BLOGS
We chronic illness warriors are all too familiar with that bone-deep exhaustion that screams "I'm done" before the day has even started. When merely showering feels like running a marathon, how can we possibly keep up with work, relationships, and the rest of life's demands? Enter: The Spoon Theory.
Continue readingI've always felt a magnetic pull towards public speaking, even when fear wrapped its cold fingers around my throat. The stage called to me like a siren song, yet until I was 17, I remained frozen on the shores of self-doubt. You see, while classrooms and stages felt like home - places where my true self could emerge - the crushing weight of imagined judgments kept me anchored in silence.
Continue readingImagine your body as an orchestra, with the autonomic nervous system as its conductor. This system orchestrates everything from heart rate and blood pressure to digestion and temperature regulation - all the things we never think about until they stop working properly. That's dysautonomia - when the conductor loses control, and the symphony of our body's automatic functions descends into chaos.
Continue readingYour daily experience with a chronic condition isn't just your reality—it's one of the most valuable datasets in healthcare. For too long, the patient's lived experience has been treated as "anecdotal." We fill out surveys and share our stories, often wondering if they lead to any meaningful change.
Continue readingLet's talk about something that's been on my mind lately - the crucial need for purpose when you're dealing with chronic illness. And yeah, I know what you're thinking: "Another article about finding meaning while being sick?" But stick with me here, because this isn't your typical inspirational fluff.
Continue readingI have failed. I thought I understood healthcare from within, from all sides of it—as a patient first, but also as a clinician, researcher, manager, innovator, and caregiver. But apparently, my caregiving experience was sugarcoated. I had the sheer luck of landing in patient journeys that were far more privileged than others, particularly in certain oncological outpatient wards where I witnessed compassionate case managers, dedicated care coordinators, genuine empathy, and transparency paired with charitable organizations working to humanize the experience for both patients and healthcare professionals.
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