The Invisible Illness Club | Chronic Illness, Auto Immune

057 Why Rest Feels Unsafe with Chronic Illness | Rest Guilt, Anxiety & Faith

Rest sounds peaceful in theory. In real life with chronic illness, it can feel anxious, guilty, frustrating, and emotionally unsafe. In this episode, April Aramanda talks honestly about the pressure to always be productive, the guilt that comes with slowing down, and why rest can feel so hard even when your body desperately needs it. This conversation explores chronic illness, emotional exhaustion, faith, and the struggle to believe your worth still matters when your output changes.
What You’ll Learn
Why rest can trigger anxiety and guilt
The emotional pressure of always feeling “behind”
How chronic illness complicates rest and recovery
The connection between productivity and self-worth
What scripture says about rest and restoration
One Tiny Step
The next time your body asks for rest, try not to apologize for it.
Resources
Join the Unseen Sisterhood!
A weekly newsletter and community for women navigating chronic illness, faith, boundaries, and real life.
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.kit.com/unseen-sisterhood
The Invisible Illness Club Website
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com
The Invisible Illness Club Podcast
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com/podcast
Music Credit
Audio Jungle
https://audiojungle.net
 

056 When Chronic Illness Changes Your Identity with LA Sprague

In this episode, April talks with podcaster and chronic illness advocate L. A. Sprague from the podcast Christians with Chronic Illness. Together, they dive into the grief that comes when chronic illness changes your identity, your energy, your plans, and even the way you see yourself.
L. A. shares her experience living with POTS and major depressive disorder, the tension between ambition and rest, and the pressure many chronically ill people feel to constantly prove their worth through productivity.
They also have an honest conversation about faith, healing, doubt, disappointment, and what it looks like to trust God when life does not unfold the way you thought it would.
One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is L. A.’s practical approach to self-care through what she calls “little Leah” — learning to treat herself with the same compassion she would offer a child.
This episode is for anyone grieving who they used to be while trying to figure out who they are now.
What You’ll Learn
What it feels like to grieve your old identity after chronic illness
Why productivity can become tied to self-worth
How internalized ableism shows up in everyday life
The emotional tension between rest and pushing yourself
A practical way to care for yourself with more compassion
How faith can feel heavy during chronic illness
Why doubt does not make you a bad Christian
The role gratitude can play during painful flare days
What a fulfilling life can still look like with limited energy
Memorable Quotes
“Maybe what true faith looks like is uncertainty.” — L. A. Sprague
“You are more than a product.” — L. A. Sprague
“God already has you on a mission field.” — April Aramanda
“You’re human. You’re a person worth caring for.” — L. A. Sprague
One Tiny Step
The next time your body needs something — water, food, rest, medication, a break — pause and ask yourself:
“If this were a child asking for care, how would I respond?”
Then offer that same care to yourself.
Guest Information
L. A. Sprague
Host of Christians with Chronic Illness, a podcast focused on honest conversations around faith, suffering, chronic illness, and hope.
Resources
Join the Unseen Sisterhood!
A free weekly newsletter and community for women living with chronic illness. You’ll get encouragement, honest conversations, practical support, and reminders that you are not alone. https://theinvisibleillnessclub.kit.com/unseen-sisterhood
The Invisible Illness Club Website https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com
The Invisible Illness Club Podcast https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com/podcast
Music Credit Audio Jungle https://audiojungle.net

055 When Life Feels Like Too Much | Chronic Illness Encouragement for Overwhelming Seasons

Moving, pain, exhaustion, overwhelm, and trying to keep going anyway. A short honest reminder for anyone carrying more than people can see.
What You’ll Learn
Why “normal life” can feel overwhelming with chronic illness
The pressure many people feel to keep proving their worth through productivity
A gentler way to move through exhausting seasons
Why small steps still matter
Memorable Quotes
“You do not have to carry today perfectly for it to count.”
“Sometimes faith looks less like confidence and more like taking the next small step anyway.”
“You’re doing more than it looks like.”
Reflection / Journal Prompt
What would change if you stopped measuring your worth by how much you got done today?
One Tiny Step
Focus on the next thing in front of you. Not the next fifty.
Resources
Join the Unseen Sisterhood!
A weekly newsletter and community for women living with chronic illness.
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.kit.com/unseen-sisterhood
The Invisible Illness Club Website
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com
The Invisible Illness Club Podcast
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com/podcast
Music Credit
Audio Jungle
https://audiojungle.net
Credits
Hosted by April Aramanda

