A visit to the Migraine Doctor

On January 25, 2017 By WendyIn Chronic Illness, Headaches, Migraines16 Comments

You may recall from my last visit to the migraine doc (a neurologist who specializes in headaches) that she’s tried just about everything and suggested that I look into studies. Well, she hasn’t given up.

I saw her last week and it was a long visit. I am always impressed when I go there that she never seems to be in a hurry. I never feel like she is rushed to get to the next patient. It’s amazing really, this is a doctor who is backed up over 3 months for an appointment, you know she’s busy. During our visit, I was having slow vertigo, which made it difficult for me to follow everything she was saying. I’m still asking Stuart some things, unfortunately he doesn’t seem to have much of a memory. He must have been worried about me. I did understand most of the visit, there are just little things I remember her saying that I wish I remembered. Like she said that Melatonin was good for something other than sleep, but we can’t remember what…….well I just looked it up and it can help with a bunch of things, including migraines. Who knew? I don’t know if that’s what she said, but I’ll keep taking it. It helps fall asleep anyway.

She is concerned that some of my migraines may be caused because my CSF (Cerebrospinal Fluid) is too high again. I have fluctuating CSF, it tends to run high. The migraine medications that I’m on help keep it lowered. She felt that we need to put me on a drug that will increase this effect. So I was taken off Topamax and put on Diamox. I’ve been on Diamox before, my CSF pressure did not remain stable on it either, we’ll see what happens this time.

She did look in my eyes, it was difficult because I had a bit of nystagmus going on at the time so my eyes were jumping, but she saw that it was bulging a little bit back there, a sure sign that my pressure is up.

The weird things is, if I have high CSF I should have a worse headache when I lie down. Sometimes I have a bad headache when I wake up but often I don’t. When I have a bad headache, it doesn’t get better when I lie down. hmmmm. Makes me wonder. But then there’s the eye thing, she did say it was a slight bulge. Well I’m just not convinced and I don’t want this drug to make my pressure go too low. It’s a very strong diuretic. I’m peeing a lot, but my body will get used to it I’m sure. I’m a little more light headed, but that could just be me, but it could be the drug. I feel very confused, this one has bothered me a lot, but it says it will go away shortly. If it doesn’t I won’t be on this drug long. I do not like being so forgetful. I was angry at Stuart yesterday and couldn’t remember why!! I don’t get angry at him often, you’d think I’d remember why I was mad at him. I think this drug is making me grumpy, or maybe that’s just me. I also think it’s reducing my appetite, as least that would be a good thing.

To sum up, I’m on a new drug (or back on an old drug). I’m not sure about it. I’m keeping an open mind though. I’m keeping a journal of my headaches as always, I’m adding in other side effects I’m feeling and paying close attention to all. I go back to the migraine doc in 2 months.

I can only say: Chronic migraines and New Daily Persistent Headaches suck.

#MyMightyMonth – A day in my life

On December 30, 2016 By WendyIn Chronic Illness9 Comments

my-mighty-month-wide-1280x427 — Take the Might’s 30-Day Challenge, click here

I just got an email from The Mighty, they are starting challenges to promote self-care. The first 30-day challenge is to journal. I thought, what better way to keep me posting and keep my creative juices flowing? I may not post every day, this is not that kind of challenge, I do not feel pressured to post every day, it’s just a challenge to get you started journaling, but I plan on posting often during the month of January. Most of these won’t be my normal post, these are going to be journal entries. You will be able to step in my life for a month and see what Wendy is up to. You may get very, very bored, but you may find out a few things about me that you never knew. You may also find out how I deal with some of my trials, or how I don’t deal with them. You might find out just how long it takes me to do things. Some days, you might find out that I don’t do much of anything. I think all of this will be good, for me, and hopefully for you and this blog. I have a lot of new followers who don’t know a lot about me, this is a great opportunity for them to find out all about ME. 🙂

It’s not quite January yet, but I thought I’d write about my day today, it was much more eventful than my normal day.

