BLOG POSTS RELATED TO CHRONIC ILLNESS
Welcome to our Chronic Illness & Disease Support section, a dedicated space designed to empower you on your health journey. Whether you’re navigating the complexities of a chronic illness or seeking resources for specific diseases, you’re not alone. Here, you’ll find tailored information, supportive tools, and strategies to help you manage daily challenges with more confidence and clarity. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge and support you need to live well, adapt, and thrive despite the obstacles you face. Explore resources, connect with others, and discover practical solutions that are designed to meet your unique needs. Together, we’re building a community of resilience and strength.
Multiple Sclerosis vs. Primary Progressive Aphasia
Understanding chronic illness means navigating a landscape where symptoms can overlap, conditions can mimic each other, and clarity often feels elusive. Today, we'll explore Multiple Sclerosis vs. Primary Progressive Aphasia, diving into the unique features of Primary...
Symptoms of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a condition that quietly, yet profoundly, disrupts the harmony of the body. It occurs when the mast cells, those tiny sentinels of our immune system, release too many chemicals at the wrong time. The result is a cascade of...
What is Endometriosis? A Guide to Understanding the Condition
What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis is like a hidden, uninvited presence in your body—a condition where tissue that should be confined to the uterus finds itself elsewhere. This tissue, which mirrors the lining of the uterus, begins to grow in places it doesn’t...
A Story of a Cancer Diagnosis: Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Embracing Resilience
Stories of a cancer diagnosis are often filled with fear, uncertainty, and the unrelenting weight of the unknown. Ours was no different. It all began with a simple assumption: This surgery is pretty routine. After all, it’s just a sinus infection. That’s what we had...
Can Creatine Help with Some Chronic Illnesses? What You Need to Know
Creatine, that often whispered-about miracle of the fitness world, is a humble yet powerful amino acid—one of the very building blocks of protein. It is crafted with care by the liver and kidneys, yet you can also find it in the foods that nourish us, particularly in...
What is Mast Cell Activation Disorder?
Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAD) is an enigmatic condition, as delicate and intricate as the very cells it affects. At the heart of this disorder are mast cells—small yet powerful sentinels within our immune system. These cells, though often unseen, play a quiet...
Multiple Sclerosis and Heat Intolerance
Living with MS and multiple sclerosis heat sensitivity is like navigating an unpredictable journey, one where the path can shift beneath your feet without warning. This chronic condition, which disrupts the intricate communication between the brain and the body,...
What It’s Like Living with Chronic Illness
Living with a chronic illness is a journey—a profoundly personal path of self-discovery, adjustment, and unwavering resilience.It's a path that no one chooses, yet millions around the world find themselves on it, navigating terrain that is both known and unknown....
Gain Free Access to America’s National Parks For Those with Certain Disabilities
Living with a chronic illness can often feel like a long and winding road, one filled with obstacles, unexpected detours, and challenges that can weigh heavily on the spirit. Yet, even amidst the difficulties, there are hidden treasures—small gifts of grace—that offer...
Osteoporosis Risk Factors That Robbed My Bone Health
Osteoporosis risk factors are important to consider as we age, as this condition often goes unnoticed until it's too late. That is what happened to me. Thankfully, I asked for a bone density scan. I did so because I knew some of the medications I had been on for...
What Makes an Illness Chronic?
Illnesses come in many forms, and one key aspect of health that often presents significant challenges is whether an illness is acute or chronic. What makes an illness chronic? While acute illnesses tend to be short-lived and resolve within a relatively brief period,...
Symptoms of Pancreatitis
The symptoms of pancreatitis can mimic several other conditions, so when I was first diagnosed and hospitalized with it, I was completely caught off guard. I had been convinced that I was dealing with a severe ulcer. The pain was intense and unrelenting, centered in...
When Was Multiple Sclerosis First Diagnosed?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. The disease has been recognized for centuries, but it was not until the 19th century that it began to be recognized as a distinct clinical entity.The first description of...
How To Get Pain Relief From Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis—a name that sounds more medical mystery than everyday affliction—is the inflammation of the thick band of tissue that stretches across the bottom of your foot, connecting your heel bone to your toes. If you’ve ever experienced it, you know it has a...
A Personal Guide to Managing Spasticity
Spasticity, that stubborn and unwelcome visitor in the life of anyone with multiple sclerosis, is a symptom that refuses to be ignored. It grips our muscles, tugging at them until they stiffen, tighten, and refuse to release, leaving behind a trail of pain and...
Multiple Sclerosis Signs and Symptoms
There are more than 80 symptoms that can be linked to Multiple Sclerosis, and its silent, insidious nature means it often remains undiagnosed for years—sometimes decades. In my own journey, I suspect I carried MS for at least ten years, perhaps as long as thirty-five,...
Rediscovering Freedom: Embracing Mobility Aids in the Journey of Chronic Illness
There is a certain narrative we craft for ourselves about the way life will unfold. In my story, a cane was reserved for the golden years, perhaps when I was 85 or older. It wasn’t something I ever imagined I’d need before then. And yet, life—with its twists and...
Frequently Asked Questions About Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
When I was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis I had some many questions. Here are a few of the most important ones, with answers.What is multiple sclerosis? Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder in which the healthy tissue in the central nervous system...
My Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis (With Tips On How to Get a Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis)
It was a quiet November morning when my multiple sclerosis diagnosis became official. It was when the doctor looked at me with an expression that was neither soft nor unkind. “You definitely have multiple sclerosis,” he said, the weight of his words lingering in the...