5 Things Healthy People Don’t Understand about Chronic Illness
I remember being healthy and I remember being active in life. I enjoyed singing on the praise team, running my own virtual assistant business and nights out with my husband. My life was full, happy and I felt like I was finally happy in life. I can say now that I took my ability to be active completely for granted. Now, as I sit here getting ready to pack for a weekend trip, I realize what healthy people don’t understand about Chronic Illness. 5 Things Healthy People Don’t Understand How do I know what healthy people don’t understand? Because I was once one of them. I can’t do anything spontaneously…
5 Ways to Start the New Year Feeling Mentally Strong
As the year comes to a close, it is easy to become discouraged if you didn’t complete some of the goals you set. Dwelling on these can make starting the new year with a positive outlook difficult. While it is important to reflect on the successes of the year, it is also smart to set yourself up for success in the year to come. It is time to focus on starting the New Year feeling mentally strong. 5 Ways to Start the New Year Feeling Mentally Strong Reflect but Don’t Dwell on the Negative It is important to look back at the year to determine what worked and what did…
5 Tips for Holiday Self Care
It is hard to believe that it is already time for the December Link Up from A Chronic Voice. This year has gone by so fast and I am quickly approaching the one year anniversary of The Frozen Mind. For this link up, I want to talk about the Struggle of the Holidays. The holiday season is so busy and the to do list seems to get longer by the day. This month’s prompts are perfect for talking about Holiday Self Care. First, let me tell you a little about the Link Up. Each month, there are 5 word prompts given and you have to use at least 3 of them in…
Why Holiday Shopping is not Easy with a Wheelchair
I was able to go do some Christmas Shopping on Black Friday. It was wonderful to get out and to be around the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. What made this excursion even better was that my sister and her family was down for a visit. What made this shopping trip difficult was that I decided to use my wheelchair so I would be able to have energy to enjoy it. I wrote before in Why I Hesitate to Use My Mobility Devices, about how I struggle with using my wheelchair. This outing was a reminder of why shopping is not easy with a wheelchair. Why Shopping is not Easy…
5 Ways to Guard your Mental Health during the Holidays
To some, the holiday season may be the most wonderful time of the year but the time period between Thanksgiving and the New Year can be difficult for several reasons. Issues within the family, a recent loss of a family member, health crises and other struggles can make the holiday season difficult to manage. When you include the enormous amount of holiday activities being exhausted only makes the season stressful. When you add in the colder weather and less sunlight each day, seasonal depression and health issues can compound to make the season less than merry and bright. With all of this in mind, finding ways to guard your mental…
Migraine Explained: Status Migrainosus
If you have Chronic Migraine, you have probably heard the words, Status Migrainosus or Status Migraine. They are the most dreaded words in the Migraine community. Other words doctors use is Intractable Migraine and in very basic terms means the migraine will not go away. There is much more to know about Status Migrainosus because it doesn’t always present in the same ways for everyone. When Does it Become Status Migrainosus? To get diagnosed the migraine must have last for at least 72 hours but that doesn’t have to be consecutive. Another words, medications may provide relief but it is temporary. The migraine will return as soon as the medication…
6 Ways to Avoid Sensory Overload During the Holidays
Many types of Chronic Illnesses are affected by sensory overload. It can make symptoms worse and make treatments inadequate. But what is Sensory Overload? It occurs when one or more of the body’s senses experiences over-stimulation from the environment around them. Too much noise in itself may not be enough to tip the scales but if bright lights are also there the brain can be impacted. For me, too many sensory factors at one time can trigger significantly worse than normal Hemiplegic Migraines. A public place with fluorescent lighting, loud noise and strong smells is a definite recipe for a severe Hemiplegic Migraine. Unfortunately, the holiday season is full of crowded rooms, music, smells and…
5 Ways to Survive the Holidays
When you have Chronic Migraine, the holiday season can be difficult to manuever. There are parties to attend, gifts to buy and activities to take part in. All of these things equals stress that can trigger migraines that can stop you in your tracks. There are things you can do to help you survive the holidays. Stress Explained There is a misconception that stress comes from bad things and nothing could be further from the truth. Some of our most happy moments are stressful including weddings and having a baby. Not all stress is bad stress but that doesn’t mean that our bodies react to it in good ways. Unfortunately,…
Jen’s Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
For at least 10 years, I have made Homemade Hot Chocolate for our family Christmas Eve gathering. It has always been a hit with everyone. This warm delicious drink is now synonymous with my thoughts of Christmas! I have tweaked the recipe that I found many years ago and now consider this my own recipe. In fact, I can’t even seem to locate the original recipe that I used in the beginning. I hope you enjoy this and add it to your family Christmas traditions! Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate Serving Suggestions This is perfect for any winter gathering for several reasons. It is easy to make It is easy to…
5 Hard Conversations to Avoid During the Holidays
Everyone has that one person at their holiday gatherings that has no tact or asks rude questions. This is probably even more noticeable to people that have a chronic illness. We are used to having hard conversations with those relatives that just don’t know how to keep their opinions to themselves. What Hard Conversations? “Well you don’t look sick” – This is one of the most inconsiderate statements that someone can make to someone that is chronically ill. Most chronic illnesses can’t be seen on the outside and are considered, “invisible Illness”. HOw I look doesn’t determine how I feel on the vast majority of days. “Shouldn’t you Try a New…
