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A New Diagnosis
This post is about a new diagnosis that requires information on bodily fluids. If you’re sensitive to bodily functions, come back on Monday for a different article. For those of you who have stayed, welcome. Let’s talk about stomach problems. I have had stomach problems for years. The majority of people in my family have one issue or another. I have chronic diarrhea. On my worst days I have diarrhea at least eight times a day. It is painful for a lot of different reasons. Along with diarrhea, I have intense bloating and stomach discomfort. I often can’t eat without having to go to the bathroom within twenty minutes. It’s…
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The End of Summer and The Start of Fall
This summer has been a whirlwind. It feels like so much has happened. To recap, I took five summer classes, went on a trip to Fort Wayne, celebrated my 21st birthday, and got two surgeries. It’s been a big summer and those are only the highlights. Not to mention the global pandemic and how that changed everything. I finally finished my summer classes. That feels so good to say. I finished my classes on the 19th of August and I have until the 7th. Up until the end of July, I had no idea what my classes would even look like. As my schedule sits now, I will do all…
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A Review of RoadID
Recently, after renewing my license I decided to get my medical alert band. What a random time to get a medical alert bracelet. It’s not random, I was given the option to signal I had a medical alert bracelet on my license. I thought this was a fantastic idea, I checked the box right away. Then I realized I really needed to get one and finally commit. I started my search for a medical alert bracelet over a year ago. It’s been quite the journey. I struggled to find one that was cute. I wanted it to look like jewelry but also have it be clear that it is a…
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Travelling with Crush
A few weeks ago, Crush and I went on a trip. This was a milestone for us. It was our first time travelling together. I didn’t know what to expect. We were travelling over 500 miles and spending over eight hours in the car. I wanted to ensure both Crush and I were taken care of. I made sure to stop every few hours so Crush could get out, potty, and walk around. It was nice because I also got to do all of those things. I gave him water and kept the air on high to keep him comfortable. Of course, that means I was bundled up like the…
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This is Wrong….
I’m going to talk about a repetitive experience I’ve been having. I think that anyone in the chronic illness community can relate to this. It’s frustrating and invalidating. Let me explain. When I’m having an issue, depending on the severity of the issue, I go to the doctor. The doctor decides how they want to proceed and orders testing. I go through extensive testing to get down to the root of the problem. Finally, one test comes back wildly off. Eureka, an answer. Finally, after all this pain and struggling. I have an answer. This is where the problem starts. For many of us, getting this answer is something to…
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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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I Had Surgery
By the time you’re reading this, I have had surgery. I’m writing this well before I’ve gone under but it’s crazy to think about. I didn’t know how much went into getting this interstim surgery. I didn’t know the extent of the restrictions. At this point, I’ve only had the first surgery. Now I’m going to be in the trial period of deciding whether the second surgery is done. From what I understand, there will be a lot of communication between myself and my medical team. The deciding factor on the second surgery is my improvement rate. To qualify to have the device permanently implanted, your symptoms must improve by…
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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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Celebrating My Birthday
Today is my 21st birthday. I love celebrating my birthday, I always have. My family often makes a pretty big deal out of birthdays. This year is a tad different because of Covid. I’ve imagined for years what this birthday would feel like. When I was 16 it was a mystical number that felt like it would never come. After going abroad at 18 and over, 21 lost some of its charm. Drinking was no longer a novelty. I never anticipated moving back to the states before my 21st birthday and once again being unable to legally drink. Moreover, I never anticipated not wanting to drink that much in general.…
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Chronic Illness Grief and Being Chosen
The other day I was struggling with chronic illness grief. It’s something I’ve dealt with since getting sick. Everyone goes through it when they get sick, it just comes with different labels. I was experiencing loss. Loss of freedom, loss of innocence, and loss of who I used to be. As we change over time, we will always experience emotions towards who we were before we grew. Whether they’re happy, sad, angry, or all of the above is completely unique to you. During this grief, I started thinking about how spontaneous I could be before. Not that spontaneity is really my thing but I used to be able to do…
