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I Got A Job
I’m excited to announce that I am officially employed! Finding a job has been a taxing process that I wasn’t prepared for. I thought it would be as easy as it had been in the past. Boy was I wrong. After what felt like a long journey, I finally found a good fit. The best news of all is that they chose me knowing that Crush would be by my side. I am now a receptionist. I chose to apply for reception jobs. They seemed like the most feasible option for me. Although this job strays from what my original plan was, I think we will all make a great…
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A Review of Manta Sleep Masks
I bought a new sleep mask. I have been using sleep masks for the past few years. I find that I can’t sleep without them now. My old one was getting a little gross so I decided it was time for an upgrade. Someone suggested Manta to me and so I went for it! I bought the weighted sleep mask for $39.99. That seemed pretty steep for a sleep mask, but then again my old one was $5 and I used it for three years. I’m hoping that a $40 mask lasts at least five years. So let’s talk about the good, the bad, and everything in between. The shipping…
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I Had My Second Hip Surgery
I finally did it. I went through my seventh and hopefully, my final surgery. It was worse than I anticipated. I beat my own record of the worst labral tear my surgeon had ever seen. They had to put so much fluid into my hip it was equivalent to that of a hip replacement. I woke up in intense and severe pain. It wasn’t at all what I anticipated or hoped for. Luckily, it’s day two and things are already improving. Once that fluid is absorbed by the body, the pain starts going down. Although I’m still swollen throughout my entire leg, it’s nowhere near as bad as yesterday. I’m…
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I Made $500 in 5 Days
No, I’m not kidding. Yes, I made $500 in 5 days. This isn’t a trick or a scam. I simply sold stuff I didn’t need. This is super easy. Everything I sold was through Facebook Marketplace. It came with a lot of frustration but I’m still getting orders for things daily. The best part, I haven’t used any of this stuff in YEARS. So what did my process look like? How can you make $500 in 5 days? Follow this guide and you’ll be well on your way. Start Sorting Go through everything you have. From clothes to travel gear! My biggest ticket item was a saxophone. You can sell…
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Feeling Stuck
I have felt stuck lately. Stuck not knowing what’s coming next, I feel unable to move forward. It’s difficult when so much of life hangs in the balance. I could have another move in my near future or stay in Minnesota, surrounded by friends and family. That may sound like an easy option for most people. I like being off on my own though. It’s been difficult to accept the past few years that being on my own wasn’t an option. It wasn’t even a thought in my mind. I guess maybe it was a distant dream, but a dream that was far in the distance. Now, it’s not only…
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Having a Flare
I recently had a flare of my POTS. I chose not to wear compression and didn’t drink nearly enough water. The end result was intense dizziness and a killer headache. I brought up a lot of fear for me initially. Recently, my allergies have really taken a toll on me. My skin breaks out in rashes without warning. I’m itchy and Crush alerts a few times a day now. The more I thought about how close my illness is to being out of control again, the more discouraged I felt. I sat in that for a couple hours. Now, I’m trying to reframe. I think I can border toxic positivity…
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My Response to Service Dog Questions
Every time I go out, I get questions about Crush. People ask entirely inappropriate questions. Luckily, the company that gave me Crush prepared me to answer these. I had no idea how I would respond initially. Even now, every question and person gets a variation of the same answer. Sometimes these questions leave me laughing, crying, or somewhere in between. So here are some of my pre-programmed responses to the question: Why do you have him/ What’s wrong with you? I have a disability I like this because it’s short and sweet. It also addresses how. Inappropriate it is to ask without shaming the person for asking. I like that…
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Our Flight to Nowhere
Recently Crush and I went on an expedition. Okay, that might be an exaggeration. In reality, we went through more training. This training was particularly exciting. It was preparation for being able to travel together. I think most people get overwhelmed when flying. I typically fly alone and have adapted to that well. Now I have Crush and we have to learn how to travel together. I am so grateful to Can Do Canines for the opportunity to go through this “class.” So how do you prepare to travel with a service dog? We went to the airport and did a dry run. Hence the “flight to nowhere.” Can Do…
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Ways To Practice Self Compassion
Self compassion is a journey. I would say I’ve come quite a long way from where I used to be. Sometimes, I need a reminder though. There are great ways to start practicing self compassion in daily life. These are ones that I practice daily, let me know if they help you! Saying No If someone is exhausting you, set boundaries! This is a great way to practice compassion. Often, we feel like we need to be constantly available to people 24/7. We can set our boundaries and respect what our body and mind needs. This is a way to show love, respect, and kindness to yourself. Affirmations Affirmations are…
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An Update on My Day Without Crush
A couple weeks ago, I talked about how I was going to go out without Crush. I had to get an MRI. I go to my appointments alone, I didn’t want to leave the technicians in charge of watching him while I was in the machine. The scans take at least an hour. This is already stressful for me because I’m very claustrophobic. Having to worry about Crush on top of that was not an option. So I went out alone. When I left, I felt extremely nervous. I had anticipation anxiety through the roof. When I finally got to Mayo Clinic, I took a deep breath and gave myself…
