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Surgery on the Horizon
For a minute, I really thought I was done with surgery. Everyone kept telling me to stop saying that my right hip was my last. Low and behold, they were right because I am back on the path to surgery. My heart is heavy facing that reality. It’s something that I really wasn’t mentally prepared for. My knees have an abundance of swelling within the joint. It’s clear from the cortisol injections that there is a problem within the joint itself. It is causing the problem and pain. I went to my three month follow up for my hip excited but weary. I was well aware of the possibility that…
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Service Dog Guilt
As you may or may not know, I’ve been travelling a fair amount lately. This has significantly opened up my world and broadened my horizons. I have always had an intense love for traveling but traveling with a service dog is very different. For the most part, I can accommodate my trip to my needs and Crush’s needs but other times I can’t. Navigating a balance between his needs and my own can be difficult and sometimes it makes me feel guilty. Since I started traveling, I have left Crush kenneled more than ever before. There are a variety of reasons why this is the case. First and foremost, the…
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Ways I Prepare For Traveling with POTS
I have done my fair amount of travelling lately. It has been thrilling to see my world open back up. As it has though, I’ve seen my limitations become more present. I have less control over activities sometimes. Other times I have to opt out of activities all together due to my health. In general, I have some strategies for preparing for travel and extra activities. I hope these five tips help you like they have helped me! Salt and Electrolytes This is obvious but I LOAD UP on salt and electrolytes while I’m on vacation. After having a difficult conversation with my doctor, it was apparent that our current…
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Staying In Minnesota
It’s hard for me to write this article. It is not the news I wanted to share with you. I am staying in Minnesota. While I feel there are a lot of benefits to this reality, the cons are present and weighing on me. I had hoped that I would share with you that I was headed to Canada for Graduate School. Due to the fact that I only applied to two programs and the limited space available, I am not. I received this news while I was at work. To say that it was a devastating blow is an understatement. For the past few months I have been sitting…
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Health Updates
Since it’s been a while, I thought I’d give you some updates on my health. Great news to start, I have still remained out of the hospital. Bad news, I have had a few run-ins with the ER. I also had syncope for the first time in quite a while. Both were difficult blows. That being said, I’m working really hard to maintain my health. I’m working closely with my doctors to find a regiment that works. I’m utilizing both medication and home remedies that keep me up right and functioning. My allergies have been kicking up. As normal allergy season comes around, I start to struggle a little more.…
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Tips For Flying With A Service Dog
A week ago, I took my first flight with Crush. Crush and I have been a team for a year and a half. We have an unbreakable bond with each other and work together well. Despite that, I was still quite nervous to fly with him. I get anxious flying regardless of additional obstacles. Flying with Crush was going to be a beast of its own. That being said, here are some tips that made my life easier. Spoiler alert: our trip went great! Crush was a dream and I didn’t have a single problem the entire time. Make Calls I called the airline, hotel, etc. I made sure everyone…
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I Graduated
It has been a while since my last update. Allow me to fill you in on the highlights of the last few weeks. First off, I graduated! I wanted to wait to post something about this. Despite celebrating my graduation in May, I didn’t finish my degree until last week. As of last Friday, I am completely finished and a college graduate with a BA in Theatre. This feels incredibly exciting. Not just because I graduated college but because I did it while battling with my health. The last four years have taught me a ton. Not only about theatre and education but more than anything, it has taught me…