054 PART 2 of Chronic Illness, Creativity, and Faith: What Life Really Looks Like Behind the Scenes

Living with chronic illness isn’t only about symptoms—it’s about the daily decisions, limits, and invisible effort no one sees.
In this episode, author W.R. Gingell shares what life really looks like behind the scenes while living with endometriosis, POTS, and long COVID. We talk about fatigue, brain fog, shifting identity, and the ongoing process of learning your limits again and again.
This conversation also explores creativity in the middle of chronic illness, the pressure to push through, and how faith changes when your life no longer looks the way you expected.
If you’ve ever felt like your body doesn’t match your life—or you’re constantly starting over—this episode will meet you there.
What You’ll Learn
What living with endometriosis, POTS, and long COVID really looks like day-to-day
Why chronic illness forces you to keep “relearning” your limits
The emotional weight of losing physical capacity and independence
What people get wrong about being a full-time creative
Why creativity isn’t a limited resource (and what actually fuels it)
The hidden guilt and shame around rest—and how to rethink it
How chronic illness reshapes your faith, church experience, and connection with God
The quiet way self-talk can become harmful—and how to start shifting it
What a real workday looks like when you’re dealing with brain fog and fatigue
Memorable Quotes
“It doesn’t end. It changes shape a little and keeps going.”
“I always have to keep realizing it… over and over again.”
“Not being able to rely on my own body—that’s been the hardest part.”
“Creativity isn’t a finite resource. It’s a never-ending well.”
“I’m not performing my faith. I’m living it.”
“You don’t have the right to talk to someone made in the image of God like that—even if that someone is you.”
“Rest isn’t optional. It’s holy.”
“Take your rest… it belongs to you.”
One Tiny Step
Pay attention to how you talk to yourself today.
When you catch yourself being harsh, pause and ask:Would I say this to someone I love?
Resources
Find W. R. Gingell!wrgingell.cominstagram.com/wrgingell/facebook.com/wrgingell/
Books by W. R. GingellAmazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/W.-R.-Gingell/author/B00HMM6VX4?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1777578369&sr=8-3&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=1a200c2a-b503-47e9-8023-f4e086bcd870Books a Million https://www.booksamillion.com/search?query=W.+R.+Gingell&filters%5Bauthors%5D=W.+R.+GingellBarnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22W.R.%20Gingell%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall
Join the Unseen Sisterhood!A weekly newsletter for women with chronic illness who want more hope, more life, and more joy—plus access to our private Facebook group and resource bundle.https://theinvisibleillnessclub.kit.com/unseen-sisterhood 
The Invisible Illness Club Websitehttps://theinvisibleillnessclub.com 
The Invisible Illness Club Podcasthttps://theinvisibleillnessclub.com/podcast 
Music CreditAudio Junglehttps://audiojungle.net 

053 Chronic Illness, Creativity, and Faith: What Life Really Looks Like Behind the Scenes

Living with chronic illness isn’t only about symptoms—it’s about the daily decisions, limits, and invisible effort no one sees.
In this episode, author W.R. Gingell shares what life really looks like behind the scenes while living with endometriosis, POTS, and long COVID. We talk about fatigue, brain fog, shifting identity, and the ongoing process of learning your limits again and again.
This conversation also explores creativity in the middle of chronic illness, the pressure to push through, and how faith changes when your life no longer looks the way you expected.
If you’ve ever felt like your body doesn’t match your life—or you’re constantly starting over—this episode will meet you there.
What You’ll Learn
What living with endometriosis, POTS, and long COVID really looks like day-to-day
Why chronic illness forces you to keep “relearning” your limits
The emotional weight of losing physical capacity and independence
What people get wrong about being a full-time creative
Why creativity isn’t a limited resource (and what actually fuels it)
The hidden guilt and shame around rest—and how to rethink it
How chronic illness reshapes your faith, church experience, and connection with God
The quiet way self-talk can become harmful—and how to start shifting it
What a real workday looks like when you’re dealing with brain fog and fatigue
Memorable Quotes
“It doesn’t end. It changes shape a little and keeps going.”
“I always have to keep realizing it… over and over again.”
“Not being able to rely on my own body—that’s been the hardest part.”
“Creativity isn’t a finite resource. It’s a never-ending well.”
“I’m not performing my faith. I’m living it.”
“You don’t have the right to talk to someone made in the image of God like that—even if that someone is you.”
“Rest isn’t optional. It’s holy.”
“Take your rest… it belongs to you.”
One Tiny Step
Pay attention to how you talk to yourself today.
When you catch yourself being harsh, pause and ask:Would I say this to someone I love?
Resources
Find W. R. Gingell!wrgingell.cominstagram.com/wrgingell/facebook.com/wrgingell/
Books by W. R. GingellAmazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/W.-R.-Gingell/author/B00HMM6VX4?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1777578369&sr=8-3&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=1a200c2a-b503-47e9-8023-f4e086bcd870Books a Million https://www.booksamillion.com/search?query=W.+R.+Gingell&filters%5Bauthors%5D=W.+R.+GingellBarnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22W.R.%20Gingell%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall
Join the Unseen Sisterhood!A weekly newsletter for women with chronic illness who want more hope, more life, and more joy—plus access to our private Facebook group and resource bundle.https://theinvisibleillnessclub.kit.com/unseen-sisterhood 
The Invisible Illness Club Websitehttps://theinvisibleillnessclub.com 
The Invisible Illness Club Podcasthttps://theinvisibleillnessclub.com/podcast 
Music CreditAudio Junglehttps://audiojungle.net 