We had planned to go to Ikea today to get hubby a desk, he is in dire need of one. I’m very tired of seeing his computer on the dining room table. Unfortunately, when he looked at his coupon he found it expired and he didn’t want to spend that much money right now. Truthfully, I’m not sure he’s completely decided that’s the desk he wants.

I have to admit this put my entire day off game. I was really looking forward to going out to Ikea and walking around that big store and getting some exercise. It’s always a bit of a scare doing something like that, but after being closed up in the house so much, it is a thrill for me to be able to do anything out of the house. Even if I might pay for it later. Needless to say, I was upset, so we decided we needed to go somewhere. We decided to go to the mall. I have a gift certificate, what better time to use it? Well today was the day that everyone decided to use their gift certificates, or take presents back, or shop after Christmas sales, or something, because there were NO parking places at the mall. I couldn’t see fighting all the people, and me with my walker, no way.

We decided to go by the library. I had a book on hold and thought we’d pick it up. We were waiting because I have another book coming from another library, but it was something to do! It made me happy, and Stuart found 2 books, that made him happy too!

After the library, I admitted I still had some energy and wanted to walk. We discussed going to the park, then I asked if we would be driving close to Michaels, because I knew hubby needed glue for models. We were driving right by there so we decided to check and see if maybe we could get in there. It was great, there’s a handicapped space on the side and 3 were open! Bam! right by the door. We were in. And it really wasn’t that crowded once we were inside. We decided to just browse. I’ve been looking for something I can do with my hands. I used to like doing cross stitch when I was younger, but what do you do with that kind of stuff when you are finished with it? I have a lot of paintings that I have no where to put now. Anyone want a painting? So, I’ve been thinking about crochet, but I’m not very good at it, I just can’t keep my tension correct. I have this Knifty Knitter thing that is pretty cool. It’s a tool you use to knit with. You aren’t really knitting in the traditional sense, but it looks neat when you are finished. I decided to work on that again and bought some yarn. Unfortunately, when I got home I found the yarn is too thin, I’ll have to get thicker yarn for this to look right. After that I’ll be making things left and right. hahaha Working with yarn is good for tactile sensations and fine motor skills.

I also got a book called Zendoodle. I love this kind of drawing. (please I don’t want a debate about Zentangles here) So far, I’ve doodled just a little, but I know I’m going to be doodling more. I used to do this a lot, it’s very calming, and it is good for my spacial relations.

I took Valium today when we left as a precaution to try to prevent me from having vertigo. I’ve been having it a lot recently. When we got home today, I started playing with the yarn, and shortly thereafter, the vertigo started. I didn’t get much done today after that. It wasn’t a violent bout of vertigo, but it was certainly not slow. I felt sick, but luckily I didn’t throw up.

The vertigo has been starting and stopping over and over for the rest of the evening.

That was my day today. Hubby took the week off work. I think this is a dumb time to take off work, but I didn’t think about that when he asked me about thinking this week off. There are just way too many other people off work doing things, there’s too much traffic, too many people. You can’t do anything. And we couldn’t take a trip. Heck, who wants to take a trip around Christmas, unless you are visiting family, it’s too crowded.

I’d rather stay home and enjoy the last days of my Christmas tree.

Tomorrow I’ll pay for today a bit. I’ll need to take it slow because I did so much, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I had fun, and that’s important. Oh, tomorrow I have my yearly physical, so much for totally resting.

If you’d like to take The Mighty’s 30-Day Challenge go to their Facebook page and check it out.

Mudita – finding joy in the joy of others

On December 19, 2016 By WendyIn Chronic Illness29 Comments

flowpaper_3

“Mudita is a word from Sanskrit and Pali that has no counterpart in English. It means sympathetic or unselfish joy, or joy in the good fortune of others.” (1)

I bring up Mudita now because those of us who are sick often find it very hard not being able to participate in celebrations this time of year. We feel we are stuck on the outside just looking in, and as we look in we are envious. We can’t feel joy. Mudita is the opposite of envy. When we feel mudita we feel joy in the joy of others. We are genuinely happy that others are having a good time, even though we can’t join them.

