My Posts
When I became bedridden six years ago, bathing in bed was among the many challenges I faced. I didn’t have the option of using a shower chair with arms or even a shower chair with wheels (though now I love these things). Getting (and staying) clean when you can’t get out of bed is incredibly […]
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The last time I saw Shannon, she couldn’t hear my voice. We had recently started what some might call “chronic illness dating.” My case of myalgic encephalomyelitis — a multisystem, post-viral illness that Dr. Anthony Fauci has compared to “long haul” COVID-19 — made it impossible for me to speak audibly as I struggled to […]
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I wrote a book on my smartphone. It took me the better part of a decade, but I was able to type out all 90000 words of my memoir, When Force Meets Fate, on a tiny 4.7 inch iPhone screen. Doing 90000 of anything is a lot, but writing 90000 in words on such a […]
Read MoreTears are gushing out of my eyes, down my cheeks, dampening my shirt. These tears are a mix of joy and sadness. Joy for having just walked for the first time in half a decade. Sadness for having had to live through those five years. I’ve been sick since 2010, but a few years into […]
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If you’re at all like me, then you’ve probably wondered if chronic illness burnout is a thing. Well, I’m here to tell you that it absolutely is a thing. The fact that you are even wondering about it means it is indeed a thing. Chronic Illness Burnout vs Medical Burnout Some people call it chronic […]
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My book can’t mean everything to everybody, but it can mean everything to me. And now it does.
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It’s been a rough year. I think we can all agree on that, so I thought I’d share some good news—my health has been improving lately. The other day I got out of bed and stood up three times in the span of a few hours, the most I’ve done in my walking rehabilitation in […]
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It’s hard not to be consumed by bitterness and anger. In the macro sense, it’s hard for me because, well, my life hasn’t turned out the way I imagined it would. I’m 32 and haven’t walked in more than five years, I’ve been through intense physical and emotional trauma, and because of my illness, I […]
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For me, it all comes down to the simple truth that if I don’t take unsolicited advice seriously, I won’t get upset that random strangers with no credentials or medical training think they know what’s best for my health.
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It’s hard to say exactly why I’ve been able to sustain my recovery without IV fluids.
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