the autoimmune hippie.

Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful though you have considered all the facts. . . Practice resurrection. – Wendell Berry

complex regional pain syndrome

  • fragile times.

    I know how everyone else’s life is supposed to fly by Then someone turns and says What about you? And I stand here Mouth open Mind blank This should have all worked itself out by now The map of my life should be clear and precise With little red dashes and circles so nice Showing… Read more

  • rainy days and mondays on my mind

    Talking to myself and feeling old Sometimes I’d like to quit  Nothing ever seems to fit Hanging Around Nothing to do but frown Rainy days and Mondays always get me down What I’ve got they used to call the blues Nothing is really wrong Feeling like I don’t belong Walking around Some kind of lonely… Read more

  • dear healthy friends, i want to live too – a little covid-19 post

    Y,all, I’m sure there isn’t a soul reading this who isn’t well-versed in COVID-19, or coronavirus, by now (as we all probably should be) – and, for the love, wash your hands. As news of its spread continues, public reactions are mixed, from a state of  paranoia to total nonchalance. There is one response, though,… Read more

  • so freaking homesick – and with a new (crappy crummy bummer) diagnosis.

    Y’ALL. I have been in this hospital for six days now – and I REALLY thought I would be discharged today – but. . . NO. Hopefully tomorrow. We are still waiting on some cultures and the proper home medical equipment I need to come in. I miss spending time with my husband. I miss… Read more

  • the waiting place.

    As I write to you, it’s 2 AM and it’s quiet here on the 12th – the top-  floor of the hospital. My sweet Sara Bug is working next to me and it’s raining hard against our window. The view is amazing. I am on inpatient Day 5, NPO, awaiting surgery on my right foot… Read more

  • a happy (hospital) valentines day to me and mine.

    Over the past several days, I have been getting progressively weaker. And still having crazy night sweats. And developing some crazy GI symptoms. And, of course, my right foot still hasn’t been healing. And my labs have been wonky. . . All of this despite the fact that I have been on some incredibly strong… Read more

  • thoughts on prednisone, moon face, Ashley Judd, & “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”

    I’ve been on prednisone for a LONG time now, y’all. Way too long, in fact. When I first fell ill with Celiac Disease in the fall of 2012, symptoms of my systemic autoimmune disease soon followed – and I soon began receiving frequent steroid injections as well as having to take courses of oral prednisone… Read more

  • finding purpose in suffering

    There’s absolutely no tidy pattern as to gets pain and who gets peace. How had I not seen that the brokenness of this world is so all-encompassing that it encompasses all of us? . . . This is the deal we all get: guaranteed suffering. It is coming, unstoppable, like time. There are graves coming,… Read more

  • when medical care is traumatic

    It’s safe to say that going from “my right foot is really hurting and I think this may be another round of osteomyelitis” – which would have been plenty bad – to a hospital stay with sepsis and blood sugars at levels of near ketoacidosis at times, as well as absolutely unbelievable lactic acid labs… Read more

  • Highest highs and lowest lows.

    So, y’all, the past few days – especially today – have brought some incredible highs as well as some devastating lows. So I just want to share my heart with you right now. First. . . counting some simple beautiful blessings As sick as I’ve been in the past weeks and months and as there… Read more