sustainable systems & storytelling
Six years ago, I was a high-functioning and successful Type A personality who had seemingly achieved success in all areas of life. I was an overpaid department head who excelled at my work. I had a fit an athletic body and loved teaching others how to achieve the most challenging poses in yoga. I had... Continue Reading →
In December of 2017, my body begin falling apart. My physical fitness regressed substantially after two years of resistance training progress. I woke up tired and yawned constantly throughout the day, deeply offending friends and family. I struggled to stay alert at work and in conversations, and my acute sensitivity to caffeine slowly dissipated. I... Continue Reading →
"Do you have anything special planned?" A voice to my left inquired as we both plucked red-hued cards from the shelf and slipped them back into place, one by one. "No," I responded with a slight chuckle, "my boyfriend and I aren't big on the overly-commercialized holidays. We both appreciate a good card, though." The... Continue Reading →
Autumn is my favorite time of the year, hand-down. Living in the desert, the morning chill is always a welcomed visitor. The season of falling leaves and warm lattes is also one of celebrating love, family, and life. Each year, I excitedly await the day where I can break out my chunky sweaters, leggings, and... Continue Reading →
I have a question for you. What is the one thing you need to hear most? What piece of advice would you go back and tell your younger self? Which adage do you wish you could share with everyone else? I personally always return to the same sentiment: It's okay to feel things deeply, but... Continue Reading →
The local hospital just called to schedule my PET/CT scan. On Friday, I'll have a bit of gallium pumped into my system and then spend three hours strapped down while a machine searches my entrails for biochemical anomalies. Since this is a nuclear radiology procedure, I will need to wait patiently for the results like anyone... Continue Reading →
My health insurance carrier approved my full-body PET/CT scan. Thus, I have been looking up what the heck imaging entails and what the results might show. The scan for which I've been approved offers stunning detail. The PET scanner and CT scanner are superimposed into one image, showing both the 3-D anatomy and any metabolic... Continue Reading →
I've been feeling discombobulated lately. Restless, frustrated, a little bit lonely, and unable to focus. The feeling is subtle, yet intrusive and pervasive to the point of debilitation. I begin each morning with the same routine. I take my blood pressure while reading the day's entry from The Daily Stoic, journal whilst sipping on perfectly milky... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, I received a call just moments before 5pm. An infectious disease doctor at a local hospital wanted to see to me. The medical assistant asked, "Can you come in tomorrow at 8am?" I did not hesitate for a moment in my response. I arrived and the doctor asked me to go over the entire... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, my parents gave my a copy of Ryan Holiday's The Daily Stoic for the holidays. During 2017, I read the 365 daily musings religiously, and lately I've been picking the book up again. The stoic philosophies of Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus have been hitting home especially hard this year, as everything I thought... Continue Reading →
The heart is a wondrous, mighty thing-- a splintered orb circling its crooked axis, sending off a blitz of encrypted messages. In blimps, codes and point-blank, it won't stop telling us what we need to hear. The heart echos it's directive-- it keeps returning to the same thing. This has been a season of tumultuous... Continue Reading →
How do you to live life to the fullest when your health limits everything you do? How do you cope with waiting for some relief when, in reality, there's no reprieve in sight? There are no easy answers to these questions. The mounting unknowns become overwhelming as symptoms worsen in spite of rest, medication, and... Continue Reading →
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