The One You Feed | Personal Growth, Emotional Resilience & Purpose How To Live with Uncertainty and Find Hope in the Midst of Chronic Illness with Marisa Renee Lee
Apr 14, 2026
Marisa Renee Lee, author and essayist who writes about grief and chronic illness, shares her journey through long Covid and loss. She talks about living with prolonged uncertainty, redefining hope as a practice, shifting identity toward enduring values, managing pain versus suffering, and the importance of community and asking for help.
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Cascade Of Loss And Onset Of Long COVID
- Marisa Renee Lee described a rapid cascade of life events: mother-in-law's stage four cancer, a cousin's murder, then contracting COVID that never left.
- She detailed severe symptoms over months including asthma, 70% larynx blockage, and limited ability to walk or parent normally.
Uncertainty Is Stress From The Unknown
- Marisa defines uncertainty as stress or overwhelm related to the unknown and says honesty about it is the only way through.
- She emphasized cognitive loss (slower processing, memory lapses) as one of the hardest and most identity-shaking effects.
Commit To Finding Treatments Even Without Certainty
- Do commit to figuring out solutions even without a clear plan; Marisa worked with specialists and pursued treatments continuously.
- She credited a Mount Sinai viral specialist, daily breathwork, and low-dose GLP-1 (ZepBound) for rapid recent improvements.
