Viewing: Chronic Illness and Diagnosis
June 5, 2017
When Faceless Rescues Count the Most
At sixteen, I had a cyst that ruptured, causing me to lose over half the blood in my body. I was sweeping the hallway bathroom in preparation of my brother’s homecoming when a gush of blood flooded my legs and then the floor. “Concerning.” I thought. I’d already had my period that month, and I’d certainly never had a period... Read morePosted in Chronic Illness and Diagnosis, chronic illness; support, Chronic Life | By Stacey Philpot
February 13, 2017
How One “Spoonie’s” Bravery Healed My Heart
Some people open their mouths and change your whole world. They tell their story and suddenly your fractured heart begins to heal itself. Confusion and isolation, your long-time companions go out for a smoke break. Someone is singing your heart’s song when you didn’t even know they knew the words. So this is what it feels like? To be seen,... Read morePosted in Chronic Illness and Diagnosis, chronic illness; support | By Stacey Philpot
January 30, 2017
The Dangers of Love on the Wildwood Exit
You hear a lot about happiness on your wedding day. He just seems to make her so happy. The bride was beaming with happiness. I hope you two live happily ever after. And whether she realizes it or not, every blushing bride prances down the aisle with her own vision of what her happily ever after... Read morePosted in Autism, Chronic Illness and Diagnosis, Chronic Life, CVID, Lyme Disease, Marriage | By Stacey Philpot
January 26, 2017
Give Me Eyes to See in the Darkness
My eye doctor was the happiest person I knew. As in unusually excited about his profession and life. So I wasn’t surprised when he proudly told me he had new technology he wanted to use. Retinal imaging provides never seen pictures of the back of the eye which aid in early detection of glaucoma or cataracts. I tried to be... Read morePosted in Chronic Illness and Diagnosis, Chronic Life | By Stacey Philpot
December 1, 2016
When the Other Shoe Drops
Not long ago, I sat with my daughter on my lap, holding her arms down while she screamed. The first attempt at a blood draw had failed and we were moving on to the second arm. She’ll be five next month. She usually does quite well with these things. She hops up into the chair, thrusts her arm upon the... Read morePosted in Caregivers, Chronic Illness and Diagnosis | By Stacey Philpot
November 17, 2016
5 Moments in My Chronic Illness Journey That Changed Me
We all have moments in our journey that change us, for better or for worse. Maybe these moments grow us or educate us on the ways of the world. Perhaps, they teach us that life is painful or people are not to be trusted. Some moments might teach us there is beauty and living yet to come. Others still, might... Read morePosted in Chronic Illness and Diagnosis, Chronic Life | By Stacey Philpot
September 26, 2016
Is Accepting Our Diagnosis a Good Thing or Bad Thing?
Like many, the early stages of my diagnoses were often fraught with a rapid, fluid exchange of emotions and thought processes. One day they were the end of the world and the next they were maybe not so bad after all. However, with each diagnosis, my processing window shortened, and I steadied myself more quickly. I’ve always been a dichotomy.... Read morePosted in Chronic Illness and Diagnosis, CVID | By Stacey Philpot
August 18, 2016
How to Cope with the Train Wreck of New Diagnosis
As I lay in the darkness, my fingers poised on the keys of my laptop, tears run down my cheeks as I listen to the sound of my son’s feeding pump a few feet away–a constant reminder that my normal isn’t really normal at all. In a recent trip to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, I sat in a chair watching... Read morePosted in Caregivers, Chronic Illness and Diagnosis, chronic illness; support, Parenting and Chronic Illness | By Heather Cole
July 28, 2016
To Melanie, from Your Future Chronic Illness
You’re an adult now, newly 18. You’ll leave for college soon and it won’t be easy. The adjustment won’t be too bad, you’ll make a few friends and earn good grades. But as the year progresses, the real difficulty begins. When you can’t use the restroom without crying because of pain and your mom comes to pick you up to... Read morePosted in Caregivers, Chronic Illness and anxiety, Chronic Illness and Diagnosis, Chronic Life | By Stacey Philpot
July 21, 2016
Dear Younger Me When I Was Healthy…
Dear Kelly, This is me, your future self. You are about to embark on a journey that you never planned and life is going to get very hard. I want you to stop focusing on yourself and living as the world tells you to live. I want you to make sure that you pray to G-d every day for everything because... Read morePosted in Chronic Illness and body image, Chronic Illness and Diagnosis, chronic illness; support, Chronic Life, Faith | By Kelly Nickerson