7. PART 1- Activation of Chronic Illness: The story of a Type A woman diagnosed with a life altering condition

Meet Yelena Chernyy. This type A high energy young woman faced a mother's worst nightmare following the birth of her first child. Her infant daughter was born with a condition that made it nearly impossible for her to grow and thrive. Yelena spent years trying to keep her daughter alive, meanwhile her own body was deteriorating. After traveling through life at 100mph, a mixed bag of on-going health symptoms took control of the wheel and slammed on the brakes, sending her head first into a brick wall. The brick wall we're referring to is chronic illness. And the aftermath was one she never saw coming. The shame and stigma that is attached to a chronic condition carries its own burden. Days, weeks, and sometimes months in bed sleeping can elicit harsh judgment and criticism from others. While the details of this story are unique to her own life, the sequence of how they occurred is textbook and it's something many of us who have fought this fight will relate to. Chronic illness often begins with a trigger. Excessive stress, physical &/or mental trauma, viral illness, harmful lifestyle factors and more can lower the body's defense mechanisms, thus creating a breeding ground for a chronic illness to develop. Kateri Ross, LMFT joins the conversation to give us additional insight and awareness on why and how this occurs. Visit our website at https://humanityunlockedpodcast.com/ and send us an inquiry if you'd like to be a guest on the show. Follow us on Instagram at @humanityunlockedpodcast