Temperatures are starting to drop, leaves are changing and pumpkin spice is everywhere you look. For most fall is the best time of year, a time that brings football, hoodies and Halloween. But for those with chronic illness or who are immunocompromised fall means something completely different. Fall means that the cold and flu season is upon us and we have to be more vigilant than ever to make sure we protect ourselves from illness. It almost seems unfair that we have to say goodbye to the wonderful summer temperatures and longer days, and also welcome the cooler temperatures that often cause pain and bring illness.
Amber Blackburn
Opening Up About My Battle With Depression
No matter how much support you have or how together you think you are not immune to bouts of depression. No matter how much money you make or if you have the “perfect job” you can still fall victim. It doesn’t matter if you are white, black, green or purple, depression doesn’t discriminate. None of the things mentioned matter. You may feel that you have given yourself all the tools one will need and that you know what to watch for and what to do when it happens. But chances are that’s not the truth. Because depression is sneaky, it sneaks in when you least expect it and stays longer than any unwanted house guest ever would. You can have all the tools available and ready to combat the arrival, but when it sneaks in sometimes it’s hard to realize how bad things are until you’re in to deep to fix things on your own.
Tips For Dating With Chronic Illness
As I near my mid thirties and have yet to meet my lifetime mate, dating is something that is on my mind more and more. Most of my friends have coupled up and are starting their families and I am growing tired of always being the odd man out or the only single one. But dating is just such a daunting task. In the world of the normal able-bodied person dating can be overwhelming and frustrating, so many games being played, including guessing what the other person is thinking or feeling.
Samantha Bowick: Author & Advocate | Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
Hi everyone! My name is Samantha Bowick and I’m the author of two books Living with Endometriosis: The Complete Guide to Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment Options and Living with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: The Complete Guide to Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment Options. I decided to write Living with Endometriosis because I was going through so many different treatments for endometriosis that I really couldn’t find much information on at the time and I felt like it could possibly help others who were going through the same thing.
I Just Got Diagnosed… Now What??
It’s been months…….maybe years. You’ve been suffering alone because no one understands what’s been going on. The doctors have been shuffling you back and forth because they don’t know what to do with you. You’ve heard “Well…..maybe it could be this. Or it could be that!” However they are really just grasping at straws and making guesses because no one really has any concrete idea. Until you finally come in contact with that ONE doctor who follows that ONE path and found you a DIAGNOSIS! Which feels like you won the lottery for a bit. But now what??
What We Wish You Understood | Working With Chronic Illness
Living with a chronic illness is hard and comes with many challenges. Including challenges most never thought they’d face, especially at such a young age. For instance, when I graduated from nursing school I never dreamed that I would only be able to work for ten years before I had to leave my job to care for myself. That being said when you think of chronic illness you wouldn’t automatically think of the fact that many who suffer from a chronic illness will have to leave the workforce long before they wanted or planned to. But it’s true, sadly, many end up having to leave their dream job or the career they loved to stay home and take care of themselves. Which in and of itself brings up challenges. The biggest being that most around us don’t understand us or our decisions to leave the workforce. Or what that looks like as far as what we can and cannot do now that we are no longer working.
Focus On The Fight | Epilepsy
Welcome to Focus On The Fight, a series of interviews that will be posted weekly, focusing on a blogger/advocate, their health and their advocacy work.
This week we meet Christalle, and we will highlight: EPILEPSY
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 !!
Christalle Bodiford is an artist, writer, and adventure seeker. As an entrepreneur diagnosed with epilepsy, Christalle brings a unique perspective of empowerment that inspires others to embrace a positive mindset and live with purpose. When she’s not writing or advocating, Christalle enjoys puppy snuggles with her scruffy terrier and outdoor adventures with her husband.
Living With Chronic Pain | Life Update
The last two months have probably been some of the hardest months I’ve had since this crazy journey started. I’ve been in more pain and for longer than I ever thought possible. I have said too many times lately but I feel like if it has a name it has probably hurt at some point. Literally everything has hurt from the big things like my back and hips, to the smaller things like my hands and fingers. There has even been time when my HAIR and SKIN hurt.
Chronic Pain | Help Others Help You
Pain is just that, PAIN. It’s hurtful. Millions of people deal with some kind of pain every single day. Whether it be the acute pain of an injury, or the emotional pain of losing someone you loved so dearly. Pain is everywhere and every single person is going to deal with their pain differently.
Social Media | How It Is Beneficial To The Chronically Ill
Social Media…..We always hear about the negatives viewpoints and aspects of each platform. Like the fact that social media is full of highlight reels rather than what’s actually real. We only get to see what those influencer types choose to show us, which is usually only the highlights. Or the fact that the internet is full of what we will call “keyboard warriors,” who spew all kinds of nasty hatred into the comment section of any social media platform. They say things that they would NEVER say to someone’s face all because they can hide behind their screens or keyboards without any real consequences. While those are well known facts about social media, what isn’t well known, or often spoken about, is the fact that social media is a HUGE blessing to those in the chronic illness community. I’ll wait while you pick your jaw up off the floor. Did I really just say that social media is a blessing????
