Personal Essays | Caregiver First, Elizabeth Second
2009, early high school. If you had asked 15-year-old Elizabeth to describe herself with three terms, “caregiver” would have been first. Before student, before sister, [...]
chronic illness
The Dream and Nightmare of Celiac Disease
The night of my diagnosis, I wrote the word “celiac” in bold black letters on the palm of my hand. When I awoke the next morning, I needed to know, immediately and [...]
Sweatpants & Soul | Fibromyalgia: The Power of Being Seen
It was November 2013. I needed to drive from Tennessee to New Jersey (and back) within nine days to get my car inspected at home during my Thanksgiving break from college. I [...]
Eats & Drinks | Deliciously Simple 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Check out this delightfully easy & delicious 3-ingredient peanut butter cookie recipe. [...]
How I’m Coming to Radically Accept My Life as a Young Adult with Fibromyalgia
Note: I wrote this article for “The Mighty” back in spring 2016 when I was on leave from social work grad school. During that time, I was unable to work or go to school. [...]
30 Unique Skills of People Who Live with Chronic Health Conditions
People often think of disabled people in terms of what they lack, but here are a few remarkable gifts that we have. A list of spoonie skills for those of us who live with [...]
Personal Essay | The Strength in Weaknesses
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Minnesota is corn. Lots of it. Like, you are literally surrounded by corn. The second thing that comes to mind when I think [...]
What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis, Anyway?
With Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day on February 2, this is a great time to talk about what the disease actually is, and what living with it is like. 1.3 million Americans [...]
Personal Essays | Losing Me to M.E. or Did I?
The doctor walks into the room and gives me my diagnosis – myalgic encephalomyelitis. Finally, a name (and what a name!) to what has been happening. A sense of [...]
Sweatpants & Self Care | Packing Tips for Chronic Pain Survivors
I think I’m in the vast majority of people when I say that I love traveling and hate having to prepare for said traveling (pretty equally in intensity, in fact). Especially [...]
