invisible disabilities Archives

It’s Pain Awareness Month. Here’s What I Need You to Know About Mine.

12 Sep

I remember the very moment I noticed. It was March 31, 2018, days before my 38th birthday, I was on vacation in the Philippines, out with a group of people I met there, and I looked down at my left...
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Finding a Comfy Spot on the Advocate-Activist Continuum

4 Sep

A close friend of mine has been making a lot of Instagram reels lately, all on the point of raising awareness for medically complex children and their parents, and for inspiring positive change in the medical community. I fondly realized...
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There is a “Yes” Inside You

26 Jul

Most mornings, as you may know, I journal per my little template that I created. Ahead of grabbing my pen, I do my morning reading, which is a book-surfing through a small stack of spiritual tomes. These range from Christian...
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My Chronic Illness Taught Me How to Grieve My Pet’s Death

17 Jun

On May 31st, with the help of a home-visit veterinarian service, my best friend and sole companion of nearly 14 years passed away. She was a retriever mix named Amica. I’m still grieving. I know I will continue to grieve,...
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Editing Memories

10 Jun

Last month, after April’s surprisingly successful jaunt together for business and pleasure in New England, I took my beloved nearly-14-year-old mutt on one more adventure, to visit the people I got her from as a puppy (who are also dear...
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My Fibromyalgia: The 5 Stages of Diagnosis and What Went Wrong in My Medical Care

7 May

It started with some tenderness in two or three knuckles. A couple days later, my hands were definitely hurting and my elbows were sore. A couple days after that, I felt it in my shoulders, too. Then suddenly, my whole...
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Advance Information Checklist for People with Disabilities and Their Allies

24 Apr

One thing I love when I’m doing a presentation on disabilities is experiencing the volume of human kindness. There is always an atmosphere of “how can I help?” and this yields great questions during the Q&A portion at the end...
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Try a Smile Day

16 Apr

I know, I know. It’s tacky and cheesy. Most of us, if not all of us have heard that if you just force yourself to smile, you automatically feel better. I guess maybe it works a little bit. But a...
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4 Ways I Do It Anyway (When Pain and Fatigue Conspire Against Me)

20 Mar

Oh, springtime …. I’m seeing green of my lilies starting to reach out of the ground. Daily I marvel at the new growth on the rosebush I planted last year. And the weather is … all over the place. So...
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Children’s Coloring Book About Invisible Disabilities

13 Mar

Last year, a high school student contacted me through my website after she Googled invisible disabilities. She is a Girl Scout, and she told me she was working towards her Gold Award, which is the highest award and equal to...
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