9 Quotes That Inspire Me When the Struggle Gets Too Real
We all have when you wake up to discover that everything has chosen this exact moment to fall apart: your chronic illness has flared, your pain is out of control, the cat puked in your shoes, and brain fog is making it impossible to think. For instance. And sometimes, we have several days like that…
Thoughts on Guilt and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Guilt and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) go hand-in-hand. It goes something like this: You made plans. Sometimes big plans, sometimes small. Then you wake up to a day when your RA has decided to be extra — extra painful, extra flare-y, extra getting in the way of your life — and there’s only one thing to…
I Tried CBD Oil for Chronic Illness and Pain. This is What Happened
As the war on opioids continues to restrict prescription pain medication, those of us who live with chronic pain are looking for alternatives that will help us to continue living our lives. CBD oil is one option. It has had a profound impact on the pain caused by my rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia and surprisingly,…
7 Ways to Build a Chronic Illness Emergency Fund
Having a chronic illness is expensive. Struggling financially is so common, you might even call it normal. Those of us who live with chronic illness have the usual expenses, but your health condition cranks up the strain on the budget even more. Having a cushion of savings can make all the difference. Whether it’s paying…
Try #3Things for Lasting Change with Chronic Illness + Free Tool
Failing on your New Year’s resolutions within a few weeks is normal for anyone, but when you have a chronic illness, life is already overwhelming enough. Why add another thing that makes you feel bad? One year ago, I decided to not make a resolution. Instead, I created a way to gradually create change was…
Do These 3 Things to Enjoy the Holidays with Chronic Illness
Updated November 20, 2021 There are just a few days left before the Big Day and it’s crunch time. Crunch and well, panic. When you have a chronic illness and limited energy and ability, it’s even more of a challenge. Everything seems overwhelming, the lists keep growing instead of shrinking, and the specter of…
10 Perfect Gifts for People with Chronic Illness
Updated November 20, 2021 People with chronic illness are just like anyone else — they have a variety of interests and passions that you can consider when planning a present. But choosing a gift that shows you understand and support their health challenges can mean so much. Here are 10 perfect gift ideas for your…
8 Practical Ways You Can Help Someone with Chronic Illness
When you have a chronic illness, asking for help can feel like a mine field. Likewise, if you want to help someone you care about who has a chronic illness, offering it has its own challenges. But finding a way to help and accept help can start to build bridges of understanding, of connection, and…
Chronic Illness Brain Fog, Part Two: What You Can Do To Cope
Updated April 19, 2021 Brainfog. It’s part of many people experience when they have a chronic illness. Yesterday, I discussed what brain fog is and what causes it. Today, let’s talk about how to cope. When you have brain fog, there are number of things you can do to reduce the density of the fog,…
Chronic Illness Brain Fog, Part One: What It Is
Updated April 19, 2021 Many people with chronic illness also experience the phenomenon colloquially known as brain fog. This includes symptoms related to problems with focusing and concentrating, memory problems, and basically your mind feeling less nimble than it used to. It can be a really big problem, but it doesn’t receive a lot of…
Patterns are Key with Chronic Illness Or The Mushrooms Did It
Updated April 14, 2021 When you live with an unpredictable chronic illness such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fibromyalgia, migraines, or any of a multitude of conditions that play havoc with you every day, figuring out triggers — things that make your symptoms worse — can be an important part of improving your life. Also feel…
A Woman’s Journey with a Chronic Illness: A Review of Take Daily as Needed
The thing about chronic illness is that life doesn’t stop. It continues its messy, difficult, joyful, out-of-your-control spinning right around you. Kathryn Trueblood’s new book Take Daily As Needed captures it all, then weaves it together to show how every bit of your life is interconnected and affected by all the other parts. Recently, I…