No one wants to suffer. Most desire freedom and happiness. Any disease or physicaldisorder can interfere with these pursuits, at least for a time. In most such circumstances weface, expectations of a rapid and full recovery provides hope and relief from the experiencedsuffering. We do not feel doomed, disabled or depressed by the washed out feeling and nasalsymptoms of a winter cold because we know we will feel better again in 4-14 days. However,when a disease becomes chronic, feelings of depression and grief from loss of health andfunction are the rule. Throw difficulty of diagnosis and treatment on top of that, and feelingsof hopelessness usually follow. These are appropriate feelings because in the instantaneous rational/tangible scheme of things, there may be nothing to have hope in. This will worsenthe depressed isolated feelings of a sufferer of a chronic disabling disease.
Now think of a disabled or chronically ill person with whom you may have come intocontact, who, despite an obvious physical limitation or incurable, possibly even fatal disease,seems to possess a positive and cheerful disposition. 
How is this possible？ A few weeks ago,a woman called me because she was having intestinal symptoms. At that time she soundedworried on the phone, seemingly more because she was afraid doctors in her area would notknow how to diagnose her rather than because of the symptoms per se. It turned out she hadovarian cancer. She was diagnosed less than three weeks ago. When I talked to her yesterday she sounded positive and secure. She expressed gratitude over the quality of her healthcare and the rapidity with which her diagnosis was made. Despite having to undergo chemotherapy （and already enduring one session）, she displayed a positive, fighting spirit. She did not for a minute express pity or sadness about her diagnosis.
……