The Impact of Illness on Family Dynamics: Clorinda Walley

Humancare

THE IMPACT OF ILLNESS ON FAMILY DYNAMICS: CLORINDA WALLEY

“I don’t regret any of it. I probably would have done it differently. But I didn’t. You don’t get to choose what’s happened to you when it’s happening.”

-Clorinda Walley

About Clorinda: Clorinda Walley is the President of the Good Days charity, which funds medical expenses for those with chronic conditions.

Clorinda has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry and over 12 years in strategic philanthropy. As a member of the chronic illness community herself, Clorinda has ulcerative colitis, migraines, Hashimoto’s disease, arthritis, endometriosis, clotting disorder, and ADHD. Clorinda is also 1 of 13 siblings, and many of her siblings also have chronic conditions like Raynaud’s, Sjogren’s, and psoriasis. In short, living with and caring for people in this community has been her entire life. Now, Clorinda has made it her mission through Good Days to promote preventional medicine, given that so many of our chronic conditions are, in fact, preventable or at least well-managed through healthy lifestyles and attention to well-being. Clorinda’s illness journey has taught her how to care, how to caregive, and how to be a voice for those suffering from chronic disease.

In this episode, Clorinda and Eva discuss:

Importance of relationships and being held accountable for your health

Knowing the role that you and your support network play in your chronic illness journey

How to develop realistic expectations about your health

Timestamps

4:55- 52:08 Clorinda’s chronic illness journey

54:17-57:31 How to be efficient when dealing with a health crisis

57:36-1:00:56 When expectations don’t match up with reality

1:00:57- 1:07:30 When relationships fall apart

1:07:41-1:14:26 Keeping the lines of communication open

1:14:42-1:18:10 What to do when you don’t have a support system

1:18:37-1:20:04 How to meet people on their level of the chronic illness journey

1:21:06-1:24:03 What we can do to lower the number of people dealing with chronic disease

Clorinda’s links:

Good Days’ Website: www.mygooddays.org

Good Days’ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mygooddaysorg

Good Days’ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyGoodDays

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gooddaysorg/

Additional Interview Question Responses:

Could you give us a brief snapshot of what your daily life is like? What is your “normal”?

I have had to adjust over the years since my initial struggle with Ulcerative Colitis. I am happy to say that most days now I manage well. I no longer have to take a plethora of medications and any discomfort that I have is manageable.

What does “trust” mean to you in the patient-practitioner relationship?

I found that trust goes two ways. It is not a matter of taking everything at face value and moving on. I learned that is okay to ask questions. To be your own advocate. I also had to take accountability for my care and be a diligent patient. Make my appointments, document my illness, discuss concerns and follow my treatment plan. And also to be okay if something is not working and trying something else. The same diagnosis does not mean the same care. Listen to what your body is telling you and discuss it with your provider. A road map to autoimmune diseases does not exist. They affect people differently. Document your path and find the practitioner that will listen, answer questions and work on creating your personal road map and treatment plan.

What are you most passionate about in regard to your work/helping people?

No one wants to get sick. The one thing I have found is everyone wants to have more time. More time to create experiences and lasting memories. More time to love and be loved. I believe we all have a collective responsibility to help people any way we can. I want people to know they are not alone. I want to create a connection that comes from heart. I am passionate about providing hope and more good days to anyone I touch.

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