How I came to let a stranger point a laser gun at my bits after recovering from pelvic pain
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How exactly did I come to find myself on a dermatologist's table while he uses a laser to remove hair from my bikini line?
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Decision fatigue + chronic illness recovery: "I want to do everything!"
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I’m better now, and I want to do everything. But sometimes I’m so desperate to do absolutely everything I desire that I end up lacking the energy to do anything at all. And then I feel crummy about spending the evening laying in bed watching Netflix just like when I was sick (even though it’s for entirely different reasons and has absolutely nothing to do with being sick). Arg.
Read MorePain changes you: building your new identity from habits
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Then came doctor appointments and physical therapy appointments, and soon, I was out of my wheelchair and walking again. But as the months wore on, my husband ultimately had to take a job out-of-state. I was doing better, but I found myself completely lost. Who was I now?
Read MoreA letter to my mother: This is what I've endured.
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My mother and I have been estranged for more than five years. While I was at my lowest point -- wheelchair bound, in excruciating pain, and suffering immensely -- she was critical and skeptical of my pain. That became intolerable, and my recovery ultimately required that I sever ties with her and work on rebuilding my emotional health and my strength. She's missed so much these past several years.
Read More“My body is none of your damn business.”
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Anyone who’s battled chronic pain or invisible illnesses knows the chorus too well: “But you don’t look sick!,” or “But you look so healthy!” The way people look and the way people feel can be vastly different. And none of us should ever feel that it’s appropriate for us to comment upon, criticize, and judge the conduct of others based on outward appearances.
Read MoreMy Gratitude Journey: From pain to present, and the people who got me here.
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In the spirit of Thanksgiving today, I'm sharing my gratitude journey.... My yoga mat reminds me that I’m safe here, and that I’ve done this many times before. My mat has become a symbol of my strength and my ability to feel good. As I lug it around the city, it tells others “I’m a healthy woman!” But more importantly, it reminds me: “You’re a healthy woman. You did it. You made it. You survived.”
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