Hey all! Yes, It’s been quite some time, but it just seems like every time I make a grand post about starting to feel better and wanting to post more, my body laughs in my face so freaking hard and says…ummmm….no way! The past two weeks have been medical visit after medical visit – half-day tests and being poked and prodded and starved. And…like most people who have autoimmune or chronic illnesses know, our diseases always come in packs – you can never have just one. I acquir

To say it's been a wild year would be an understatement! My New Years Eve last year was spent recovering from jaw surgery, and that basically set the tone for the year - more hospital stays in 2018 than 2015-2017. I battled DRESS Syndrome which was caused by one of my Trigeminal Neuralgia meds. I had liver failure. Dislocated Ribs and Knees. Surgery to remove a ruptured Fallopian Tube. Through all the adversity, there was so much to be thankful for, too! I really spent my "we

Love. Marriage. Kids. Career. The American Dream, right? But at what cost? From the outside, I have it all. But I tend to keep my fence built high, so it's rare people see inside. Having it all - it's great. Having it all is also constant give and take, compromise, and work. Couple all of that with a body that tries to kill you every day, and having it all doesn't seem so great anymore. I can't complain about my life - but sometimes it's hard to see everything I have when I

I totally understand why those with Autoimmune Diseases and Chronic Illnesses have multiple writers on their websites/blogs/etc. It’s hard to maintain when you have to shut down all unnecessary parts of your life to swing into survival mode! This Wisconsin Spring/Summer has been pretty brutal on my body. Between suffering through being a human barometer and a massive project coming to a head at work, keeping my toddler alive and keeping myself alive have taken precedence ove

When you’re chronically ill, staying alive is – quite literally – a full-time job. There’s no pay, no benefits, no vacation time, but nonetheless it is a thankless full-time job. When you’re a parent, keeping a child alive and thriving is – quite literally – a full-time job. There’s no pay, no benefits, no vacation time, but nonetheless it is a thankless full-time job. With all the time and energy we are forced to dedicate to one or both things, how on earth is anything outsi

Long time, no see! It’s been a hell of a few months, but what is autoimmune life without a little unexpected misery, right?! For real though, the past few months I was at my worst that I’ve been in almost a decade. I had to have jaw surgery a few days after Christmas. I needed bone grafting done as my jaw was very weak from bone loss most likely attributed to all the steroids I’ve had to take in the past ten or so years. I figured I’d get it done right after Christmas, that

Love. Relationships. Marriage. Like, seriously, how many spoons do people think we have to deal with all THAT? For real though, these things aren’t easy for anybody. They take work. Commitment. Time. Respect. And that’s just the “in health” part. Throw in some “in sickness” and you’ve entered another realm. Throw in some chronic “in sickness” and you (and your partner) might feel like you need an entirely new map to navigate through. My relationship is no different. The truth

Whether you’re coming to this list as a spoonie, a spoonie supporter, a lifter, fitness enthusiast or someone looking for some ideas for any of the above, I hope you find some awesome stuff! This is all some of my favorite stuff and all things that I use, love and have gifted to others because I love these things so much! So happy shopping!! I’m also a big user of Amazon Prime – from subscription services to family gifting lists to entertainment so I’m always a big proponen

Selena Gomez. Lady Gaga. Venus Williams. Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins. Missy Elliott. Shannen Doherty. I’m not selecting my dream all-star lineup, as it may seem. Rather, just naming a few of the celebrity names you may hear every so often in the news when talks of chronic illness arise. Now you may look at any one of these people and the standard “but they don’t look sick” is probably the first or second thought in your head – unless you yourself suffer from one of the many invis

Let’s talk Omegas! As we all know, whether we want to admit it or not, our diets play a very large role in how our bodies are able to fight our autoimmune and chronic illnesses. You will never hear me talk about “good” food or “bad” food, because I do not believe in associating shame with food. I also really love donuts and tacos and don’t ever want to be made to feel any sort of guilt about the foods I eat and I don’t ever want anyone else to either. If you ever hear me refe