invisible disabilities Archives - Christina Irene

“Usual” Does Not Make It “OK”

17 Jun

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,...
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The 13 Things I Feel When I Cancel Our Plans Due to My Chronic Illness

5 Jun

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”...
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When I Play Favorites with My Chronic Conditions

30 May

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...
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11 Pandemic Trends People with Disabilities Want to Keep

13 May

In my home state of Pennsylvania, signs of the COVID-19 pandemic are finally fading away. Governor Wolf has lifted many of the restrictions, such as capacity limits in businesses and no seating at bars, meanwhile promising to lift the mask...
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New Impact Map for “Daily Resolves”

8 May

I created a new version of the Impact Map for the Splat system this week, and I already love using it. Check out this evolution of my beta test and the new tools I made for *you*! All images open...
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Why Asking “How can I help?” is Problematic (and Tips to Rephrase)

23 Apr

“Is there anything I can do?” It’s a common question from caring people. We ask it when someone is stressed. We ask when someone is grieving. The caring people in my life ask when one of my chronic conditions is...
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5 Reasons I’ll Never Wear These Shirts

22 Apr

I’ve gotten some of the strangest “targeted advertising” showing up in apps. Dating sites for a different sexual orientation than I am (Christina, you’ve been single FOR. EVER. Why not try a different tack?) Those lewd-looking items with seemingly normal...
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Combating the Myth of Endings

9 Apr

One of my struggles has always been the evening appointment. I remember when I was a waitress and worked evenings, it was hard for me to be productive and enjoy the day because I had this thing to do later,...
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I Have a Sitting Disability: What That Means

26 Mar

It’s something you hear about. In fact, I had the condition for years before I knew it had a name. It’s not exactly official. You won’t find it on the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) website or even WebMD. But...
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4 Things People with Disabilities Find Helpful When We’re “Out in the World”

20 Mar

One of my speaking programs on disability has a strong focus on universal design, which is defined as making spaces, objects, and experiences accessible to all people regardless of disability or other difference. Yes, this means having ramps, but much,...
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