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“This Is Forever?” What a Rheumatoid Arthritis (or other life-altering) Diagnosis Actually Feels Like

In this powerful first conversation with our guest, Debbie Roppo, a board-certified health and wellness coach and the founder of The Inner Empire™, we sit in one of the most disorienting moments many people will ever experience: receiving a life-changing diagnosis.

In this episode, Sandi and Dan talk openly with Debbie about what it actually feels like to be told you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the shock, the fear, the disbelief, and the pressure to immediately accept a future you didn’t choose. Rather than rushing to solutions, we slow down and explore the emotional reality of that moment.

Debbie shares her personal story of waking up in severe pain, recognizing something was wrong, and ultimately being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis while working in an orthopedic medical office. She describes how hearing “this is forever” felt like a punch to the stomach and how that experience shaped everything that came after.

We also discuss:

• The emotional impact of receiving a chronic illness diagnosis
• The difference between osteoarthritis vs rheumatoid arthritis
• How chronic pain can be isolating and misunderstood
• Why many people feel pressured to “just do what the doctor says”
• The importance of choosing carefully who you share your diagnosis with
• The reality that chronic illness is often an invisible struggle
• Why being your own health advocate matters
• How the U.S. excels in acute care but struggles with chronic care
• Why a diagnosis does not have to be the end of your story

This episode is Part 1 of a three-part conversation with Debbie. In Part 2, she will walk us through what happened next, the choices she made, the questions she asked, and how she began to chart her own path toward healing.

If you or someone you love lives with chronic pain, autoimmune disease, or has recently received a diagnosis, this episode is for you. You are not alone.

🎧 Topics Covered in This Episode

• Rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis
• Living with chronic pain
• Autoimmune disease diagnosis
• Emotional impact of diagnosis
• Chronic illness and mental health
• Doctor-patient communication
• Rheumatology experience
• Being your own health advocate
• Functional medicine vs traditional medicine
• Invisible illness
• Chronic illness isolation
• Mind-body connection to pain
• Navigating a new diagnosis
• Health coaching and chronic illness

🔗 Connect with Debbie Roppo

• Website: www.debbieroppohealthcoach.com
• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

🔗 Connect with The Health Hunt

• Website: www.thehealthhunt.com.com
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• The Health Hunt Fullscript Store
• Email: info@thehealthhunt.com