I Hate That Chronic Illnesses Come With Other Chronic Illnesses It’s Like A Buy One Get One Deal From

I get to go to the doctor and be tested for different things. Joint pain really hurts and brain isn’t working right now. Mom thinks I have arthritis but only 22 years old. I know arthritis happens to all ages, just sad. I’m worried if I can write still. Can I draw still? Good news tho! I’m getting a forearm crutch soon. Might help more than a cane. Been using cane for a while, want more stability though so figured arm crutch? I’m sorry if this doesn’t make sense, I’m struggling with words right now.

Also, if I’m putting wrong tags, let me know. I’m sorry, I’m trying

Some things I do to help manage my depression after a manic episode:

Find a good audiobook to listen to so i don't have to waste energy actually reading

Limit my time on social media

Let myself indulge in video games when I'm off work

Always have frozen foods for any meal in the freezer. I have pancakes and these honey meat and cheese crescent rolls I made for breakfast. I have random staples for other meals like diced cooked chicken, different types of veggies, mini potstickers, egg rolls, a pizza, etc

Stay stocked up with all sorts of soups. Sometimes a hot bowl of nutritious soup will set me right for an hour or so

Stretch in the morning and try to have a sip of water after

Use a water flosser and mouth wash when I don't want to brush my teeth

I like to make pasta sauce in bulk and freeze it so I always have fresh pasta sauce on hand

I make indulgent dessert teas with way too much sugar and chocolate

Make myself do a single chore a day no matter how awful it is. I sometimes cry the entire time even. Just 1 though dealers choice. I usually make the bed or do a load of laundry if I'm out of underwear

Blast music

If I feel the need to hurt myself, I do an intense workout instead

Sit in a small, dark room with a soft blanket and let myself be angry and sad and cry and kick and yell. I find being able to get the emotions out like this helps me a lot

Go to bed early and sleep in a bit

Play games on my phone instead of doomscrolling

Make myself have a glass of water in between other drinks so I can at least be semi hydrated. I get dehydrated very easy and it makes my mental worse

Give myself sweet treats as rewards. Things I normally wouldn't ever get

Go sit by the water and watch the snails or crabs walk around

Everyone is different so these things may or may not help you and that's ok. I'm just sharing things that help me. Some definitely take a lot of energy to do and I've found that pushing myself a little more every day helps me recover faster as long as it's paired with plenty of sleep and rest otherwise.

Disablity aids are super cool.

You, and your aids look awesome, pretty/handsome/pleasant, and super rad.

I often feel embarrassed for wearing ear defenders, or for having a tablet harnessed around me but like?? That isnt what it is!! It is a disability aid. It is an AAC device. It is how I communicate, and there is no reason to he embarrassed by that.

Ohana means Family

Your family loves you

They take care of you

They teach you new things

They love to spend time with you

You play and joke around together

You would do anything for each other

They’re the ones you look up to

And they respect and learn from you as well

Together you can get through anything

No matter how long you’re apart

They’ll never truly be gone

In the one you were born into, not everyone may be family

But somewhere, you will find your family

They will love you

And they will be there for you

They will stand by your side

And you will find them

Because everyone has a family somewhere

September 26th is National Family Day!

me: i need that copic 72 set

me: i want those winsor and newton watercolours omg

me: holy shit if i don't get those brushes i will-

mind: bitch you draw like shit who are you kidding

This is so true. I believe people should do what they need to to feel more comfortable just existing. I wish I could use my aac app more often, but my parents refuse to believe that my speech issues are still as bad as they once where. I was nonverbal for over 7 years growing up and just recently been able to talk a little bit with my speaking voice but now it’s getting hard again. I don’t know why it’s hard again. I went to speech therapy for years and now that I’ve stopped it’s like everything is just getting worse.

I made a small set of communication cards to wear on a lanyard. It's nothing super fancy, just index cards with basic info and sentences on them.

I don't know if I'll ever need need them because I can usually force at least some words or short sentences out even when it's really hard. I'm not sure if what I have is severe enough to be considered selective mutism, or any other specific, diagnosable speech issue, because I can technically still talk a bit.

Still, I do have autism and anxiety that make verbal speech hard, and I'm tired of constantly pushing myself to speak. Just because I can talk doesn't mean it's easy for me, or easy for other people to understand. I find myself trying to avoid people in case they want me to talk. Often I have to stutter the same word or two several times before I can find the rest of the words needed to finish the sentence. I've broken down crying while trying to ask simple questions at school. My autism and anxiety are real and difficult even if they aren't "severe" enough to make it 100% impossible to speak.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's okay to accommodate for oneself even if you don't need need it, or can technically survive without it. You don't deserve to suffer just to look normal or be more convenient for other people.

