How to Reimagine Chronic Illness

Navigating the nebulous world of chronic illness can be frustrating for patients, especially when their illness is not outwardly visible. Roughly six out of ten Americans suffer from at least one chronic illness, and many of these illnesses are poorly understood, and difficult to diagnose and treat. And now, with the emergence of "long-COVID," more people are grappling with what it might mean to live with chronic illness. A new book by Meghan O'Rourke, The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness, investigates the history of Western notions of "health" versus "illness," what it means to be "ill," and how we might reimagine these definitions to create a world where navigating the uncertainty of chronic illness is less frightening. O'Rourke joins us to discuss.