When I woke up today, I found myself on the couch barely able to open my eyes. I reached for my phone to see what time it was. 10:07 AM. At this point, I had slept 23 hours since the morning before, and I went back to sleep an additional four hours before waking up to even eat something. This is a very minimal depiction of what depression looks like. My doctor calls it “leaden paralysis”, a symptom of Major Depressive Disorder, Atypical in subtype. It’s where your entire body feels like lead.
Year: 2019
Disability Blogger Award
I have graciously been nominated for the Disability Blogger Award by Jordyn from Chronically Unimaginable. I was notified by her on one of my recent posts. Thank you so much Jordyn, this means the world to me! This is an award of recognition to those blogging in the chronic illness, mental health, disability, and special needs communities. The person responsible for starting this is Georgina from www.chronillicles.com. She decided to invent this honor because of the lack of recognition present in these communities today. What a beautiful notion, don’t you think?
Focus On The Fight | Fibromyalgia
Welcome to Focus On The Fight, a series of interviews that will be posted weekly, focusing on a blogger and their health.
This week we will meet Pam Jessen, she has a multitude of chronic condition including the condition we will highlight this week: Fibromyalgia.
Before we dive into the heavy stuff, please tell us all a little about yourself outside of your health! About your family or your hobbies !!
I am married to my incredible husband Ray, and we have one cat named Dorie. Our two kids Troy and Ashley have long flown the nest and we have three lovely grandsons (all Ashley’s boys!).
Dear Lupus | An Open Letter
Dear Lupus,
You came into my life with asking, without an invitation. You came in and made it known by all that you were GOING TO BE THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. Who asked you to come? Who asked you to invade my body and take my life away?? I sure as hell didn’t.
Lupus Awareness Month | My Lupus Journey
Today is May 1. For most that date isn’t significant, but for me it has a big meaning. May first designates the beginning of Lupus Awareness Month. May gives me 31 days to spread awareness I about a disease that 7.55 billion people worldwide live with everyday. So I thought there was no better way to start Lupus Awareness Month than to share my Lupus Journey. Here is a brief look at the past 7 years and my Lupus Journey!!
Focus On The Fight | Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
Welcome to Focus On The Fight, a series of interviews that will be posted weekly, focusing on a different patient advocate and their health journey.
This week we will meet Kelly, she has a multitude of chronic condition including the condition we will highlight this week: MAST CELL ACTIVATION SYNDROME (MCAS).
Hope or Hype? | New Opiate Prescribing Guidelines
The CDC just released its new guidelines to help doctors understand the looser guidelines so that patients may have some relief from the forced tapers or forced termination of medications. This has resulted in diminished quality of life, driving some into using illicit narcotics, or sadly driving some to suicide since there has been no relief.
Just My Opinon | The Rising Cost of Healthcare
Let’s discuss the cost of insurance, Medicare, and healthcare as a whole.. Every year the price consumers pay seems to go up and up, in a way that many can no longer afford. Personally, I have no problem with the fact that I have to pay for my healthcare and insurance because that’s just a part of life.
Dear Medical Provider | A Letter The Medical Community
Dear Medical Professional,
I know, it’s so easy to see a diagnosis or a medication in a chart and form judgment on someone before you ever meet them. I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t. That being said now that I am on the other side of the bed I ask that you hold that judgement until you meet me. We aren’t all alike, just like you aren’t like your sibling or your cousin with the same last name who no one speaks of. All chronic illness patients are different. We may have the same diagnosis and take the same medications but that’s often where the similarities stop.
Focus On The Fight | Hyperhidrosis – Maria Thomas
Welcome to Focus On The Fight, a series of interviews that will be posted every Friday, focusing on a blogger and their health.
This week we will meet Maria Thomas, she has a multitude of chronic condition including the condition we will highlight this week: HYPERHIDROSIS
Before we dive into the heavy stuff, please tell us all a little about yourself outside of your health! About your family or your hobbies!! I’m a bookworm, writer, editor, and a hyperhidrosis trailblazer and patient advocate. I work full-time in marketing, and my side hustle is my advocacy work. When I’m not going 90 miles an hour, I enjoy reading (obviously), handwriting letters to my pen pals, spending time in nature and playing with my Pug, Maya.
