Ontario Joins War on Pain Patients: Opioids, Stigma, and Human Rights
I used to start the day crying in the shower. The pain was so great that waking up and beginning to move was torture. So I sat in the shower, salty tears mixing with the fresh water. Every day. And then my doctor gave me a prescription for opioids and the pain subsided. No longer…
Photo Friday: The Photos That Are in My Mind
I love my camera. It is a really excellent compact camera (a.k.a. point-and-shoot), with a killer zoom. The latter is really important when you can’t always get close to what you’re photographing. Nonetheless, I have been drooling at The Boy’s camera for the past two years. It’s a Sony Alpha, and it’s as close at…
Book Review: You
“You should own what you love.” Joe Goldberg is in love with Beck (first name Guinevere, can’t blame her for going by her last name). So naturally, he tries to woo her and that starts with research. The kind of research that involves watching her and hacking her email, and that’s just for starters. You,…
3 Months after the ICU: A Surreal Normal
Every time I wash my hands or brush my teeth I see it in my washroom mirror. The line at the base of my throat, a barely-there horizontal divot that is the only visual reminder of my medical adventure. It jolts me every time, bringing back a moment of memory so intense that for a…
How to Find Work-Life Balance with Chronic Illness
How very apropos! I am taking a leave of undetermined time from my job at HealthCentral to allow my body to recover fully before I do the work thing. And this is when my new post for Mango Health on the work-life balance with chronic illness was published:
Mary
Mary and Ginger. Photo by Ralph Blakely, IIII don’t remember exactly when and why Lynn introduced me to her cousin Mary. I think it had something to do with Mary being diagnosed with RA and Lynn thinking that we’d hit it off. So we emailed and then we called each other and yes, indeed. We…
Photo Friday: The Vikings Are Coming (and Tall Ships)
The Redpath Waterfront Festival took place last weekend, bringing a bunch of tall ships to Toronto for the long weekend. It was also Canada Day and the culmination of Pride. There was a lot of fun things to do, but I veered towards the lake and the tall ships. The Canadian Navy was there, escorting…
Calling BS on CNE Entry Fees for People with Disabilities
Isn’t that nice of me? Instead of swearing in the title of my post, I tried to be a bit more polite. I suspect swearing will come later. This year The Ex, the affectionate nickname for the annual Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, will cease a previous policy of free admission for people with disabilities…
Photo Friday: Celebrating Canada Day
Today, my wonderful adopted country turned 149 years old. All over Canada, we will be celebrating with barbecues, music, more food, and fireworks. Have a wonderful day and wave the Maple Leaf as enthusiatically as you can Happy Canada Day!