052 When Chronic Illness Changes Who You Thought You’d Be

Chronic illness doesn’t only affect your body—it can change how you see yourself.
There’s a moment many people experience where life stops looking the way they thought it would. Plans shift. Energy changes. The future feels less clear.
And somewhere in that process, your identity starts to feel different too.
If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fully recognize your life anymore, this conversation is for you.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
Why identity shifts happen with chronic illness
The moment many people realize life isn’t unfolding how they expected
How to navigate the gap between who you were and who you are now
Why feeling lost in your identity is more common than people admit
A grounded way to start reconnecting with yourself again
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“It’s not only your health that changes. It’s how you see yourself.”
“The life you thought you were building starts to feel unfamiliar.”
“You’re not only grieving your health—you’re grieving the version of you that felt certain.”
“Identity doesn’t disappear. It shifts.”
REFLECTION / JOURNAL PROMPT
What version of your life or yourself have you been quietly grieving?
ONE TINY STEP
Name one part of you that still exists today—even if it looks different than before.
RESOURCES
Join the Unseen Sisterhood!A weekly newsletter + space for women living with chronic illness to feel seen, understood, and encouraged.https://theinvisibleillnessclub.kit.com/unseen-sisterhood 
The Invisible Illness Club Websitehttps://theinvisibleillnessclub.com 
The Invisible Illness Club Podcasthttps://theinvisibleillnessclub.com/podcast 
Music Credit: Audio Junglehttps://audiojungle.net 

051 You’re Not Lazy: The Truth About Invisible Effort and Chronic Illness

You look at your day and think, “I didn’t do enough.”
And if that thought sits long enough, it turns into something heavier—“I’m being lazy.”
This episode breaks that apart.
Because what it looks like on the outside isn’t the full story. Managing symptoms, pacing energy, thinking through every decision so you don’t crash—that’s work. Real work.
You’re not lazy. You’re carrying more than people see.
What You’ll Learn
Why chronic illness can distort how you see yourself
The difference between “doing nothing” and managing your body
What invisible effort actually looks like day to day
How to stop labeling yourself based on what others can see
A simple way to start recognizing your real capacity
Memorable Quotes
“I didn’t do enough today… turns into ‘I’m being lazy.’”
“Your body is already working harder than it should have to.”
“There’s a difference between doing nothing and managing your body.”
“You’re carrying more than people see.”
“You’re not lazy. You’re working with a different capacity.”
Reflection / Journal Prompt
What’s something you do regularly that takes more energy than it looks like from the outside?
One Tiny Step
At the end of today, write down three things your body had to manage—not what you accomplished, what it handled.
Resources
Join the Unseen Sisterhood!
A weekly newsletter + community for women living with chronic illness. Real life, honest conversations, and support that actually gets it.
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.kit.com/unseen-sisterhood 
The Invisible Illness Club Website
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com 
The Invisible Illness Club Podcast
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com/podcast 
Music Credit
Audio Jungle
https://audiojungle.net 

