Ask Aunt Lori - privacy & handling gossip
"Aunt Lori,
I have an "invisible disability" and my family tells people about it without asking me first. I'm not ashamed of myself, but people's biases make it difficult for me when people learn about my disability. People often stop seeing me for my abilities and just see me as only my invisible disability. How do I handle this?
-Wannabe Chameleon"
Vocal Cord Dysfunction
VCD is a condition of the vocal cords in which the vocal cords may close or partially close during inhalation.
Ask Aunt Lori: Making Mistakes
Making mistakes is a big part of learning. As long as you learn and grow from them, they’re good for you! So, admit your mistakes, learn from them, and grow from them!
New Section: Ask Aunt Lori
Don't be afraid of anything being embarrassed - I won't reveal who asked, just educate!
I'll also be sharing a few of the things I would have told my younger self.
Chronic SOS - April 17, 2023
Because I feel like screaming sometimes, here are funny screaming animals to do it for me:
Chronic SOS - March 4, 2023
Hello all! I had an unexpected long hiatus, courtesy of my kidneys. I’ll be getting into more specifics about the condition, but for now, enjoy some of the memes I created for this situation:
Endometrial Ablation
Endometrial ablation, put simply, is a procedure where the endometrium is destroyed. The endometrium is the innermost layer of the uterus and the part that thickens to either provide a place for a fertilized egg or be shed as a period.
My periods were hell
For eighteen years since then, I’ve battled with severe pain, heavy bleeding, ovarian cysts, and pure torture nearly every month for several days – on top of my other health issues.
Ableism
Ableism is discrimination based on disabilities. It comes in many forms; mainly what I classify as "direct" or "indirect" . This can be seemingly obvious, or subconscious from ingrained beliefs.
My Kinky Colon - Ashley Byrd Pharr
I began an Internet search on Crohn’s Disease, an IBD. My dad had been diagnosed with it in the 80s and had passed just two years before. I vaguely knew the disease was associated with the intestines, but I had never taken the time to learn what Crohn’s was.
Drown
As the surface nears, chains drag me down
I’ve seen the sunlight on my face
But I wear the darkness as my crown
Chronic SOS - August 5, 2022
I’m already well known for this among friends - I often edit pictures my friends send me.
Guide to seeing a new doctor
Though a lot of the outcome will depend on your doctor, I’ve developed a system of things I do before seeing a new doctor that help me feel more prepared and help me use my (often limited time) the best that I can.
Classifying the spread of diseases
We’ve all heard the words “pandemic”, “epidemic”, and probably several more by now – but what do they mean? I’ll go over some of the most common terms used to classify the spread of an infectious disease
Chronic SOS - July 23, 2022
This week, i’m sharing a trio of some of the funniest videos in my collection. Are they silly? Absolutely yes. Did they elicit a “pffft” reaction from my best friend? Also yes.
International Healthcare: United States of America
This is the healthcare system that I’m most familiar with – and still the most confused by. The majority of health insurance is through private companies (through an employer), but there are a few public options (Medicaid and Medicare, namely). Unfortunately, there is no universal healthcare.
7 tips to stay cool during the summer
There’s a lot of places experiencing a heat wave right now – which can be especially dangerous for us spoonies! Here are 7 tips for staying cool:
International Healthcare Series
Upcoming series! I’ll be taking a look at a few healthcare systems in this upcoming series. In it, i’ll look at the country’s general system, and how it handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Don’t yell at my momma!”
My dog. JD, is very protective of me; he’s an ESA and I’ve also done some more specialized training with him. One of those things is that he puts himself between me and whatever is causing me to be anxious. One of those things is people raising their voice.
Chronic SOS - July 15, 2022
Keeping with the theme of staying cool in the heat, I've collected a few memes to laugh at while we're staying away from the heat!