Ask About Assistance Even If You Are Insured
High hospital bills can arise even when you have health insurance. Some nonprofit hospitals and healthcare systems in the United States offer programs known as “Financial Assistance” or “Charity Care.” Depending on individual circumstances, insured patients may also be eligible. Assistance is not automatic, as each hospital sets its own requirements.
It may therefore be worthwhile to ask the hospital directly about available programs and application requirements. Discover more practical guidance in my book US Edition Page Turn
Living with a Chronic Illness – A Perspective Beyond the Diagnosis
Living with a chronic illness is the starting point of my story. But a chronic illness changes far more than the body—and many experiences connect people regardless of their diagnosis.
I describe how I have found my own way: how I deal with lost abilities, difficult and sometimes absurd situations, lack of understanding, relationships, and the need to accept help. It is about dignity, self-determination, and not losing yourself despite all the changes.
My solutions are my personal solutions. They have grown out of who I am as a person, how I think, feel, and deal with my life. I share them because something that has helped me might give another person a new perspective or help them find their own way.
At the same time, the book provides practical information about social, financial, and other forms of support available in the United States, and how important it can be to know what help is available and use it thoughtfully.
A diagnosis changes your life—but it does not define who you are.
Living with a Chronic Illness – Table of Contents
1. From Professional to Patient
The Turning Point — 3
Fatigue — 5
The Diagnosis — 7
Professional to Patient — 12
2. Living with the Invisible
The “Get Well Soon” Trap — 17
When Words Become Softer — 19
Thinking Symptoms Away! — 21
The Optical Trap — 23
The Thousand Faces — 25
3. Understanding and Acceptance
The Meaning Behind the Numbers — 31
MS and the Distortion of Time — 33
When Hours Become Weeks — 35
Distorted Perceptions — 37
Urination — The Silent Taboo — 39
Bowel Function — 42
4. Therapy and Aids
Physical Therapy — 47
Occupational Therapy — 49
Accepting Visible Dependence — 52
The Illusion of Having a Free Hand — 54
5. The Bureaucratic Jungle
Looking Beyond Appearances — 59
Disability Recognition as a Tool, Not a Label — 63
Living Beyond Appearances — 71
Mobility Costs Energy—and Money — 75
Benefits and Financial Support — 80
6. The Soul and Social Connections
When the Soul Limps — 89
When Life Piles On — 93
Through the Shadows — 95
I Came to Call It the Friendship Filter — 99
When Roles Begin to Blur — 102
The Tides of Memory — 104
The Summit View - A Richer Life — 106
Disclaimer — 109
Afterword — 113