The words we use for chronic illness matter more than most people realize. In this episode, I reflect on a question my wife asked back in 2011, a question that changed the way I talk about sarcoidosis, heart failure, and illness itself. I share why I’ve never been comfortable saying I “suffer from” my diagnoses, and why that distinction became about more than language. It became about dignity, identity, and survival. Chronic illness is exhausting, frightening, and sometimes brutal, but the words we repeat to ourselves can shape how we carry it, and whether we let it become the whole story.
This podcast is narrated using an AI voice. The words, reflections, and lived experience are my own.
To respond to this episode, use the text link in the episode notes, or send longer messages through the contact form at tatebasildon.com. I’m not able to respond to solicitations, outside projects, or interview requests.
To support sarcoidosis research or learn more, please visit The Foundation For Sarcoidosis Research
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