Viewing: Chronic Life
March 19, 2018
5 No Good Responses to Your Chronic Illness Diagnosis
How will people respond when we share the most intimate parts of ourselves with them? There’s simply no way to know for sure. It’s almost as though we’re standing in front of them completely nude awaiting our evaluation. And while, I don’t make a habit of standing in front of new acquaintances in the nude that is precisely how it... Read morePosted in Chronic Life | By Stacey Philpot
February 26, 2018
Is the Chronic Illness Diva Wrecking Your Life?
Perhaps, like me, you have someone in your life that makes you want to pull your face off. Oh, did you think you were going on that super fun trip this weekend? They have a little something to say about that (it’s not an incredibly uplifting something, btw.) Were you planning on getting a few things done today, feeling productive?... Read morePosted in Chronic Life | By Stacey Philpot
August 28, 2017
Rest and Care, Not Rejected Over Something As Silly As Hair
Over the last few weeks, my hair has been falling out at a steady and somewhat alarming rate. I posted about it on one of my social media accounts, saying, “It’s part of what happens during flares. It’s hard to say how many years it’s been happening on and off, or how many years I sought out physicians in an... Read morePosted in Chronic Life | By Stacey Philpot
August 17, 2017
3 Things I Want You to Remember on Bad Days
Just when we think we might be getting a handle on things, our latest diagnosis or setback, we find ourselves reeling. Be it a flare, a concerned call from the doctor, a flagged set of numbers in our weekly blood work, or a day when the pain is seemingly unbearable, it can be hard to remember things might ever be... Read morePosted in Chronic Life | By Stacey Philpot
August 10, 2017
How to Find the Light When It All Goes Dark
Today started out on an aggravating note. The repair guy at the house there to fix some damage from our lightning strike showed up late, causing me to run late for a meeting with an editor. My head has hurt for days, and it decided to pick today to amp up the pain to ten. There were some troubles with... Read morePosted in Chronic illness and relationships, chronic illness; support, Chronic Life, Relationships | By Stacey Philpot
June 12, 2017
A surgery happy dance. Twerking-style.
It’s weird to be happy about surgery. Of course, I would prefer not to need surgery. I would prefer that my insides worked the way they’re supposed to. I would prefer not to have had IBS for 40 years. But all my preferring doesn’t change reality. And the reality is that I need surgery and I’ll be glad to finally... Read morePosted in Chronic Life | By Stacey Philpot
June 8, 2017
Is It Invisible Illness or Not Willing to Be Understood Illness?
By now you’ve probably figured out I’m “sick.” I have issues with that statement for two major reasons. One, to me the word sick has always seemed so temporary. There needs to be a better, stronger word for what I am. But yes, I guess I am sick. I guess I know it. Grumble, grumble, grumble. Two, I don’t want... Read morePosted in Chronic illness and relationships, chronic illness; support, Chronic Life | By Stacey Philpot
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
May 30, 2017
How to Live Life in Spite of Chronic Pain and Fatigue
How do you explain chronic, debilitating fatigue to a world that wakes up well-rested? How do you explain sickness and limitations being the norm to a people who’ve only known health and limitless living? Can you? I remember (quite woefully, now) before the hostile takeover when sickness was still something I could hide, push beyond for the most part, I... Read morePosted in Chronic Illness and Pain, Chronic Life | By Stacey Philpot
May 11, 2017
IBS: A Humorous Look at a Posterior Predicament.
My raunchy rump has been very bad lately, so I think that qualifies me as a bad-ass. Well, it’s not actually my rear end that’s been naughty, it’s the things inside of it. You know. I hate to even say the names. I never thought I was a prude, but a few years ago, when that part of my anatomy started... Read morePosted in chronic illness; support, Chronic Life, IBS, Testing | By Stacey Philpot