Dr. Malcolm Robinson's Foreword | Dr. McCarberg's Foreword
My advice to people who live with chronic pain or illness and those who love them: read this book! Another book on pain and other chronic symptoms? you ask. The answer is an emphatic, Yes, and thank God! as well as a reverberating, No. . . a thousand times no! This is not just another cognitive book about chronic pain and illness. Just Fine takes a compassion-provoking look at the unseen trauma and untold trials of those who look good but feel bad much of the time. It not onlyprovides insight into the emotional chaos that badgers chronic illness and pain sufferers, but it also offers numerous practical strategies for coping and compensating in a world that is driven by energetic human doers rather than frail human beings.
As a physician whose life is devoted to restoring health, I have discovered that patients who feel heard, understood, and respected are more apt to respond to treatment than those who don’t have the support of a caring doctor. I also recognize that the patient-physician relationship is built on trust. Therefore, I trust the complaints of my patients. When medicine fails, it is my job to help patients accept the new physical reality of their illnesses by providing them with a means of adapting. The book you are holding is a crucial tool for those who want to adjust their lives and live without dread Just Fine is a healing therapy for those who feel alone in their pain and other chronic symptoms. It is also a practical instrument for coping and connecting in the midst of a medical malaise. I urge you to secure copies of this book to share with anyone who is suffering through a chronic illness. In doing so, you will be offering an authentic hope that will radically change their lives.Wishing you the best of health.
Bill McCarberg, MD FABPM
Founder and Director, Chronic Pain Management Program
Kaiser Permanente, San Diego, California