My Crippling Anxiety and Overwhelming Depression
I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I wanted to breathe normally. But I can’t do any of these things. I just sat there and wallowed in my pain. …
Fear and Hope: The Hidden Realities of Being Chronically Ill In the Time of Coronavirus
Right now is especially hard on those of us who are sick already. The safety nets that each person has – medical care, social support, financial security, and access to…
Go Beyond Self-Care: Why We Need To Talk About Self-Compassion Instead
Bubble baths. Lit candles. Dark chocolate. Steaming cups of tea. These are the self-care recommendations we are regularly encouraged to add to our daily lives. I love these things as…
The Pet Prescription: How a Stray Cat Named Sara Helped Me Learn To Be Braver & To Live More Fully Each Day, Despite Chronic Illness
Hello, I’m Sara, and I’m an affectionate, but shy, 3-year-old grey tabby. I like pillow forts, spying out the window and perching on your shoulder when you sleep. Just over…
Dead End: Finding the Next, Best Option Right Now When You’ve Run Out of Treatments to Try
What do you do to manage your illness symptoms when you’ve tried the usual treatments but they aren’t working? That’s a question I’ve had to consider recently. In the last…
Why It’s Okay Not To Work When You Live with Chronic Illness
The biggest change in my life that followed my fibromyalgia diagnosis was leaving my career because I just physically could not keep up any longer with the demands of the…
Patients, Power, Participation: How Enrolling in Clinical Trials Can Help Ensure That The Future of Pain Medicine is Now
This piece has been entered in the Patients Have Power Writing Contest run by Clara Health designed to raise awareness about clinical trials. “It’s a USB port for your brain,…
Fibromyalgia Awareness Day: How a Fibromyalgia Diagnosis Changes Your Life Story
An illness like fibromyalgia permeates every aspect of your life – it forever alters the trajectory of your story. For this year’s Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, I wanted to reflect on…
Hormonally Challenged: What You Need To Know About Adrenal Hormones, Fatigue, and Fibromyalgia
When I got the results of my adrenal function test, I found the explanation for my daily energy and fatigue cycle. This test measures the functioning of your adrenal glands,…