This feeling doesn’t happen over night. It’s hard to overcome those feelings of envy. We don’t want to feel this way, but we have to admit, that’s the way we often feel when things come up and we can’t join in the fun. We don’t feel joy in the fun the others are having, we feel sadness and anger that we can’t join them.

I first read about mudita when I read How To Be Sick by Toni Bernhard. At the time my husband was playing games with a group of friends and I used to be envious that he had this group and I didn’t have anything like it. He’d call me from there and I’d get this knot in my stomach and feel horrible because of this envy. Then one day I realized how much he needed this time, how much he loved this activity and how much my envy hurt him. (even though I thought I hid it well) I remembered what I learned from reading Toni’s book. I remembered mudita. It didn’t happen overnight, but in time I started feeling joy when hubby would call from his game and sound excited about how things were going. At first I faked it. I knew I should feel joy for him so when I talked to him I put on a smile and told myself how happy I was for him and how much joy this made me feel. Did I feel this at first. No. But after a while when he called I was truly happy. I felt joy hearing how the night was going. I was no longer faking it.

When trying to practice mudita start small. Start with someone you don’t know. When you see someone win a competition feel joy in their joy. Then when you give a gift, feel the joy the receiver feels (that’s an easy one, I think). Take it one step at a time and you will be surprised at how much joy you can feel when others feel joy.

It may not happen this holiday season, but perhaps when you can’t participate in the next celebration you might be able to find mudita, and feel joy in the joy of others.

I recommend all of Toni Bernhard’s books: How to be Sick, How to Live Well with Chronic Pain and Illness, How to Wake Up. If you are chronically ill and haven’t read it yet, be sure to read How to be Sick. I’ve read it over and over and keep going back to it. It helps me live the day. It makes me feel like I can get through this and thrive.

For further reading on Mudita, of course you can check out Toni’s books, but also check out.

Christmas My Way

On December 16, 2016 By WendyIn Chronic Illness42 Comments

christmas-tree When I was 30 Christmases as I had known them changed forever. That was the year my mother died. Everything changed that year. When the matriarch of the family dies the traditions die with her. We tried to keep things alive, we had Christmas at my sister’s house as she had the only grandchild, things weren’t the same, but they were still nice.

Then there was a falling out between me and my niece. Well not a falling out really, she got mad at me and refuses to be in my presence. There isn’t much I can do, not that I haven’t tried, I have. I could speculate all day what has happened between the two of us, but at this point it doesn’t make much difference. This has however, ruined many relationships for me in my family. Family Christmases became a thing of the past.

After Stuart and I became a family we started having Christmas celebrations with friends, as Stuart’s family lives a long way away and they don’t do much for the holiday anyway, again they are without the matriarch. We normally celebrated Christmas day alone, just us, but leading up to that time, we went to parties and had people over to our home to celebrate. It was a joyous time. Then I got sick, and things changed. We no longer got invited to parties. I no longer felt that I could throw a party. Then we moved so there is no likelihood of rekindling that time. Truthfully, we’ve all changed so much, I don’t think there could be any rekindling even if we do move back to our old city, or if I miraculously got better. Let’s be honest, my old friends really are just that, old friends. They aren’t a part of my current life.

The last few years I’ve tried to be okay with the holiday. But truth be told, I’ve been very depressed. Depression runs rampant during this time of year and I was not immune. I tried hard not to feel bad that I wasn’t surrounded by people. I’ve had the one person near me who means the most to me, why should I be depressed? Because Christmas is a time for friends and family. A time for gatherings. It was the two of us, yet I felt lonely. And I felt guilty that I didn’t feel that it was enough. I was depressed and felt guilty for being depressed.

