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Practical Ways To Improve Body Image
Chronic illness significantly impacts the relationship you have with your body. It’s hard enough for people to feel confident without the added complication of being sick. I want this article to be for everyone though, not just those who are sick. Every body is valid. Everyone deserves to love themselves fully and that includes loving how you look. It’s much easier said than done. I have gone through significant struggles. From disordered eating to working out so hard that I couldn’t function for days. The goal is self love and that looks different for everyone. Here are some practical ways to improve body image. Power Pose I love a good…
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Why I Don't Set Goals According To My OCD
Something I learned very early on having anxiety was to not set goals based on OCD. This lesson was extremely important for me to learn. I used to make decisions based on what I believed I could do within the limits of my anxiety. I shifted my focus to believe I could do anything. Suddenly, I felt much more confident when confronting challenges that gave me anxiety. I want to say that I’m speaking out of my own experience. Anxiety is very real but this is how I’ve overcome a lot of my fears and been able to live outside of the boundaries my OCD set. Shifting your mindset is…
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A Year of Crush
This year has been a complete whirlwind. Almost exactly a year ago, I found out that I was matched with my service dog. That day was filled with so many emotions. Above all else, I was excited. That excitement came with fear and fear came with grief. Last year, my chronic illness had completely overtaken my life. I had withdrawn from my Fall semester. I had been hospitalized several times in one year, including a couple trips to the ICU. I had lost a lot of hope. Then came Crush. I felt very adamant that a service dog would be right for my life. After doing extensive research and applying…
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Help Me With My Senior Project!
I’m doing my senior project on what it means to have a disability. Please check out my google form! Submit your answers on what it means to have a disability from your perspective. There are no wrong answers. This is a great opportunity to ask questions in a safe space. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE GOOGLE FORM
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A Photoshoot with Crush
It was incredibly important to me to document my first year anniversary with Crush. He has completely changed my life. If you want to read more about that, check out the “Crush” or “Service Dog” tab in the cloud below. I also have an article coming out on Friday which is a year in review with Crush by my side. Anyway, I wanted to document how important he is to me. What better way to do that than getting photos taken together? I wanted to share them here with you because they make my heart absolutely soar. I hope they make you smile! I hope your day is amazing. I…
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You Deserve Professionals Who Care
I was struck this week by how important it is to trust your healthcare professionals. I see this in all aspects of my life. It has taken me a long time to find people that will work with me based on my values and vision. Not all professionals are the same. At the end of the day, everyone is human. They all come in with their own ideas and ideals. If they’re unwilling to put their ego aside and listen to you and your needs, it’s time to move on. This thought came to me while I was at physical therapy. I LOVED my physical therapist last year. I felt…
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Signs You Are Overwhelmed
Being able to notice when you are overworked or overwhelmed can be extremely helpful. Not only can it prevent burn out but it’s a great way to keep in touch with yourself. There are some key things to notice. Our bodies may all be different but certain systems alert in similar ways. You may experience some of the following if you are overwhelmed. Tension Realizing tension can tell you a lot about what you’re feeling. If your shoulders are up to your ears, you are probably carrying a lot more than you realize. There are excellent body scans to help you analyze this. A great way to start is just…
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Five Must Haves for POTs Patients
There are a lot of things I have specifically for my medical condition. I wanted to outline a few things that I have that are for my POTs. These were helpful for both before and after I was diagnosed. If you’re new to the diagnosis or you think you might have it, considering investing in these tools. Here are five must haves for POTs patients. Pulse Ox I got my pulse Ox monitor only recently. I was relying on my apple watch to tell me my heart rate. 99% of the time my watch is accurate. The oxygen saturation component is particularly helpful and not offered on my watch. When…
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I'm Not Broken
I’m not broken. I have a chronic illness. I do things differently. I must accommodate my disability or risk having severe consequences. That doesn’t make me broken, it makes me human.This topic has come up a few different times recently. I’ve addressed in blog articles the narrative that we set for ourselves. Today I’m talking about other’s narratives about me. I want to address this because much like my language matters, your language about me matters. I can’t change my disability. It is a part of me. When you say things like, “cause you’re broken.” It’s often very hurtful. I do a lot to manage my disability. I often try…
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The Difference Between ESAs and Service Dogs
This topic has been especially relevant to me lately. Two separate times in the past month, this has come up. I want to clarify that emotional support animals and service dogs are not the same thing. In fact, they aren’t in the same realm. Emotional support animals are exactly what they sound like. They provide emotional support. The only rights they have are to live in buildings that don’t allow pets. They have absolutely no public access rights. Why is this? To qualify to be an ESA your animal requires no training. They are simply approved by your mental health professional or a medical professional. If you register them online,…
