Chronic Illness Spotlight: Familial Mediterranean Fever
Chronic Illness Spotlight is a new series in which different illnesses are highlighted and a patient that lives with the illness is featured. Today’s post will spotlight a rare Chronic Illness called Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF). Familial Mediterranean Fever Meet Ashley Marie, she is recently engaged so congratulations are definitely in order! Ashley Marie has two Chronic Illnesses, one is called Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) and the other is Behcet’s Disease. Today, we will be focusing on FMF. If you would like to learn more about Behcet’s Disease, visit the American Behcet’s Disease Association. Here is the interview with Ashley Marie. Briefly explain your illness FMF is a rare autoinflammatory disorder that…
5 Signs Someone May Be Hiding Depression
Some people have been dealing with depression for so long that they have become extremely good at hiding it from others. They go about their lives like nothing is wrong, in fact, many of them have a seemingly productive life. They have gotten so good at masking their true feeling that sometimes they do not see it either. If you love someone that is hiding depression, it is important to try to get beyond the facade. 5 signs someone may be hiding depression. 1. Sudden changes in eating or sleeping Sudden behavioral changes can be a sign of depression. If a person is suddenly not sleeping or is sleeping too…
MIgraine Explained: Fighting a Stigma
Migraine in all of it’s varying forms is a misunderstood illness and it is accompanied by many stigmas. The fact that people with Chronic Migraine have 15 or more migraine days per month is only compounded when loved ones do not try to understand. Fighting a Stigma of any illness is difficult but when the illness completely isolates you, it can be even worse. Before I can talk about fighting a stigma, I need to talk about what some of the stigmas are. It is just a headache- Nothing could be further from the truth. A migraine brings nausea, vomiting, debilitating pain and visual disturbances (see Migraine Explained: What is…
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…