Over the past few years I haven’t cared about decorations, we had no tree. Why hassle with it? No one would see it. No one would care. We’d have a little celebration. We’d try, but it all seemed like we were just going through the motions. Christmas is for groups of people, not just the two of us, and we didn’t have a family.

christams-decor — a little decorations making the holiday our own

This year has changed. No we still don’t have a family, and we aren’t celebrating with any friends. (We still don’t have any locally) I changed. I realized that Christmas really isn’t about family and friends. It’s all about how you feel inside. It’s not about giving the biggest gift it’s about giving to those in need. It’s not about being with a bunch of people it’s about caring for those you are with. It’s about caring for mankind.

This year I decided to decorate. I never go all out like some people, that just isn’t me, but we put up a tree, and did a little decorating in the house. It has made all the difference in our home. We are in the spirit. I understood just how much when my loving husband was looking through Amazon and found the National CASA Association Wish List, they provide Toys for Foster Kids, and told me that if I hadn’t purchased his presents yet he wanted the money to go to buying these kids presents. How special is that? So we took most of the money we planned to spend on our Christmas presents and bought Toys for Foster Kids. Realize I did say most, I decided we needed a little gift exchange between the two of us, just a little something.

charlie-brown-puzzle — this is the actual puzzle we put together

We also have other traditions we are going to make sure we revitalize. We always watch, It’s a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve. This has been a long standing tradition. This year we are bringing back putting together the Charlie Brown Christmas puzzle, and our LEGO Christmas Train. The train will be put together this weekend. The puzzle goes together on Christmas day. I don’t have a lot of traditions. We cook a few little things as the time goes on, and health permits. We’ve made some cookies so far, we’ll make spiced nuts to give to our neighbors, we’ll make a special breakfast on Christmas day…. The point is we are making this Holiday season ours. And if at any time I can’t do something because I don’t feel like it we can postpone until later, or just decide not to do it. All is good during our holiday celebration.

How can you make the season less depressing and more your own? Remember that it really isn’t about family and friends, it’s about love and giving. Love everyone and give to those in need. Honor traditions you want to, we watch It’s a Wonderful Life. Make new traditions, like putting together a themed puzzle on Christmas day. Put up decorations if you want. If you aren’t able to put up everything you want to, then either ask for help, or try to pick out your favorite decorations and put those out. We have a small tree, and not all my ornaments fit, so I sit my favorites around as decorations. The point is to make the holiday your holiday now. Don’t try to make it what it was when you were well, or what it was when you were growing up, or any dream holiday you have been trying to live up to. Make this holiday something special, on your own terms.

Sometimes no matter how much we try to make the holiday a pleasant thing for us, it just doesn’t work, depression takes over. For those who get depressed during this time of year, remember that you are not alone. If you need to reach out, please do so, there are numbers at the end of this post if you are in need. If you need a friend to talk to please feel free to contact me.

U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 If you are having thoughts of suicide, call this number immediately.
Kristin Brooks Hope Center Hopeline: 1-800-784-2433 This hotline can help you cope with a range of depressive feelings.
Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 (press 1) Responders understand the unique experiences of veterans.
United Way Helpline: 1-800-233-4357 They can aid you in locating a therapist, healthcare or basic necessities such as housing and food by directing you to local services.

#HAWMC Day 21- Just Keep Swimming

On November 21, 2016November 20, 2016 By WendyIn #HAWCM, Chronic Illness6 Comments

Today is Day 21 of #HAWMC (WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge). The prompt today is:

Monday Motivation: What’s your life slogan?
Explain what words or mantra keep you going and why.

I’ve spoken about quotes that help me through, but there is one mantra that I will start to chant when things get particularly tough.

Just keep swimming.

When I saw Finding Nemo and heard Dory say, “Just Keep Swimming”, to get her through all of her challenges, I started saying it to remind me to keep going even through the hard times. It started out as a joke, but it stuck around because it made me feel better. If I can “just keep swimming” I’ll be okay.

