Years ago, one of my closest friends was in a deep pit of depression. She suffered so deeply and it hurt to know she was in so much pain. Yes - depression is painful. It cuts deep into the heart and can steal your entire life. I started writing a devotional for her about joy.…
I have had consistent neck and head pain for 6 years, and intermittently (often daily) for 13 years. I have multiple herniated discs, spinal cord narrowing and compression, and bone spurs - none of which are severe enough for surgery but all of which can and do cause incredible pain, not just in the neck;…
Embarrassed. Humiliated. Frustrated. Angry. Heartbroken. Alone. The feelings that come with being chronically sick are not easy. In fact, they're often so overwhelming that it can be impossible to get well. Today has been both physically and emotionally challenging. We are traveling and everywhere we go, there is chaos - too many people, too much…
My least favorite interview questions are the ones about plans. "What’s your 5 year plan?" "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" Good grief - I don’t know where I’m gonna be at the end of the day! Don't get me wrong - it makes sense that we should plan for the future, to…
My last post talked about Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) and how their interaction in the world is deep and rich, but also more overwhelming and difficult. In learning to function with HSP, my daughter and I both have been seeking out tools to help calm the world, and the girl. I was sitting in the…
My youngest daughter has always struggled with being overwhelmed by sensory things - sounds, lighting, smells, and even just the presence of other people in the same room. We never fully understood what she was experiencing - people would call her shy, quiet, even rude. She struggled in school not because the work was too…
You have read my rants about doctors in the general medical industry and my frustration with their lack of compassion and understanding. If you weed through my posts, you will also find glimpses of interactions with doctors who genuinely care and who truly listen. When I first started seeing doctors at Stanford in 2013, I…
I've lost several friends in recent years to cancer - and I've seen friends battle and fight and suffer that cruel disease. I have nothing but respect for anyone who has been in that trench. I do not discount the terror that comes with a cancer diagnosis. It is horrible, it is painful, it is…
Some days my sickness is only as deep as my knees. I may have a mild headache, a little joint pain, and maybe some nausea...but I'm able to get out of the house, go to the store, cook a meal, spend time with my family and maybe even do a little laundry. This is a…
Every aspect of the chronically ill life is vastly different from the healthy life. And with those differences comes a feeling that we are not "normal". And we're not! And that's ok. It's what we do with the minutes of our abnormal life that counts. Every night, every person on the planet lays down, closes…
PhilippiJoy 