The GuardianThe Guardian

I gave up hope of a cure for my chronic condition. And it’s made me happier than ever before

By Keith Kahn-Harris

28 Jul 2022 · 3 min read

Editor's Note

In this article, we hear the personal story of one man, his battle against chronic illness and how he has learned to live his life best.

In my second year at university, I came down with the Epstein-Barr virus, and I expected to fully recover. Sure, I knew it would take longer than recovery from a bog-standard cold, but no more than a few weeks.

At first, my optimism seemed warranted. It was the Easter holidays and my parents took good care of me. The fever only lasted a few days and I was out of bed within a week or two. I made it back to university for the summer term; the only difference was that my parents carried my belongings from the car to my room.

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