Posts

Diagnostic Years

Diagnostic years are absolutely exhausting!  A diagnostic year is when new symptoms pop up, or a change is made, which begins a cascading e…

One-Size-Fits-All

One of the biggest myths of healthcare is a one-size-fits-all approach. We are led to believe that:  Bacterial Infection -> …

Living With Severe Body Fluctuations

I JUST wrote about body shaming and how it affects and is affected by chronic illness.  One of the main themes about having some of the ill…

Bravery Isn't A Feeling

There's something really confounding about the word "brave".  When you're ill, especially with something chronic or somet…

Thyroid Issues

Over the last couple of months, I have suspected that my thyroid levels were out. I have been having mood swings and uncharacteristic irrit…

Smart Device and Chronic Illness

Picture this:  You are given a device.  This device has to last you a lifetime. There are no exchanges, no returns, and none available to p…

Perpetually Temporary State

Everything is temporary, we all know that, but when it comes to chronic illness, temporary is etched in our heads every single day - for th…

Busy Immune System

I have a fair few number of diagnoses.  Most of them have something to do with inflammation and many of them are autoimmune in nature. This…

I Love My Dysfunctional Body

My dysfunctional body has been through what feels like hell and back. It goes back and forth between good days and bad - every morning figu…

The Five Stages of Weaning

Over the years, I have had to change medications countless times, often weaning one and adding another, sometimes only weaning, or simply a…

Struggling with Isolation

Self-isolation and social distancing is relatively simple in its concept, and difficult in its execution.  As I have mentioned on here befo…

Balancing Act

Managing Covid-19 and the economy is going to be a balancing act. Once we have reached and passed the peak of this first wave of infections…

You Might Have a Chronic Illness if:

You Might Have a Chronic Illness if:  • You were told nothing was wrong months-years before a diagnosis was confirmed • You have ever felt …

Ambulatory Wheelchair

I am an ambulatory wheelchair user.  This means that I can only walk short distances, my body tires easily and can give out, and I often ne…

My 'Tells'

I think everyone has their own unique 'tell' or set of 'tells' that signify when that person is really struggling.  Maybe y…

The Lighter Side of: Diets that Don't Work

I used to try extremely strict diets and believe that if I stuck to it perfectly, with no slips, no cheat days, no junk, that I would becom…

The Lighter Side of: Total Exhaustion

I don't think it is any secret that many illnesses carry with them a component of terrible sleeping habits. When pain and inflammation…

"I Believe You"

The best thing that you can do for a patient struggling is convey your belief in them. Chronic illness is entirely full of question marks …

The Lighter Side of: Sarcastic Humour

It is fairly clear that sarcastic humour can be a real asset. It can also become cutting to a point of no return. Sarcasm can be used to t…

The Lighter Side of: Progressive Diseases

I would say that most of the time, I am working hard to maintain what I am currently feeling. Not because how I currently feel is all rainb…