Reifying Women's Experiences with Invisible Illness

Illusions, Delusions, Reality

Contributions by Nicole Defenbaugh Bloomsburg University, Elizabeth F. Desnoyers-Colas, Laura Ellingson, Eletra Gilchrist-Petty The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Cerise L. Glenn, Annette D. Madlock, Emily Pfender, Launick Saint-Fort, Wei Sun, Hannah Thyberg Edited by Kesha Morant Williams, Frances Selena Morant

Publication date:

20 December 2017

Length of book:

166 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

Dimensions:

238x159mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781498551007

Reifying Women's Experiences with Invisible Illness: Illusions, Delusions, Reality provides a platform that recognizes that the experience of invisible illness is greatly influenced by context and personal circumstance. The contributors to this book include women who exude diversity as it relates to race and ethnicity, career, religious experience, education, social support, and interpersonal relationships. From recent college graduates to senior level professionals, these women share stories that create a space to advocate on behalf of the individual who is chronically ill rather than focusing on the often privileged perspective of medical professionals.

Contents

Foreword: Communicating from/as/with the Body
Laura Ellingson
Introduction: Not an Illusion
Kesha Morant Williams
Chapter 1: My Sister’s Keeper: Sibling Social Support and Chronic Illness
Kesha Morant Williams
Chapter 2: Temporal Reflections of UC Remission: An Autoethnography of Body Image & Acceptance
Nicole Defenbaugh
Chapter 3: A Semblance of Normalcy: Social Isolation and the Burden of Looking Well
Hannah Thyberg
Chapter 4: Transparency and Disclosure: Tools for Building Trust and Confidence
Emily Pfender
Chapter 5: An Unexpected Road to Discovery: Finding One’s Self in the Midst of Uncertainty
Launick Saint-Fort
Chapter 6: When Lifestage Matters: A Narrative Account of a Pregnancy-Related Invisible Illness
Eletra Gilchrist Petty
Chapter 7: Reframing Personal and Professional Identity in Connection to “Ability”
Cerise L. Glenn
Chapter 8: Duty, Honor, Country…sickness: Finding Strength in my Personal Battle with Gulf War Illness
Elizabeth Desnoyer-Colas
Chapter 9: Complicit in Concealing Illness: Black Women, Beauty, Identity, and Breast Cancer
Annette Matlock Gatison
Chapter 10: The Enemy at the Door: My Friend’s Silent Battle to Breast Cancer
Wei Sun
About the Contributors

This book reflects a unique effort to capture the diverse factors that contribute to health at the systematic, cultural, and relational levels. Vital topics such as clinical experiences, family experiences, and social experiences come together to demonstrate how we can take agency in supporting improved health outcomes personally and across systems. The chapters represent a thoughtful and relatable approach to engagement and social justice for health.