Hidden Disability Advocate | Speaker | Author | Adventurer
I love LEGO®, and LEGO helps me love myself. Here’s how it happened. LEGO bricks were my favorite childhood toy. When I was in middle school, they existed in secret. It was the early 90s, and I was getting teenager … Read More »
A couple times in the past month, I’ve had conversation about the term “invisible disabilities” versus “hidden disabilities.” Which one do I use and why? Are they the same? I first used “invisible disability” because that’s the first way I … Read More »
Since I created the Splat system – by accident – about five years ago, the tools I use to make it work for me have certainly evolved. The original premise has remained unchanged. It’s catchy. My friends like it, whether … Read More »
Earlier this month, I attended a bicycle ride event for charity in Iowa. It’s an event a friend of mine puts on and I’ve seen the pictures on Facebook every year and decided this time I was going to go, … Read More »
This afternoon, an apostrophe made me cry. OK, context. My fibromyalgia is in full flare today. Extreme fatigue, brain fog, body aches, plus the mental health symptoms: anxiety and depression. I have a ton of work to get done in … Read More »
Two weeks ago, I was in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home of my favorite American football team, the Green Bay Packers, and my soul scored a big win on Lambeau Field. I’m not a die-hard fan, but I’m a fan. I … Read More »
I recently talked to someone who questioned whether she was “disabled enough” to identify as disabled. She said she had a “mild” version of her condition and hesitated to even talk about it. I really related to this, because sometimes … Read More »
I’ve had a bad stretch of bad days lately. One of my very least favorite symptoms of my chronic conditions, extreme stomach bloating, has had an excessive tenure this month. In addition, my fibromyalgia has been super active. Last weekend, … Read More »
Oh, the things we do with the English language, and being a creative with a degree in English, it often downright delights me. Some of our current linguistic trends, carried by the cool kids, include saying “feels” rather than “feelings” … Read More »
This week it occurred to me that I play favorites with my chronic health conditions. What I mean is, I most often identify as someone with fibromyalgia and downplay my other conditions. Today, I decided I’d write about it, not … Read More »