaly worthy!!

This book is the best I've seen for teens coping with chronic illness. Since there really is no comparable book written just for teens with IBD, this book should be required reading for teens and young adults that are newly diagnosed or having trouble coping with the difficulties of chronic illness. Dr. Kaufman reaches teenagers' most important concerns through easily understood questions and answers