050 The Emotional Whiplash of Chronic Illness with Sarah Morris

Good days bring hope. Flare-ups take it right back. This is the emotional whiplash of living with chronic illness.
What You’ll Learn
Living with chronic illness often means living in cycles—good days that feel hopeful, followed by flare-ups that change everything again. That unpredictability doesn’t only affect your body. It affects your thoughts, your expectations, and the way you see yourself.
In this episode, April and Sarah talk through the emotional whiplash of chronic illness, especially the tension between remission and flare-ups. They get honest about the mental toll of invisible illness, the pressure to appear okay, and the negative self-talk that can creep in when your body isn’t cooperating.
This conversation also explores how faith, mindset, and small coping tools can help you navigate difficult seasons—even when symptoms feel overwhelming.
You’ll hear about:
The cycle of flare-ups and remission in chronic illness
Why unpredictable symptoms can affect your mental health
The hidden struggles of living with invisible illness
The internal pressure to stay positive
How negative self-talk shows up during hard seasons
Simple ways to cope during flare-ups
Holding onto hope when your body keeps changing
Memorable Quotes
“Showing up for what you can do sometimes is taking a shower.”
“You never know what someone is going through.”
“Don’t judge yourself through someone else’s lens.”
“Sometimes you need to be a tree for a season.”
“It’s not you preventing it. It’s the situations happening to you.”
“Meet yourself where you’re at.”
“It doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be there.”
Resources
Join the Unseen Sisterhood!
A space for women living with chronic illness to feel seen, supported, and understood. Join the newsletter, Facebook group, and resources designed to help you navigate invisible illness with more support.
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.kit.com/unseen-sisterhood 
The Invisible Illness Club Website
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com 
The Invisible Illness Club Podcast
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com/podcast 
 
Credits
Hosted by April Aramanda
Guest: Sarah Morris
Music: Audio Jungle
https://audiojungle.net 
 
 
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049 Chronic Illness Is a Full-Time Job: The Invisible Work No One Sees

Your calendar fills with appointments, not plans. Chronic illness becomes more than symptoms—it becomes a role you never asked for.
What You’ll Learn
Living with chronic illness isn’t only about managing symptoms. It’s about managing everything that comes with them—appointments, decisions, paperwork, and the mental load that never fully turns off.
In this episode, we’re naming something that often goes unseen: the invisible job of being a patient. The scheduling, the tracking, the advocating, the constant adjusting. The way your life can start to revolve around your body—and how exhausting that can be.
This isn’t about fixing it or pushing through it.
It’s about recognizing the weight you’re already carrying.
You’ll hear about:
How chronic illness quietly reshapes your calendar and daily life
The invisible roles you take on as a patient
Why managing illness can feel like a part-time job
The mental and emotional toll of constant decision-making
The loneliness of carrying work no one else can see
How to hold onto meaning and purpose in a life that looks different
Memorable Quotes
“Chronic illness slowly turns your life into a job you never applied for.”
“Your schedule isn’t about your life anymore. It’s about managing your body.”
“Managing illness is real work—even when no one else can see it.”
“Life starts to happen in the small spaces between appointments.”
“Different doesn’t mean meaningless.”
One Tiny Step
Look at your past week and name three things you managed that no one else saw.
Not what you “got done.”
What you carried.
Let that count.
Key Scriptures (optional)
Psalm 34:18 — “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted…”
Isaiah 40:29 — “He gives strength to the weary…”
Resources
Join the Unseen Sisterhood!
A space for women living with chronic illness to feel seen, supported, and understood. You’ll get weekly encouragement, real talk, and connection with others who get it.
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.kit.com/unseen-sisterhood 
The Invisible Illness Club Website
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com 
The Invisible Illness Club Podcast
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com/podcast 
Credits
Music from Audio Jungle
https://audiojungle.net 

048 Reclaiming Joy with Chronic Illness (replay)

This episode originally aired earlier in the podcast and remains one of the most meaningful conversations we’ve had about finding joy while living with chronic illness.
 
Living with chronic illness can make joy feel distant or even impossible some days. When your body is struggling, the idea of happiness can feel out of reach. In this episode, we talk about what it actually looks like to reclaim joy when life doesn’t look the way you expected. Not the loud, picture-perfect version of joy people often talk about—but the quieter kind that shows up in small moments. From learning to notice small wins to shifting the way we think about gratitude and peace, this conversation explores how joy can still exist alongside pain and limitations.
What You’ll Learn
Why joy with chronic illness often looks different than people expect
How focusing on small wins can shift your mindset
Why gratitude practices can help on hard days
The role of peaceful activities in supporting emotional well-being
Why joy doesn’t have to be constant to still be real
Memorable Quotes
“Joy doesn’t have to be loud to be real.”
“Small moments of joy still count.”
“You don’t have to force joy—you can learn to notice it.”
Resources
Join the Unseen Sisterhood
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.kit.com/unseen-sisterhood
Joining gets you access to the weekly newsletter and our Facebook group! You will also have access to a special bundle of products just for those who join.
 
The Invisible Illness Club Website
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com
 
The Invisible Illness Club Podcast
https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com/podcast
Credits
Hosted by April Aramanda
The Invisible Illness Club Podcast https://theinvisibleillnessclub.com/podcast
Music: Audio Jungle https://audiojungle.net