“Our passion is to help people know they can thrive” with invisible disability

I’m excited to introduce you to author and blogger Carole Griffitts, who just coauthored a book about chronic illness and invisible disability with her husband Joe. Their book Sunbreaks in Unending Storms, based on their story and the stories of three other families, shares encouragement and information about living with invisible disabilities.

I so appreciate when sisters in Christ with more life experience than me are willing to share their hard-earned wisdom. Carole has lived with chronic health conditions for more than 40 years, and she and her husband have been married for (almost!) 55 years. “Connected Carole” also runs the blog Navigating the Storms for people living with invisible disability, their families, and their caregivers.

I hope you’re encouraged by this conversation with Carole on chronic illness, faith, and perseverance.

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Interview with Carole Griffitts from Washington, age 70+
On sharing encouragement for couples and families experiencing invisible disability
from her experiences with Sjogren’s, dystonia, and postpolio syndrome

Cassie: What is something you love or something God has given you a passion for?

Carole: I love creating things. I used to embroider and do plastic canvas, but that is beyond my ability now. So I use my PC to create cards, pictures, designs for pillows, scrapbooks, etc. I run a website for and about people with invisible disabilities. My husband and I just finished a book on the same subject. Our passion runs to helping people know they can thrive and to educating people about our lives.

Cassie: Please briefly share the names of your chronic illnesses along with a brief description.

Carole: I have several forms of dystonia, a dysfunction in the brain causing muscles to involuntarily move and spasm. I also have a mild case of postpolio syndrome, a neuromuscular problem resulting from polio at age two from which it was assumed I completely recovered. I also have an autoimmune disease called Sjogren’s; although for most people, the most common issues are dryness, for me, it has affected my neurological system. These are my main issues, and they interact badly. My muscles sustain injuries incredibly easy.

Cassie: What is one of the most difficult challenges you’ve experienced due to your illnesses? How has that challenge shaped you?

Carole: Fatigability (a condition where muscles fatigue without reason), along with weakness means I spend about half my day in a recliner. I rest about an hour, then am up about an hour. Even when up, I must be very careful about which muscles I use and how I use them. So in practical terms, I cannot shop or attend meetings or visit for more than about two hours at a time. Since I do not look like anything is wrong with me, it can be difficult for people to understand why I cannot do more. These limitations are frustrating for me and my family. God has used these challenges to slow me down and turn me in directions different from what I had envisioned life to be. I use my computer to try and encourage others.

Cassie: What is something you would like people to better understand about your illnesses?

Carole: The biggest thing I would like others to understand is that just because I look okay does not mean I am okay. The reason for my limitations, weaknesses, and pain cannot be seen by others. Sometimes even doctors cannot see the cause, although they can see the results. I also wish people would allow me to pick and choose what I can do and not treat me as an invalid who can do nothing (when they do accept that something is wrong). For Christians who wish to pray for me, I wish they would ask me what I desire for prayer at that point.

Cassie: Tell me about a time when someone came through for you when you were going through your health struggles.

Carole: There have been women at various places we lived who have been faithful to help me with housework. Sometimes, when we were getting ready to move, friends would come and help me pack. One time, on vacation, when we were visiting friends, I had a sudden onset of weakness while at a restaurant. My friends noticed and took us back to their house, fixing their couch up for me to lay down, giving me freedom to recover from the episode. Offers of help, but no pressure.

Cassie: What advice or encouragement would you offer to someone going through chronic illnesses?

Carole: If you are a Christian, trust God that His thoughts and ways are better than ours. That He is worth trusting even when everything looks bad. On a practical level, find a support group either in person or online. Search for the help that you need to do what you can no longer do. Stay in touch with people who believe and support you. Hopefully, this is your family. If not, search for friends who will. Hang in there, all life is worth living. You are important.

Cassie: What is something God is teaching you recently?

Carole: To trust Him more fully. To invest my life in helping others—especially those with chronic illnesses.

Cassie: What is something you are most thankful for right now?

Carole: My husband, Joe, and I celebrated our 54th anniversary in 2020. My problems began 40+ years ago; we only had 12 years for normal activities. So, I am most thankful for Joe, as he has been completely supportive. The last five years my problems worsened, and Joe has had to take up the slack. Without complaining—mostly.

Cassie: Are there any resources you can recommend that encourage you through your chronic illnesses?

Carole: My blog; Facebook groups for the chronically ill such as Rest Ministries Sunroom and Medical Musings with Friends; Invisible Disabilities Association; Joni and Friends; and Where Is God Ministries. These are only a few of the resources I feature on my website.

Cassie: I’m a bookworm and I have to ask: Read any good books lately?

Carole: I love Christy Barritt books; they are mystery books that present a low-key Christian message. Unfortunately, having to rest so much I do read a lot. I mostly read Christian fiction, but even then I am careful of the authors I choose. My local library is online, so I can order books from my computer and Joe picks them up when they come in.

Cassie: What is something else you would like people to know about you?

Carole: We have two sons, both happily married, and seven grandchildren. We are a very close family. Joe and I enjoy camping, although he has to do most of the work. We have camped with Tom and Bill and their families at state and national parks. Our older son is a retired military officer. Our younger son is a CPA. (Since they were young boys when my problems started, this shows our families can be successful.)

Right now, we have no pets as our 14-year-old dog that we had for 12 years passed away last year. We are still trying to find the time to find another one. Joe, especially, misses his dog.

I love being creative, but as I said above, I am now limited in what I can do. However, even when I could do handcrafts, I loved the designing more than the actual work.

Thank you for sharing some of your story Carole!

You can connect with Carole on Twitter and Facebook. You can also buy Sunbreaks in Unending Storms here.

We hope you enjoyed this interview and learned something new!
We’d love to hear from you in the comments, so please let us know if you related to Carole’s story, discovered new information, or have any questions for us!

Interested in being interviewed? I’d love to help share your story! Find the details here.

Opinions and views are those of the interviewee. This blog post is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice.

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