My Body vs Me: Living with Chronic Illness

By Amy-Louise Taylor

It is difficult to be entirely honest. With loved ones, with strangers, with yourself. You must face up to the ugly parts of yourself before you can show them to others. Amy-Louise Taylor has taken the decision to be as honest as she can be in this little book, My Body Vs Me: Living with Chronic Illness.

Frank, honest, self-effacing, funny and brave – Amy is quite phenomenal, really. She has a host of not-so-nice conditions she must battle every day, with varying degrees of success. But she is doing an excellent job at getting on with life, with a smile on her face. She’s got a job she loves, she’s just published a book and she’s planning her wedding. In fact, it’s wrong to say she’s just getting on with life: she’s living it.

It is difficult to describe this book, not least because it discusses difficult things. It is a very personal book. It is very funny. But it is also sad.

I am lucky. Lucky because I get to live a normal life. I get to make mistakes and complain about things like a “normal” person. Amy is less lucky. She has a number of chronic illnesses that affect her everyday life. She can’t know each morning whether she’ll be able to leave the house. There are also days when she doesn’t want to leave the house. But Amy doesn’t complain, like a normal person would. Like I would. Of course, I’m sure, she has her moments when things get too much and who could blame her? But another person might allow themselves to be held down by the weight she bears. Amy finds joy and holds onto it, and you can only admire a person like that.

This book is a letter to family and friends; a thank you for their continued patience and compassion. But more than that, it is a message in a bottle for those who might be struggling. Whether you are coping with a difficult condition or are close to someone who is, this little book just might be what you need.

From Amy, I pass on this message: “You can do this.”