the autoimmune hippie.

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

chronic-illness

  • back from a most frightening illness break.

    Hi, friends. After being away for over two months – the longest period, by far, that I have ever gone without writing here in the ten years since we started – I am so happy to be returning and slowly getting my strength again. Starting back in the Spring, there are several posts I shared… Read more

  • a thought-provoking article about chronic illness.

    I hope to share a few happy Thanksgiving week posts with y’all over the next few days – and Happy Thanksgiving week this Monday morning ❤ – but first I really need to share an article I came across that has taken my breath. Appearing on my homepage early today, it’s titled “After My Wife… Read more

  • acceptance.

    Recently, my health situation has been growing more and more tumultuous, with several complications arising over the past few months, taking me from a period of relative stability (for me) – dealing with my usual flares but nothing else really unexpected – to my suddenly again feeling like a very ill person. As this has… Read more

  • chronic illness and feeling forgotten.

    Recently, I have been more ill than usual in some ways, with this fierce pneumonia persisting on top of frequent flares – and now a cataract surgery scheduled for next week as well (because I am so blind in my left eye that, uncorrected, my vision is 20/counting fingers – meaning I cannot see the… Read more

  • persistent pneumonia and antibiotic ill effects.

    Today marks day 11 since I was diagnosed with pneumonia – though, in retrospect, the symptoms had been blossoming for a bit longer even. That said, after I failed the first antibiotic we tried, I was given Levaquin, a stronger antibiotic – but one that can have an ugly side effect profile, including tendon rupture.… Read more

  • a special book report – between two kingdoms.

    We have several books to talk about this week – but one that needs its own post. I am not even entirely sure how I ended up with a Libby hold on Suleika Jaouad’s Between Two Kingdoms – I think it was recommended because of my spoonie reading? – but when it came around, it really called… Read more

  • the early warning signs of autoimmune flares.

    As I often share here – because I am immunocompromised and have several autoimmune conditions, as well as CRPS, a neurological pain condition that is unpredictable and easily set off by external stimuli, – I am always in a state of managing symptoms, though their presentation and severity is everchanging. Still, recently, my symptoms have… Read more

  • marathon.

    In my Facebook memories this morning – which I often forget to check but remembered by chance – was the reminder that I finished the full Mercedes Marathon 15 years ago today. It had been a dream of mine for SO long to finish a marathon and I fought incredibly hard, both in training at… Read more

  • seeing myself again.

    *I’m forcing myself to finish this post after days of stalling, leaving it half completed. I want to finish for my fellow spoonies; I’m just feeling a bit exposed. * Over the years, I’ve often shared about my prednisone journey, posting memes, and trying my best to keep my good humor as it has brought… Read more