If AAC makes communication easier, even if you can technically speak, do it! If using a mobility aid would make it less painful to go places, even if you can technically walk, do it! If turning on subtitles helps you understand videos, even if you can technically make out some of the dialogue without them, do it! You shouldn't have to wait until you're completely unable to do whatever you need to do before you make it comfortable for yourself.

Unless you're literally ripping that disability aid from someone else's hands, you're not stealing resources from anyone. And you don't owe anyone an explanation as to why you're using disability aids. If someone else doesn't think you need it enough to deserve it, that's on them.

Here’s a small, pretty personal comic, about how growing up with undiagnosed autism has led to me struggling to share negative emotions with other people. (I think unfortunately many can relate to this)

What no one tells you about being “pre-med” until you’re doing it

I realized I wanted to be a doctor when I was a junior in high school, many events happened to bring me to this realization; however I told myself that when I got to college, I was going to be a chemistry/biochemistry major and be “pre-med”–so when the time arrived, that’s what I did.

 “How do I maximize my chances of getting into medical school?” I thought. Make all A’s, get involved in lots of extracurricular activities, research and clinical volunteering. So, that’s what I did—for 4 years of undergrad, I was a machine. I figured if I kept working hard, I would eventually reach my goal of becoming a doctor. This is all true, however, no one tells you what isolating yourself and studying for extensive hours at a time can do to you. No one tells you about the hardships you will face along the way, the friends you will lose who “don’t understand why you study so much,” all the family events, functions, parties and birthday parties you miss out on because you’re “at the library.” The difficulties of dating while “pre-med” are real. I dated a couple of wonderful people, who each decided to break things off with me because I would be “leaving for medical school.” Being “pre-med” (and I am sure these same struggles continue on into medical school) can leave you feeling drained, depressed, stressed, lonely and feeling as though you are not really “being yourself” (due to the fact you are working so hard all the time and trying to balance everything).

There have been only a few times during my undergraduate career when the words, “I am done with studying” have been said. Those times are when the semester actually ended. I never believed I was truly ever done with studying, because there was always more I could review or more I could learn. Considering the “weed-out” classes you have to take can have up to a 70% fail rate (depending on your university), you can imagine the pressure of always wanting to ‘do more.’

Every test, is a weed out. I will never forget after taking many science tests, upon receiving our test grades, I would always over hear someone in the room break down and cry, saying that now they have to change their major or now they can’t be a doctor. It’s heartbreaking.

 The struggle, is REAL. It is HARD. And it requires an extensive amount of work. However, it can be done. The best way to get through it all without losing your sanity, is to have an amazing support group; whether that group is your family and/or best friends. Have people who you can go to about anything. I wouldn’t have made it through and gotten into medical school without my family and friends always being there for me and being understanding.

Also, make time to have fun! It sounds impossible, but it is absolutely necessary. Go out and do something fun with your friends at least once a week!

Don’t put more on your plate than you can handle, if you are involved in a lot of extracurricular activities and you realize you’re unhappy lately and feel like you never get any “me” time, drop some activities and MAKE “me” time, that’s important for your happiness and your mental health. Also, make time to exercise, even if it is going on a walk. Exercise is the best way to reduce stress, boost your mood, clear your mind and take care of your mental health.

Find a mentor, someone who has been through it before. Ask them any questions you have about classes or medical school. Relieve your stresses and anxiety and get yourself a mentor.

I wouldn’t change anything I did, except for making more time to workout and relieve some of that stress. If you want to be a doctor, go for it–the reward will be absolutely worth it in the end.

 My goal of this post was not to deter anyone who seeks to be a doctor away from medicine, but rather to fill you in on the struggles that no one tells you about and to provide some helpful solutions for getting through it.

Hopefully it helped provide some insight!

my identity doesn’t have to make sense to you. when I have the energy, I don’t mind explaining, but at the end of the day it doesn’t actually matter if you understand or not. all that matters is that you accept me and respect me for who I am

happy disability pride month to those with conditions no one talks about, online or in general:

multiple sclerosis (me lol)

marfans

cerebral palsy

bells palsy

hidradenitis suppurativa

cauda equina syndrome

mixed connective tissue disorder

hyperadrenergic pots

non hypermobile eds types

stickler syndrome

mitochondrial disease

cystic fibrosis

sickle cell disease

myasthenia gravis

post-cholecystectomy syndrome

SWAN (syndromes without a name)

...just to name a few. i see you and you deserve awareness and understanding.

this list is non exhaustive, rb with other conditions you want to see represented!!

[ID: a post banner with dark red background and medium grey bolded text in the center. it reads “This post is about physical disabilities, do not derail.” On each side there is the dynamic disability icon, a gray symbol of person in manual wheelchair leaning forward with arms bent behind them mid-push. /end ID]