5 Weird Things I do in Public Because of Dysautonomia

In case you didn’t already know, October is international Dysautonomia Awareness Month. Yes, I am posting this article on the tail end of October this year, but I figured that late is better than never… More

Warning: Low Battery (what living with chronic fatigue is really like)

Healthy vs. Chronically Ill “Batteries” If you’ve spent any time in the chronic illness community (or if you’ve spent any time reading my blog–thank you, by the way) then you may be familiar with the… More

How to Beat Treatment Fatigue

Treatment fatigue is the basically a “treatment-induced burnout” that many Spoonies experience after years of medical testing, procedures, and most notably, pills.

Getting Better: Anxiety vs. Hope

“Healthy people have many dreams for the future, but sick people only have one dream…to be healthy.”

–Unknown

“Healthy” doesn’t mean what you think it means

“Health is a crown that the healthy wear but only the sick can see.”

       –Unknown

Emily’s Declassified Holiday Survival Guide (for Spoonies!)

I think we can all agree that preparing for the holidays can be pretty stressful…

You have to scavenge Pinterest for  decorating ideas, find a Christmas tree, fight off other shoppers at the mall, buy the right presents, nab the perfect dress, stress about your waistline, mentally prepare to deal with your extended family, and make sure your outside Christmas light show gives the Jones’ down the street a run for their money.

You have to do all this and work a job and take care of the little rugrats and maintain your own sanity. It’s a lot of work.

But now imagine that you have to do all these things but you have no energy, you’re in pain, and you’re (most likely) broke as a joke.

5 Ways Chronic Pain differs from “Regular” Pain

There are so many  chronic pain conditions out there that I can’t even name half of them.

From MS to Lupus, cancer, chronic migraine, fibromyalgia, arthritis, CPRS, EDS,  neuropathy, trigeminal neuralgia, lung diseases, ankylosing spondylitis, Lyme disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, pelvic pain syndromes, and the list goes on.

What is Dysautonomia? (living with a wonky nervous system)

Are you yearnin’ for some learnin’ about another invisible illness? If so, grab yourself a  a Gatorade and a packet of salt and let’s dive right into this!

Note: If that snack doesn’t sound appetizing to you then you probably aren’t familiar dysautonomia, but keep reading if you want in on the scoop…

What is dysautonomia?

Are doctors sexist? (Exploring the phenomenon of the young, sick female)

Before I launch into this post, I’d like to thank all the gracious, intelligent, and hard-working practitioners who have helped me over the years. You have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated!

---

 

Have you ever cringed at one of those “Lyrica” commercials that make fibromyalgia look like a total joke? You can just see it now…the sad music plays in the background as some pitiful-looking middle aged lady rubs her arm in mild pain and gently sighs.

That poor commercial-lady has come down with a bad case of “bored housewife syndrome.” Or at least that’s what they make it look like.

Brain Fog: 4 Ways it Messes with Your Life

What is brain fog?

A prime example of brain fog is writing up an entire blog post and realizing that you’ve actually written “Brian frog“ over ten times (thank goodness for proofreading)!

“Brian frog”

But really, brain fog (also known as “brain fatigue”) is an symptom that many chronic illness warriors deal with on a daily basis. If you’re a healthy person then you may have  experienced this state of “brain peanut-butter” in your 7AM biology class if you didn’t have time to grab your morning coffee.

Am I lying on Social Media? (the truth about the life behind the photographs)

Ah, yes, social media…the most defining and polarizing invention of my generation. For better or worse, social media is a part of our daily (if not hourly) lives. Instagram, my personal favorite social media tool, is a home to cat memes, gym-spiration, and snapshots into the lives of loved ones.

Let’s take a look at a few of the pros and cons of social media from a Spoonie’s perspective, including the answer to your burning question…are Spoonies lying on Instagram?

Insomnia Hacks Part 2

Let’s face it, humans have a hard time sleeping these days. This post is the sequel to my first article on sleep, “Why Can’t I Sleep? (Insomnia Hacks Part 1).” If you haven’t read it, I’d check that out first to get your primed and ready. It covers circadian rhythms, sleep schedules, blue light exposure, and environmental factors that contribute to insomnia. As a Spoonie, I struggle with both getting to sleep and staying asleep, but I’ve discovered some gems along the way that help me minimize my sleep struggles. Without further ado, here are a few more insomnia hacks…

6 Mood Boosting and Life improving Essential Oils

Whether you’re feeling worried, burnt out, foggy headed, or on edge…there’s an oil for that! Got a migraine? There’s an oil for that! Are you stuffed up from allergies? Yep, there’s an essential oil that can help drain your sinuses. It might seem to good to be true, but it isn’t!