A health, wellness and chronic illness blog that aims to articulate lifelong illness from various perspectives.
Unlocking In July the lockdown laws were slightly eased in Singapore. We can now gather in groups of up to five, although social distancing and mask wearing are still enforced. What this meant was that I could finally work at cafés again, which is one thing that lifts my mood and increases my productivity. Although, […]
*Note from A Chronic Voice: Dana Hall is a clinical psychologist who lives with an autoimmune disease herself, which made me excited to have her guest post on the blog! I always love reading professional tips written by a fellow chronic illness person. She specialises in trauma therapy, relationship dynamics, and chronic pain management. She […]
Continue reading "Chronic Pain: How to Approach a Loved One Without Pushing Them Away"
It’s time for the August Linkup! The year certainly has flown by, not just for those of us who are perpetually home or bedbound, but also for society in general with the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Who knows when it’ll be over, all we can do is to wait it out; take precautionary measures both […]
Continue reading "August 2020 Linkup Party for People with Chronic Illnesses"
Wait…What Did I Just Think? I woke up feeling like crap. One of those depressive days that arrive unannounced, bringing joint aches and other friends along with it. “Today is a bad day” was the very first thought that surfaced in my mind. And then, I paused to think about what I had just thought […]
Continue reading "How to be a Positive Thinker: Without the Unicorns & Rainbows"
I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed over on The Uninvisible Pod, a podcast series hosted by Lauren Freedman. She herself lives with depression, anxiety, Hashimoto’s Disease and sleep disorders, since she was a teen. Her podcast features people who live with various chronic illnesses, their loved ones, caregivers, experts and more. It touches […]
*Note: Self-acceptance is one of my favourite subjects to discuss and talk about, so when Kelsey offered to write a guest post about this topic, I was excited. As the tagline of this blog states, ‘articulating lifelong illnesses from various perspectives’, I am always eager to hear your point of view. There are thousands of […]
Continue reading "Why Self-Acceptance is Important When You Have a Chronic Illness"
Silence. Who knew silence could be so overwhelming? More suffocating than the humid tropic air, and not in the least bit golden. The rest of the flock is older and more placid, having laid their eggs, and had their mates. They even seem a tad jaded, or it might have been that Horace had stolen […]
In the first part of this series, people with chronic illness and disability shared their best tips for coping with isolation whilst stuck at home, often from pain or fatigue. With the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdown, many healthy people have found themselves in similar situations. Perhaps with less pain and fatigue, yet the mental […]
People with chronic illnesses and/or disabilities are no strangers to being stuck at home in isolation. Many are unable to work full-time, or only have enough energy to go out for essentials tasks such as grocery shopping and doctor appointments. And even these activities require pacing and planning, to ensure that there is minimal post-exertion […]
In a previous post, I mentioned how everyone’s rest requirements can be different. A healthy person’s body is able to handle a bigger blow of stress, and recover with less consequences. People with chronic illnesses on the other hand, learn to pay constant attention to the state of their body. If there is one thing […]
Thich Nhat Hanh’s writings on mindfulness and peace are popular worldwide due to their simplicity. ‘How to Relax’ is one of the many books in his ‘Mindfulness Essentials’ series. There is also ‘How to Sit’, ‘How to Eat’, ‘How to Love’ and more. Today’s review features the best tips for stress management that I found […]
Continue reading "12 Simple Tips to Manage Stress (or ‘How to Relax’ by Thich Nhat Hanh)"
Some reflections I had whilst writing the post, “Why Not From Beautiful, to Still Beautiful?”. I’m not here to dispense advice, because god knows I’m struggling to get my own life in order! But I just wanted to scribble these thoughts down as guideposts, for those bad days when I lose my way. Download the […]
Continue reading "7 Reminders For Those Bad Days to Keep You Going"
We all know the truth of the saying, ‘health is wealth’. But apart from the metaphorical aspect of this idiom, it’s actually pretty literal as well. It’s expensive just to stay alive if you have a chronic illness or disability, especially if you live in a country where healthcare is not subsidised. There are extra […]
I’m sure you’ve noticed the commodities of love mushrooming around us at an alarming speed. Yes, Valentine’s Day is coming right up 😉 Amidst all the expressions of romantic love, I’d like to take some time to honour the bond I have with my body. It’s after all, the most intimate relationship I’ll ever have. […]
Continue reading "How to Have a Healthy Relationship with Your Body (Even with Chronic Illness)"
The Need for Accessibility When You Live with Chronic Pain or Disability Adaptations and modifications of spaces are often required when you live with chronic pain or a disability. Many of us spend a lot of time at home, so it only makes sense that we transform it to suit our needs for a better […]
