“Get an Easy Part-Time Job”, They Said Many people with chronic illness or a disability are unable to work full-time. You don’t see many of them working part-time jobs either. Why? (Unless they’re hiding in plain sight, which they often are. It’s a bit of a superpower.) All their education seems to have come to […]
The invisibility of chronic illness makes it incredibly frustrating. We look healthy, yet the pain under our skin can be excruciating. But is pain ever fully invisible? Painkillers mask the evidence of chronic pain somewhat, yet they often provide minimal relief. A body gone rogue is not easy to tame. And taming it requires a […]
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 […]
When a Surprise is a Disaster I’m a big fan of samples, which makes Christmas gifts or other exchanges a pleasure. I love trying out new textures, sniffing new scents, and figuring out if the latest product on the block is a fad or of true value. Yet, samples might be dangerous gifts for those […]
When Acute Pain Strikes, and You Know What It Entails A sharp pain struck the left side of my abdomen whilst I was asleep, and I just knew. I hurried to pop a pain pill, in hopes that the ache would subside. Sometimes that’s a small, albeit hacky, hint that it’s ‘just’ one of those […]
*Note: I wrote this post two years ago and to be honest, I don’t really face any of these issues anymore, but only because I’ve been speaking up for myself with more ease as time goes by. People around me are also more aware since well…I bombard their feeds with such topics every day 😉 […]
The Sudden Beginnings of Unwellness I rarely take pain meds for something as ‘trivial’ as joint aches. But I popped one that day as I had work to do the next day, and I needed all the energy a good night of sleep could provide. Don’t get me wrong, these aches aren’t trivial at all, […]
Constantly I am inundated with article titles, statements, and ‘tips’ that tell me that the key to being healthy is a good night’s sleep. Or that exercise is essential to healthy living. Yes, these things are great for most people. But they do not work for me or ME. What is ME? Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) […]
A Common Wish List Item: Pain Relief My original intention for this post was more of a show and tell session, where the chronic illness community could share what was on their wish list, and discover new coping tools. But it turns out that we all mostly want the same thing no matter where we […]
*Note from A Chronic Voice: Sara graciously agreed to share her life experiences for the Invisible Cities linkup, when I learned that she resides in the beautiful countryside of Italy! Living in Europe (at least for a while) is a dream of mine, so this was a particularly inspiring read for me. The insight into […]
