Because I Deserve It: What Chronic Illness Taught Me about Finding My Voice in the Healthcare System (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781963678253)

You walk into your doctor's office as one person.

You walk out as someone else.

That's what happened to Kenitra W. Dominguez when she received a life-altering diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). An ambitious, driven overachiever, Kenitra had to recalibrate her identity and redefine what success meant for her. She also discovered just how difficult it can be to access competent, compassionate care, especially as a Black woman navigating a biased and overburdened medical system.

Because I Deserve It is a personal, practical, and empowering guide for anyone living with a chronic condition, especially those who have felt overlooked, dismissed, or silenced. Drawing from her own journey, Kenitra shares what she wishes someone had told her at the start. This book offers guidance especially for women of color, who often face unique challenges in the medical system. You'll learn how to:

• Adopt the critical mindset you need
• Research your condition and build your medical team
• Push back against systemic barriers and get the care you deserve
• Prepare for appointments and communicate clearly with your doctors
• Request workplace accommodations and navigate shifting dynamics with friends, family, and clients
• Redefine success and purpose in a life that no longer looks the same

If you have been diagnosed with a chronic condition and feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and not sure where to begin, this book is for you. Learn from a pathfinder who knows that finding the best possible care should never be a luxury. It's your right. You deserve nothing less.