I admit when this prompt came up I had no idea what to write about, I’ve already told most of what I live by, my favorite mindfulness quotes that mean so much to me and the chant I use when I have vertigo, but those things just didn’t seem to fit in here. I turned and asked my hubby what he thought and he immediately said, “Just Keep Swimming”. I guess it’s a pretty good mantra, and I guess he knows me pretty well.

If you’d like to read more posts from today please search for #HAWMC and check out WEGO’s Facebook page. Don’t forget to Like Picnic With Ant’s Facebook Page too. 🙂

If you would like to share your story on Picnic with Ants, contact me through the contact form on my About Me – Contact Me Page.

#HAWMC Day 19 Rough day? What do you do?

On November 19, 2016November 18, 2016 By WendyIn #HAWCM, Chronic Illness6 Comments

Today is Day 19 of #HAWMC (WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge). The prompt today is:

Everyone has tough days, but how do you pull yourself out of the rut?
Maybe you blog, repeat affirmations or listen to a favorite playlist.
Write about what tools, tips or practices you use to lift your spirits after a rough patch.

om-1277425_960_720 — image source pixaby

When I read this prompt I was reminded of a post I wrote a few years ago, I thought I’d link back to it now for your reading pleasure. Living In The Moment In this post you will find one of the main ways I deal with the rough days.

A little list of things I do to deal with a rough patch:

I do things that get me involved with others. I reach out. I text, email, blog, talk….
I do things that relax me. I take a bath, a nap, read, watch movies and mindless TV…
I do mindfulness exercises. I focus on staying in this moment. I remember that the past is over and the future is not written (when I’m having tough days I can get caught up in “how good things use to be” and “how bad things will always be”, neither of these things are true, focusing simply on the present can make it not as overwhelming). I meditate and do deep breathing exercises.
I remember to be grateful. I write in my gratitude journal, I am sure remember I have many things to be grateful for.
During particularly rough times, such as a very bad vertigo attack, I chant. I have a special chant I learned in a yoga class years ago that my husband and I chant together when I’m extremely sick with vertigo, this helps to calm me down. “Om bhur bhuvah svah tat savitur varenyam”
I have my go to books, and I seek out books on mindfulness. I have books by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Thich Nhat Hanh, and others that I rely on, but the first book I reach for is How to Live Well with Chronic Pain and Illness, by Toni Bernhard.
One of the biggest things I need to do during a rough patch is to remember, it’s not my fault. I’m often hardest on myself during a rough patch, so I try to practice self compassion during this time most of all.
During particularly rough patches I reach out to my therapist, remember, that’s what they are there for.

How do you get through a rough patch? Any suggestions?

If you’d like to read more posts from today please search for #HAWMC and check out WEGO’s Facebook page. Don’t forget to Like Picnic With Ant’s Facebook Page too. 🙂

If you would like to share your story on Picnic with Ants, contact me through the contact form on my About Me – Contact Me Page.

#HAWMC Day 18 Don’t say that!

On November 18, 2016November 17, 2016 By WendyIn #HAWCM, Chronic Illness5 Comments

Today is Day 18 of #HAWMC (WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge). The prompt today is:

What’s a health cliché that really bugs you?
What are you tired of people asking you or saying to you again and again?
Write it down. Then reclaim it!
Take it back and turn it around so you make it something you could be comfortable hearing.

There are a number of clichés that really get on my nerves: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, “Instead of having a bad day, be thankful you have the day”, “Where there’s a will there’s a way”, are just a few.

