My therapist said to write instead of buying fancy purses to mask coping skills. So here I go: I placed my mom on hospice care because transporting her back and forth to doctors had become harder on her than the actual medical care she received once we got there. The reward simply wasn’t worth the... Continue Reading →
Caregiver Chaos & Biologic Reboots…
Hospice chaos, caregiver exhaustion, biologic crash, emotional overload, and survival mode—with just enough rest to breathe for a minute.
Balance billing…
In September of 2022, I had pneumonia. I didn’t know that at the time and went to a local CVS to get a COVID test. While I was in the treatment room, I collapsed, and an ambulance was called to take me to the hospital. A year later, I got a bill from the ambulance... Continue Reading →
Daring to believe…
I just recently started to feel like my new medication is working. It's kind of shocking. My pain level is so much more tolerable. I still have pain, but I can make it all day without taking extra meds. My swelling is also getting better. I still swell when I overdo it, but for the... Continue Reading →
Oh the places we will go…
I've not taken a proper vacation since my dog was diagnosed with diabetes. I refused to leave her for over two years until this past September, when I traveled to Washington DC for 2 nights for a patient advocacy trip. I admit that I was a wreck until I had her back in my arms.... Continue Reading →
Sorry for smiling….
Recently, social media has been buzzing with the warning that the government will soon be using social media tracking to crack down on disability fraud. I wouldn't say this is surprising. People have been spying on the disabled for years. Growing up, I always heard how people "faked disability" to milk the system. My family... Continue Reading →
You ain’t no copper penny…
Recently, I've been going through a lot a stress. Health, family, pets, household issues, etc....if I wasn't for bad luck, I'd seriously have none. On top of it all, I've gained a ton of weight from both inactivity due to my broken foot and stress eating. Then I ended up getting sick. The kind of... Continue Reading →
Abled People Are From Mars, Disabled People Are From Venus….
I've been documenting my journey with my broken foot. It's been frustrating, painful, and difficult to say the least. Non-weight bearing is hard when you don't have autoimmune arthritis, but when you do, it's nearly overwhelming. When I found out my foot hadn't healed, I decided to stay at my parents' house over the Christmas... Continue Reading →
Four more weeks…
I had my follow up for my broken foot (AKA 5th metatarsal fracture) today. I've been trying my best to not bear weight on my foot since 11/1/2018. The past 46 days have been difficult. I've tried my best to not walk. I admit, it's so hard in my stair-filled house, so there are times when... Continue Reading →
It’s time to walk, I mean TALK…
How many times have I donated to charity walks? About 500 in the past few years, I would guess. I have a hard time walking myself, so I always feel the need to support others who can do so. As the cofounder of a non-profit (International Foundation for Autoimmune & Autoinflammatory Arthritis), we've often talked... Continue Reading →