Helpful Hints
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OCD and Surgery
I dread having surgery when it comes to my OCD. Downtime is something I really struggle with. I try to keep myself busy. I feel purpose when I have a task in front of me. Relaxing is something that doesn’t come easy to me. It’s something I work at every day. Surgery is the combination of a lot of things I fear. It’s a lack of motivation, energy, and filled with downtime. Going into surgery, I often come up with a cope ahead plan. I plan activities that stimulate my mind. I plan for mindfulness. I schedule appointments with my OCD therapist for exposures and accountability for compulsions. Surgery can…
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College and Chronic Illness
I can’t believe I’m talking about Fall. It seems like just yesterday that I was writing about the first signs of Summer. Now, it’s time to go back to school. I see posts all the time asking how to navigate college with chronic illness. Here I’m going to lay out how I manage school with POTs and my other illnesses. Register with Disability Services This is always the first step and it will save you if trouble arises. Every school that is public will have some version of a Disability Resource Center. When I came to the University of Minnesota, I contacted them right away. The waiting list was long…
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Your Language Matters
Language is so important in our everyday life. Communication of any kind is how we fulfill our needs as humans. Language matters. I come across people talking about themselves very negatively. Sometimes it’s not even negative. They’re words that perpetuate a message of intolerance towards issues we all face. One of the most blatant examples I come across people saying things like “I hate my body” or “my body is broken.” I’ve talked about this before but I want to explain why I think this is so toxic. How we talk about ourselves is often how we allow other people to treat us. If we degrade ourselves, other people may…
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How To Prepare For a Hip Arthroscopy
I was nervous going into my hip surgery. I had never had orthopedic surgery. The only comfort I felt was that it couldn’t be worse than the feeling of my labrum tearing. I didn’t know where to begin when preparing for this surgery. After searching the internet, I found a few ways to prepare. I put them all together creating a plan for after I got home from the hospital. So here is a compiled list of how to prepare for your hip arthroscopy. Strengthen Your Arms I thought of this on my own ahead of time. I stopped working out due to my hip and suddenly I realized I’d…
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Should You Get a Service Dog?
Before I got Crush, there was so much I didn’t know. I did hours upon hours of research trying to figure out if a service dog was right for me. It’s all about your condition and lifestyle. My dysautonomia makes it difficult for me to balance and bend down to pick things up. Crush’s tasks mitigate that really well. He has a hard harness and is trained to get anything and everything off the floor for me. To go through all of what Crush does for me would take a long time. Here’s what I considered before getting a service dog. Your Condition Like I said earlier, Crush aids my…
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My Experience at Mayo Clinic Rochester
Everyone has an opinion of Mayo Clinic. Whether they’ve been accepted as a patient or denied, people usually have something to say about it. The reviews I heard before going were difficult to follow. They were all specific to doctors or an isolated experience. I wanted to shed light on my experience as a whole. I’ve been treated at Mayo Clinic for a year now. I’ve seen hundreds of doctors and been hospitalized multiple times. I’ve had good experiences and bad experiences. This is an overview of my experience at Mayo Clinic Rochester. The first doctor I saw at Mayo Clinic was less than thrilling. I had an anxious stomach…
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Stop Saying These 5 Things to People With Chronic Illness
I have had lots of poor experiences with people sharing their opinions on my chronic illness. The majority of people I’ve met with health issues experience this same problem. Everyone wants to help but unfortunately, it’s often more hurtful than helpful. I know that most people mean well. I know that everyone wants to come up with a solution. I know that it comes from a place of love. That said, if someone is sharing their experience, ask before giving advice. In my experience, I need to explain that I’m venting and don’t need any help. I just need to state how I’m feeling. If you can’t fight the urge…
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10 Quotes That Keep Me Moving
I love inspirational quotes. On hard days it can put things into perspective and help you move on. On good days it can remind you that things are constantly getting better. On any day, it can be a nice boost to your mood and just keep you motivated. I have the app Motivation on my phone and I love the little reminders they send me throughout the day. Here are my top ten! Let it hurt. Let it heal. Let it go. Staying positive doesn’t mean you have to be happy all the time. It means that even on hard days you know that there are better things coming Nobody’s…
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Tips For Running Successfully
Running is one of the simple joys in life. At least it is for me. Running has not always come easy for me. When I first started out, I hated it. I mean, I really hated it. As it became easier, it was a quick way to release a lot of energy. When I was anxious, excited, angry, or all of the above my first instinct became running. How did I get to this place? I followed the simple and easy steps that I’m sharing with you! One Foot In Front Of The Other Keep going. If you don’t like it, keep running. It’s one foot at a time. When…
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How to Prepare for a Tilt Table Test
If you have any form of Dysautonomia, the tilt table test is likely your worst nightmare. It’s minimally invasive but it’s not a fun experience. If you don’t know how to prepare for this test, consider this your how-to guide. I have had three of these tests in a year span. That is WAY too many but every new specialist wants their own confirmation. This is how to prepare: Stop Your Medication: I choose to stop my medication a week beforehand. Every lab has different rules on the exact number of days that you have to be off of medication. Check with your doctor to confirm but this is my…
