Say Goodbye to the Version of Me You Knew: A Letter to Friends & Family of Chronically Ill People

For years I’ve heard stories from my chronically ill friends of loved ones who abandoned them or who refused to believe that their illness was real. So, I wanted to write a letter to the friends & family of chronically ill people. 

How Mast Cell Activation Disorder Changed My Life

CN: extensive and detailed discussion of chronic illness symptoms such as nausea, brain fog, and difficulty eating; discussion of weight loss   One day, after taking a short walk, I had a strange health episode. I was incredibly exhausted, totally disproportionate to the amount of walking I had done. I sat down in the chair in the kitchen as soon as I got in, too tired to go all the way to my bedroom, and then …Read More

Why Chronic Illness Makes it So Hard to Leave Home

CN: Detailed descriptions of the experience of pain and other health issues, discussion of chronic pain, disability, chronic illness. My chronically ill friends and I joke about the medicine cabinet worth of supplies we take with us on any trip that’s longer than an hour because we never know what we’re going to need. Going to an appointment: Water, meds, lip balm, hip-brace, sweatshirt. For work: All of that plus lotion, white flower oil (think …Read More

I Can’t Fix Myself But I’m Supposed To

CN: chronic pain, medical neglect, fat-shaming, discussion of specific health issues and their symptoms Today’s guest post is written as a follow up post to Sunflower Punk’s piece, “Broken,” on her blog on The Orbit. The article covers her life-long struggle with chronic pain, living 6 years with an untreated broken ankle, doctors blaming her health problems on her weight, inaccessible housing, and juggling all of those while also raising a kid as a single …Read More

What’s It Like to Have Celiac Disease?

CN: chronic illness, discussion of food, digestion issues (non-graphic), weight, and dieting. When I was a kid, my parents were always bartering with me to try to get me to eat protein and veggies. They’d promise me a bit of dessert if I could manage x number bites of my deli meat. I was a very picky eater and rarely finished my plate. My mother would make me meals with five or six different types …Read More