Continue reading "How to Maximise Accessibility & Improve Your Quality of Life at Home"
What is the Chronic Illness Social Pod For? So I finally set up the social media engagement pod I’ve been talking about! It wasn’t so difficult, but kind of tedious at the same time. I had discovered (after all these years, I know right?) similar pages on Facebook a month or two ago, and have […]
Continue reading "Chronic Illness Social Pod: What, Why & How"
The Many Negative Associations with Painkillers Painkillers – hero, villain, friend and foe in one. What’s your opinion about them? Have you been told: Don’t take them, they’re bad for your liver and body. You’ll become reliant, dependent, or addicted to them. A good-for-nothing, pathetic junky. You’ll need more and more of them to kill […]
Continue reading "Why Painkillers are One of My Biggest Allies for a Decent Quality of Life"
*Note from A Chronic Voice: Erica shares some simple tips on how you can be a good friend to someone with chronic illness. It’s difficult to put yourself in their shoes, and I wouldn’t expect that of anyone. But showing some empathy is possible, and providing a listening ear is always appreciated. Most importantly of […]
Why Many People with Chronic Illness Hate to be Known as ‘Sick’ From reading articles online, I’m aware that many of us with chronic illnesses don’t like to be known as sick or weak. No human being does, really. There are many reasons why one might dislike the association with their illness, such as: We […]
Continue reading "Call Me Sick Girl (Or How to Make Your Weakness Your Strength)"
Part Two of Three: Preventing a Pain Flare Before It Hits This is a three-part series all about pain flares caused by chronic illness. (You can find links for the other two at the end of this post.) In this second part of the series, we share our best strategies to stop a pain flare […]
Continue reading "Best Tips for Preventing a Pain Flare (from 40 People with Chronic Illness)"
*Note: Whilst this post is sponsored by YuYu Bottle, all opinions expressed in this review are my own. This page contains affiliate links. It will cost you nothing to click on them. I will get a small referral fee from purchases you make, which helps with the maintenance of this blog (approx. $100/month). Thank you! […]
Continue reading "YuYu Hot Water Bottle Review: ‘Surround Warmth’ for Pain Relief"
A Question for All Eternity “What is the purpose of my life?” It’s a timeless, eternal question that has plagued or intrigued humanity since the beginning of time. It is a thought that can be disturbing to me especially when I’m in the throes of extreme pain. What is the point to all this? Any […]
Continue reading "I Have No Purpose in Life, and Therein Lies My Purpose"
Life’s Ultimate Superheroes There’s no need to state the obvious I suppose, but many mothers are the ultimate superheroes in everyday life. They’re the ones who show up when things get rough, and showing up once is the easiest part! Unlike the movies where superheroes calm calamities in an instant, real life problems require steadfast […]
*This post was first published on februarystars.co.uk A Day in the Life of Chronic Pain My partner massaged shampoo into my hair as I hunched over in the bathtub, shivering with pain. His finger movements were awkward but gentle, which made it all the more endearing. The pain was unbearable, yet I had insisted on […]
Continue reading "Life with Chronic Illness: Happiness & Pain Can Co-exist"
Friday, 07 August 2020. Issue #225. In this issue: There will be many pleasant surprises as you get to know yourself better (inspirational video). When medical gaslighting causes a patient to question their chronic pain and its reality. With over 50 million Americans living with chronic pain, we likely know someone who lives with an […]
Friday, 01 August 2020. Issue #224. In this issue: Disability comes in all shapes and sizes, contrary to the beliefs in modern society that disability comes with a wheelchair. Taking ‘today is a bad’ day and looking at it as ‘today is a good day to…..’. ‘Today is a bad day’ is often a thought […]
Friday, 24 July 2020. Issue #223. In this issue: Sometimes nourishing yourself means subtracting, and not adding more into your life. How to find a supportive chronic illness community online using social media and more. Don’t put pressure on yourself to be ‘productive’ all day; pay attention to what your mind and body need, too. […]
Friday, 17 July 2020. Issue #222. In this issue: Start with one simple, achievable task and momentum usually builds from there – and other tips for motivation when you’re unmotivated. I advocate for a good psychologist to be part of your healthcare team right from the get-go, and even for caregivers and family members. Life […]
Bothering As the COVID-19 pandemic draws on, I must say that I’ve become less bothered with my appearances. This includes how I smell, and how presentable I look. I mean, not that I stink, I still shower daily – a necessity in a humid climate like Singapore. But previously, I’d feel a little naked if […]
Continue reading "July’s Supply & Demand: Learning to Maximise Wellbeing in the Midst of Stress"
Friday, 10 July 2020. Issue #221. In this issue: The many maybes and unpredictability of living with chronic illnesses. Endorse and support deserving chronic illness and disability advocates in the WeGo Health Awards. Every tissue in your body renews and heals at a faster rate whilst you sleep. Seeing the opportunity in uncomfortable encounters as […]