MAILINGSIMPLE

When I tell people I’m sick, they usually think I mean something short-term and contagious like the flu or a stomach bug. If I say I have a chronic illness, they picture conditions like IBS, a bad back, or chronic migraines.  The actual reality is all this and more. Yes, and.  “I’m sick” I have IBS-like GI symptoms that range from mild diarrhea to agonizing intestinal pain and bloody stool. Migraines can hit me out of nowhere, obstructing my vision, garbling … Continue reading “Knowing When To Take a Step Back When Living With Chronic Illness”

This week was the start of Disability Pride Month. We’ve loved seeing posts from our Friends in the Fight sharing their own stories of disability, both the challenges and the pride! One theme that comes up a lot in lived experiences of disability is the nuances of visibility. What makes some disabilities visible? Whether from physical markers, mobility aids, or other medical devices, how does disability visibility change the way individuals and systems in our society recognize disabilities as “valid”? How does it … Continue reading “Disability and (In)Visibility: Not All Disabilities Are Visible”

June is Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month.  If you have never heard of MG, you are not alone!  We reached out to Friend in the Fight Katie McCurdy to shed some light on this autoimmune condition that affects tens of thousands of Americans. Katie McCurdy is an autoimmune patient, designer, and founder of Pictal Health, a company helping patients tell their health stories visually. Learn more at katiemccurdy.com and pictalhealth.com. diagnosis  When I was 13, I was sitting at dinner with … Continue reading “Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month”

Diversity inclusion in the workplace can have benefits for all involved.  Not only does it make our society more equitable, but having diverse perspectives – and listening to those voices – is good for business.  We all bring different experiences and strengths and are mightier together. Wanting to be more inclusive is wonderful, but hiring more diversity without shifting the culture and setup of your workplace can actually be harmful, as the new employees may find themselves in situations that … Continue reading “4 Tips to Foster Disability Inclusion in the Workplace”

/*! elementor – v3.22.0 – 17-06-2024 */ .elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block} Singer-songwriter Halsey is all about realness.  They have been open about struggles with endometriosis for years.  When they had their first baby last July, they publicly spoke about prioritizing time with their son over time spent trying to get back into shape, and posted a gloriously honest video about what postpartum bodies can look and feel like.  They were upset over comments about how good … Continue reading “Halsey Celebrates New Diagnoses”

When I was 24, horribly ill and desperate for a diagnosis, I went to my doctor seeking answers. She was very kind and listened politely but said, “You’re actually quite healthy.” Dumbstruck, I asked how she had come to that conclusion after hearing my symptoms. She replied, “Well, you’re not on any medications.” I can still feel my heart drop into my stomach just thinking of those words. Is being sick with no diagnosis “healthy”? Is being diagnosed with no … Continue reading “Top 2 Digital Medication Organizers”

This will be my first Mother’s Day as a mom, and I am bursting with thoughts and feelings. So much work, energy, healing, and luck went into making this possible. I have been open about my journey of motherhood with chronic illness – my fears of not being able to conceive, but also of getting pregnant and then being too sick to be a good mom. Being pregnant in the first half of this pandemic and then raising an unvaccinated baby as the … Continue reading “Motherhood With Chronic Illness: 7 Things I Wish I’d Known Beforehand”

I taught for years in alternative schools and found that too often the students found themselves in my programs because their needs were simply not being met in school.  For many, it was because they didn’t quite know what their needs even were.  Some were on the cusp of a medical diagnosis, were working through mental health challenges, or were housing-insecure and just couldn’t focus on school with everything going on.  Most of these students, for one reason or another, … Continue reading “5 Tips for Navigating Chronic Illness With Executive Function Challenges”

Being sick is hard.  There are many times when I look at my life, at all the joys I’ve had to forgo and the thankless work I put in to simply make it through the day, and I wish I could change it all.  I wish I could have energy, that I could eat whatever foods I want and socialize without crashing.  The list of wishes and grief feels endless in those weeks when I’ve been slogging through a flare … Continue reading “5 Reasons Why I Love My Sick Friends”

One of the best perks of working with other chronic patients is the authenticity of conversations that come up around the products we create.  Nothing makes me feel so seen and valued like hearing my lived experience from someone else’s mouth!   This struck me recently at a brainstorming session about Mighty Well’s newest product, the Self Care Case.  The patients in the (virtual) room were sharing what we were excited to use it for.  Most were medical supplies like EpiPens, … Continue reading “We Are Not One Dimensional”