Remember when you were little, and learning how to tie your shoes was a big deal? Or writing your name? Or riding a bike? Or drinking from a grown-up cup? Maybe you've had children and you remember the small achievements that seemed so big to them—and to you. I have a habit of glossing over… Continue reading Lesson 6: Celebrate Small Victories
I've looked for answers to my mystery illness in doctor's offices, in books, and—big surprise here—on the internet. Sometimes I discover something helpful, but most of the time I'm left with more questions than answers. The most helpful approach has been trial and error, or a much looser and less rigorous version of the scientific… Continue reading Lesson 5: Experiment
Today I woke up with a headache, feeling slightly groggy. By mid-morning, I felt a little better. In the afternoon, I was tired and foggy in the head, but I couldn't seem to nap. My limbs started tingling, which happens from time to time. That went away before dinner. Now I'm feeling decent. Everything changes.… Continue reading Lesson 4: Everything Changes
I find it difficult to write about pain because: a) I'm not a Buddhist teacher with decades of experience and accumulated wisdom b) it feels like such an intangible thing to me that I almost don't know how to put it into words and, c) pain sucks. I'll give it a shot, though. Life is… Continue reading Lesson 3: Pain Happens
This is the first of thirty lessons I've learned from my chronic illness. Thirty is an arbitrary number—I've probably learned more than thirty things over the past few years as a result of having an unrelenting mystery illness. Or maybe I've learned far fewer than that, and by day 14 I'll have to start making… Continue reading Lesson 1: The Best Day to Start is Today
You've heard the story before: someone goes through a serious illness or accident, returns to health, and their entire outlook on the world has changed for the better. They consider it a blessing in disguise and they no longer take their life for granted. They may even consider themselves better off than they were before… Continue reading 30 Days of Life Lessons from Chronic Illness
I recently cooked some egg in a pan and put it in a sushi roll. I did this because the only other thing in the sushi roll was carrots, and that didn't seem like the most nutritionally complete meal. This is, in the grand scheme of things, not a big deal. But, when you're… Continue reading You can put anything into a sushi roll
Sometimes, when my health is swinging in the upward direction, I get a little project-crazy. I've had these bursts of creative brain juice since I was young and crayons/walls were my primary medium, but it's different with CFS. It reminds me of a classic Mitch Hedberg joke: It's as if the fatigue and brain fog are… Continue reading Ideas, the creative process, and a new crochet stitch[?]
What have I been up to in the three months since I last posted here? Sometimes I feel like I have nothing to write about, and other times I feel like I have too many things and can't choose one. So, here's a summary: My health has been up and down, as usual, but some of… Continue reading What I do while I’m waiting
I love autumn. I know it's been the "it" season for a few years now, and I don't care. I love it so much that I celebrate its beginning on September 1st, which is the start of meteorological autumn. I'm no fan of hot weather, and I live in New England where the foliage becomes… Continue reading Appreciating Autumn When You’re Physically Limited
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