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” – If this were true I’d be Superman by now! NO, what doesn’t kill you, doesn’t kill you. Period. You might learn something from it, but it didn’t make you physically stronger. Some people might be mentally “stronger”, others might break down completely. When something doesn’t kill you, well thank goodness it didn’t kill you. Instead of saying this, tell me how strong you think I am.
“Instead of having a bad day, be thankful for the day” – Why can’t I have a bad day and still be thankful? Everyone has a bad day and that’s okay. There is no way that someone can have a good day every day, and no one should make someone feel bad when they are having a bad day. I don’t believe my illnesses make my life miserable, but I do have bad days. I’m still thankful for my days, if they are good or bad. If you feel I’m having a lot of bad days and you want me to pay attention to what I’m grateful for, then just say something like, “What are you grateful for today?” and start a conversation, perhaps you can share something you were grateful for that day.
“Where there’s a will there’s a way” – In who’s world is this true? I have the will to do many things that I will never be able to do. Before I was sick there were many things I had the will to do that in no way could I do, for any number of reasons. This is just a falsehood, yet I hear variations on this all the time. I don’t know how to put a spin on this one. Let’s just not say anything like it, Okay?

Did I touch on anything that people say to you? What else do people say that bugs you?

If you’d like to read more posts from today please search for #HAWMC and check out WEGO’s Facebook page. Don’t forget to Like Picnic With Ant’s Facebook Page too. 🙂

If you would like to share your story on Picnic with Ants, contact me through the contact form on my About Me – Contact Me Page.

#HAWMC 17 – Song of Silence

On November 17, 2016November 16, 2016 By WendyIn #HAWCM, Chronic IllnessLeave a comment

Today is Day 17 of #HAWMC (WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge). The prompt today is:

Throwback Thursday!
Grab a post from your archives and repost it!
Add a few sentences at the beginning to frame it.
Why you chose it. Why you liked it. And why it should be shared again.

The post I want to share with you again came from another Health Activist Writers Challenge on April 11, 2012. The prompt was “Theme Song”, I was to imagine my health focus or blog is getting its own theme song. At the writing of this post I was losing my hearing, but I hadn’t lost it completely yet. I did not have a cochlear implant yet.

I wanted to repost this because often people have no idea what it means to have tinnitus. Please note that my tinnitus will not sound like anyone else’s tinnitus, everyone is different. Even my tinnitus is different on different days. It sounds much different now than it did at the time of this recording. I want people to know that just because I’m deaf it doesn’t mean I just hear silence when I take off my cochlear implants. Here is that post, I hope you enjoy it:

I happen to be losing my hearing due to Meniere’s Disease. So music is very hard for me. I can’t really hear it even with my hearing aid, it sounds very tinny. However, I have tinnitus all the time, so I hear noise all the time. At this time I’m deaf in one ear, and have fluctuating loss in the other ear, the other day I was having a particularly low hearing day. Deciding my hearing aid really wasn’t doing any good, I decided to just leave it out. That was the day, I read this prompt. I thought, I couldn’t have a song. Then I thought, even when I’m deaf, due to the tinnitus, I will hear sounds all the time. NO, they won’t be sounds I want to hear, but I will hear sounds.

I talked with a friend of mine, Vincent Morrison, who is a sound engineer. He agreed to help me record something similar to what I hear every day. Please know, my tinnitus changes A LOT. It varies constantly. But these sounds always seem to be around. We did put in some of the startling sounds that just come out of no where that scare me. We didn’t make it as loud as it can be. (I did want people to be able to listen to it.) I wanted to represent that my tinnitus can be softer, a medium tone, and I would say deafening…but that would be silly wouldn’t it?

So on a better hearing day, my dear friend came over and he tried his best. I must admit I’m not the best person at describing sounds. I am so touched to have this recording. Trying so long and so hard to explain just a little of what I hear has been so hard, now…this is my song.

“My Songs of Silence” – sound recording by Vincent Morrison

Artwork by Wendy Holcombe – “Fractured Ear”

If you’d like to read more posts from today please search for #HAWMC and check out WEGO’s Facebook page. Don’t forget to Like Picnic With Ant’s Facebook Page too. 🙂

If you would like to share your story on Picnic with Ants, contact me through the contact form on my About Me – Contact Me Page.

