I worry they’ll see that my “busy” is so much less than their definition of busy, and they’ll judge me for it. They’ll think I’m worth less.
All in Health
Mind Games
The idea of losing governance over my own thoughts and feelings was a shock that has left me reeling.
Behind-The-Scenes of IBD
Happy World IBD Day to my fellow Crohn's & Colitis patients, who are out there every day making the hard way look easy.
My Immune System is Broken.
March is autoimmune disease awareness month! Here's what you need to know.
Bring on the cake – today is my diagnosis anniversary!
How far I've come from the 18-year old who thought she could ignore this thing until it went away.
My Body is Basically an Old iPhone Battery.
While I appreciate that this post-technology world we're living in leaves pretty much all of my peers stressed and tired by the end of a work week, there's a difference between fatigue and being tired.
Self-Care, On a Budget, For Everyone.
It’s possible to keep your self-care budget-friendly (if not free) and accessible to all.
All the Meds I've Loved Before
The idea of having to go to the hospital in regular intervals and get hooked up to an IV just to be pumped up with a bunch of antibodies I can’t pronounce sounded like something out of a sci-fi novel.
What It Means to Rest
It’s a lot less fun to binge watch Stranger Things in bed when everyone else you know is out having fun and you’re hanging out with your cats and your guilt over being a bad friend.
Mental Health and Physical Health: A Dysfunctional Relationship
One third of patients with a chronic illness experience symptoms of depression.
Sick and Tired, But Mostly Tired.
Know your limits and don't be afraid to enforce them. People who don't understand the value of rest are missing out on a lot of great TV movies, anyway.
My Official List of Band-Aids
Anxious? There’s a meditation for that.
I'm Not a Hypochondriac.
Because I had grown up with bad internalized feelings surrounding feeling like a hypochondriac, it took way longer than it should have for me to be diagnosed with Crohn’s.
I'm Bad At Keeping Secrets
After 8+ months of Saturday nights in, a monumentally bloated face, and a diet more restrictive than Beyonce-inspired veganism, wouldn’t I want to shout “I’M FEELING BETTER” from the rooftops?
Life is Gross and Then You Die
Chronic illness in general can be isolating, but you know what’s extra isolating? Talking about poop.
Repeat After Me: Being Sick is Not a Point of Failure
When we talk about health like it’s a personal success, the problem is that we all too often then talk about illness like it’s a personal failure.
I Kind of Need You to Stop Asking if I'm "Better"
I would love to tell you that yes, in fact, I have miraculously come out of this flare and it will probably never happen again and, as it turns out, I am healthy as a horse.
TBH
Your life is not a PR angle, it’s just your life.
You're So Vain, You Probably Think This Disease Is About You.
When the Prednisone, over time, started to grow my large face even bigger like some kind of sad version of the blueberry girl from Willy Wonka, I tried not to let it bother me.
The Dangerous World of Comparative Thinking
I firmly believe “it could be worse” is a lazy thing to say–– you’re not empathizing, you’re just making the person feel guiltier for the emotions they’re experiencing.