For those readers with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), long COVID, autoimmune conditions, or any other form of immune regulation, I just discovered a great article that I want to share. Long COVID: From last days to real hope… After many years of trying to make sense of my health,... Continue Reading →
A Homeless Brothel For Jesus
Okay, so this satire. But please tell me I'm not the crazy one. Two years ago, my aunt passed away suddenly. A fall led to scans, which led the discovery of stage 4 brain cancer. And she was gone within a month. She had been married to her husband for fifty years. When she passed,... Continue Reading →
Flares Can Be A Sign Of Improving Health
After two months of feeling discouraged, my hope was reignited today following a call with my dietician, Jack, who also happens to be a biochem rock star savant. If I could only work with one medical practitioner for the rest of my life, he would be my choice, hands down. Last March, we left our... Continue Reading →
Accommodating Each Other’s “Crazy”
I was a late-bloomer and didn't begin dating until I was out of college. Throughout my teens and twenties, I collected advice from the likes of John Gottman and Leo Buscalgia, as my parents must have been under the impression that if they didn't mention dating, it would never happen. I was once a die-hard... Continue Reading →
What I Choose To Become
Ten years ago, my boyfriend was called a failure; half his brain had taken on the consistency of peanut butter and was surgically removed. Five years ago, my boyfriend was called a dreamer; he wanted to pursue medical school rather than a minimum wage service job. He will be starting medical school in the fall.... Continue Reading →
Medicine Is Broken
Time for an itty bitty rant. I'm frustrated with Western medicine. My general practitioner is great. He was the first to believe I was actually sick, he entertains whatever wild ideas I bring to the table, and he's generally kind. I no longer see any of the "specialists" because so many were cruel. The private... Continue Reading →
How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything
I graduated from college in the midst of a recession. With my bachelor's degree in-hand, I moved back into my parents' house and applied to every open position within a ten-mile radius. I accepted my first offer, working for minimum wage at local bowling alley. After a year of continued applications, I was offered an... Continue Reading →
The Kind Couple
"I recognize you two!" On Saturday, we went to the local farmer's market. It's been part of our weekly routine for the last eight years, so we've befriended members of the customer service term and many vendors. During the pandemic, the market offered curbside pickup, which we took advantage of. During the week, I would... Continue Reading →
Seeking: A Man That Doesn’t Exist
My boyfriend recently met up with an old friend and they got to talking about dating. Both have been partnered for the last decade and thus have evaded much of the recent poppycock. And what might that be, you ask? According to their friend and the vast interwebs, every woman is seeking a man who... Continue Reading →
I Saw You’re On Tinder
My boyfriend is a bit of a Renaissance Man. In addition to being a trained artist, skilled musician, IT guy, biochem nerd, and forward-thinking visionary, he's also something of a privacy guru. So, every few months he scans the internet for our old usernames. Last night, he informed me he had discovered about fifteen sites... Continue Reading →
Crying At The Baggage Claim
In my early-twenties, I found myself crying at baggage claim. Despite bolting through Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, I missed my connecting flight. My flight had been the last of the day, and the airline's customer service representatives couldn't offer me anything more than a new flight the next morning. When I realized I would... Continue Reading →
My Mid-Weekend Pick-Me-Up
Last night, I received a text from my best friend: "She remembered. She came and said this to me out of nowhere." After bath-time, my niece had put on her pajamas and collected the puppy stuffed animals she got for Christmas. As she methodically pulled the puppies out of the mamma's zip up belly, she... Continue Reading →
Random Thoughts On A Saturday
Life's a bit of a jumble this week. I fainted this week for the first time in seventeen months, which is confusing because I no longer have critically low blood pressure nor tachycardia. My brain is foggy, yet I keep seeing signposts that I'm doing okay. When it comes to critical thinking and creative writing,... Continue Reading →
Because I Was Important In The Life Of A Child
I was a shy and bookish child, and I always had a stack of stories and encyclopedias at my disposal. My brother was obsessed with building and designing, so he had Legos, K'NEX, and an architectural drafting table. My sister was a social butterfly, so she was signed up for every extracurricular activity available. One... Continue Reading →
The Hardships Of Our Forefathers
It's important to remember that our ancestors had to endure hardships that were far more difficult than anything we face today. We should practice being more resilient and growing thicker skin. My life has not been perfect. I spent four years living in the land of mysterious illness, scared and uncertain, before being diagnosed with... Continue Reading →
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