We Shall Overcome, the anthem of the American civil rights movement of the 1960’s and the worker’s movement of the 1930’s. Those words spoke to the idea that the forces of evil could be overcome, wiped out. Why, then, did The New York Times use these words in their headline, “Swimmer Kathleen Baker Overcomes Crohn’s Disease to Become an Olympian”? In fact, Baker didn’t get rid of the disease but continues to live with it on a daily basis and she won a spot at the Summer Olympics.
Why do I care? Because it’s rare that we read about a person who lives with a debilitating chronic disease and achieves extraordinary success. To imply that she overcame the disease sends the wrong message. As the article explains, at a young age, Kathleen Baker was determined not to let illness stop her from competing in the way that she wanted to. Her family and doctors must have been very frustrated with her but she clearly had a vision for herself that didn’t include stopping. I imagine it must have included slowing down at times, though, because from the sound of it, she lives with active disease and it’s hard to imagine it didn’t get in her way at times.
Yet she learned how to work around this. She was lucky that she clearly had extraordinary talent and grit. But she must have found coaches who would work with her in whatever shape her body showed up. And, according to the article, doctors who didn’t consider her ‘non compliant’ when she resisted or refused to rest when prescribed it.
I have a hunch that few, if anyone reading this, is an Olympian. But maybe you’ve got a job you want to keep or a passion for doing something that gives you great pleasure. And if you live with a debilitating chronic health condition, it’s easy to imagine that sometimes symptoms get in your way from doing what you want to do. You can’t overcome the disease but you can find a way to live with it. I find these words, from the original lyrics of the negro spiritual, We Shall Overcome compelling:
We are not afraid, we are not afraid
We are not afraid today
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We are not afraid today
The truth shall make us free, the truth shall make us free
The truth shall make us free some day
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
The truth shall make us free some day
We shall live in peace, we shall live in peace
We shall live in peace some day
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall live in peace some day
I believe that it takes Olympian strength to create a positive vision when you live with unpredictable, debilitating health but that’s what we need. Find ways to live without fear, TODAY, because today is the only day you can count on. Identify a truth for yourself that makes sense and you can live with. Create a powerful antidote to the worst symptoms. a sense of peace.
What step will you take, today, to design your vision?
Christina says
Very well said, Rosalind. Kathleen is an inspiration to us all.
I am very pleased this summer to be running our house as an Airbnb. Very different from the office work I used to do. I am constantly on the lookout for ways to engage in the world and improve my financial equation.
Rosalind says
As always, Christina, your resilience shines through what you choose to do!
Greg (TheraSpecs) says
Great post! You give such a realistic portrayal of success and achievement while living with chronic illness, even if you’re on as grand a stage as the Olympics. Of course, I’m also going to be humming “We Shall Overcome” the rest of the day 🙂 What a great and anthemic song!
Rosalind says
I’m delighted – that you find it realistic and you’ll hum that song. One of my favorites!
Danny van Leeuwen says
I find that those challenges struggle between sense of completely overcoming as in cure and acceptance and overcoming. The stage of acceptance can seem like giving in/giving up. Painful to watch this progression, then uplifting to the strength of moving on. Great post. Tx