#HAWMC Day16 Activist Advice

On November 16, 2016November 15, 2016 By WendyIn #HAWCM, Chronic Illness3 Comments

Today is Day 16 of #HAWMC (WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge). The prompt today is:

Wisdom Wednesday:
What advice do you have for health activists just starting out?
Share your words of wisdom for all the health activist rookies out there!

I guess my biggest piece of advice would be to just get started. Just jump in and start. I’ve been blogging for years, yet I feel like I’m just getting started. I always feel like I’m just getting started, perhaps because I do little more than blog. Recently I started my facebook page, and I’ve started being active on Twitter. I’ve searched out others who posts about Meneire’s Disease, migraines, bipolar, chronic illness and pain in general. I’m learning so much!

I can’t do a lot of the things I’d like to do as a health activist. I’d love to be able to be a voice in person, to speak, to go to conferences, to be more involved. But alas, I can’t. I may try more in the future, but I’ll admit at this point in time I’m too afraid to try much more than I’ve been doing. It has been very rewarding though to get to know so many people who not only understand what it’s like to go thorough the same things I do, but are able to put a voice to it.

My recommendation for starting out to be a good activist. Start slow. Don’t bite off more than you can chew all at once, you will get burned out way too fast. Focus on one thing at first then move on to the next. If you blog, make sure to blog on a regular basis. No mater what form of social media you like, be sure to stick with it. Post often. Make contacts. Believe in what you are doing. Care. I guess that’s the biggest thing, that’s what will keep you going, you must care.

If you’d like to read more posts from today please search for #HAWMC and check out WEGO’s Facebook page. Don’t forget to Like Picnic With Ant’s Facebook Page too. 🙂

If you would like to share your story on Picnic with Ants, contact me through the contact form on my About Me – Contact Me Page.

#HAWMC Day 15 – Favorite Health Advocate

On November 15, 2016 By WendyIn #HAWCM, Chronic IllnessLeave a comment

Today is Day 15 of #HAWMC (WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge). The prompt today is:

Time to spread the love.
Shout out all your favorite Health Advocates!
Make sure to share a few sentences explaining just how grateful you are for them.

Listing all of my favorite Health Advocates would take up a book. There is no way I can give a shout out to all of them in this tiny amount of space. When I first read this prompt I thought it read that I was to give a shout out to my favorite health advocate, and I thought that was impossible, but I thought of a way to do it, kind of. Listing all, really is impossible. Please see my post from Friday, Friday Follow, for a list of many of my favorites; there are still more, but that will give you a good start. Today I’ll just list a three blogs I’ve been following the longest that I feel are still doing an exceptional job.

Denise is an advocate for Meniere’s Disease, hearing loss and service dogs. She tells her story with wit and flare in a weekly post on her blog Hearing Elmo. There you will hear about her life with Meniere’s Disease, working and studying in academia, her family, life with a service dog, and her Faith. I’m proud to call her friend.

Madelyn writes at ADD…and so much more, as you can tell by the title she is an advocate for ADD…and so much more! Madelyn’s blog is a place for her to “let you know about new ADD opportunities and to post all kinds of seemingly disconnected content.” This blog is intended to help: anyone with an Executive Functioning Disorder. I don’t have ADD and I get so much from her blog. She is an ADD coach, has won a number of awards, and I think she’s just the bomb.

Kara from Polishing Dookie does an exceptional job making people feel comfortable with her illnesses with a sense of humor and intelligence that keeps you reading. Her tag line “Making the most of the sh*t I’ve got left” shows her sense of humor about her IBD (Irritable Bowel Disease). Kara takes you on a ride that is her life, and you will be happy to join her.

If you’d like to read more posts from today please search for #HAWMC and check out WEGO’s Facebook page. Don’t forget to Like Picnic With Ant’s Facebook Page too. 🙂

If you would like to share your story on Picnic with Ants, contact me through the contact form on my About Me – Contact Me Page.

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