Classes help cope with disease

Six-week course tells how to manage

When it comes to chronic diseases, names like diabetes, migraine headaches, hypertension, multiple sclerosis and arthritis are familiar to many. But it's only those who suffer from such diseases who know what it's like to deal with them every day.

For those people, as well as their caregivers, a free six-week course is planned on how to manage. The series will be offered during day and evening hours to accommodate shift workers.

Evening classes are set to begin Monday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the West Charleston Library; call 349-7370 to register.

Daytime classes will be held beginning Feb. 16 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Valley Hospital. Call 388-4665 to register.

Both classes, titled "Art of Healthy Living" at the library and "Gift of Healthy Living" at Valley Hospital, are essentially the same.

The program was designed by Stanford University and is facilitated by master trainers and Valley Hospital nurses Theresa LeBlanc and Christopher Moore.

The nurses trained in September 2002 and have facilitated the class about 10 times since then. They also are qualified on another level. LeBlanc has diabetes as does Moore's mother, so they deal with chronic illness in their own lives.

Classes are offered at no cost but are limited to 15 people. They cover topics like medications, exercises, diet and nutrition, positive affirmations and depression management.

It is not uncommon for participants to come to class in wheelchairs, using walkers or lugging oxygen tanks. Other diseases have no outward signs and, at first glance, their sufferers appear totally healthy. But their physical problems are just as real.

While attendees discuss their personal data in the class, the facilitators say that information is not discussed anywhere else.

"We're like those ads for Las Vegas -- what happens in class, stays in class," Moore said. "There's a certain confidentiality we all adhere to. These people are putting themselves on the table here."

"Linda" is a local woman, 65, who has fibromyalgia, three kinds of arthritis, a host of pituitary problems and diabetes. She took the class even though she'd worked in health care all her life.

"It underscored things I already knew," she said. "It re-awakened in me what my needs are and what I can do about them."

After taking the class, Linda assumed a "one day at a time" attitude and now takes care of things as they occur, not letting them slip to the sidelines. She said she no longer feels sorry for herself.

"The biggest change was being able to accept (my disabilities) and see things as they really are," she said.

Many of the attendees Moore and LeBlanc teach have lung disease, diabetes or heart disease. Some have a mix of those three. Arthritis and chronic pain suffers also made up a sizable portion of the class.

Moore said participants are looking for answers on how best to deal with their disease as well as specific questions like if medications should be taken with meals or if a dose should be taken or skipped if they forgot to take it on schedule.

A lot of people ask why their disease is still creating problems for them now that they're on special medications.

"They think they should be able to take a pill and (their disease) goes away," Moore said.

Chronic suffers often fail to understand their medication may keep the disease in check and is there to keep them from getting worse.

Difficulty with living day to day is a common complaint. Sometimes the answer is as simple as buying an extendable grabber, like those advertised on television.

Attendees also learn how to communicate their frustrations to family members using non-complaining, non-accusatory statements.

When it comes to prescription drugs, the classes teach people why self-medicating with herbal supplements can be harmful, that some side effects are desirable and why medications should not be stopped even if the expense is a hardship.

Caregivers also take the class to gain insights into how prescription medicines can affect a person or how mental attitude plays a big role. They also are taught to look for subtle changes in their charge which could lead to hospitalization or exacerbation.

"Diabetics have to know their numbers," LeBlanc said, referring to blood sugar levels. "Testing keeps them in control. Even though they may feel fine, the numbers may be different."

The facilitators spoke of a woman with lung disease who liked the class so much she took it twice. She keeps in contact with them and tells them every time she "feels like giving up." She uses a technique taught in the class called guided imagery. It allows her to experience a pleasant walk in the country.

Another man who keeps in touch told Moore and LeBlanc he took what he learned and now shares it with others like him, especially those who are housebound.


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