Mighty Well
  • Shop
  • Home
  • Friends in the Fight
    • Friends in the Fight

      Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

      February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      World Cancer Day: 5 ways to support someone…

      February 3, 2021February 3, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      We Are Mighty Well

      January 22, 2021January 22, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Making the Invisible Visible

      December 16, 2020December 16, 2020

  • Chronic Illness
    • Chronic Illness

      Rare Disease Day

      February 28, 2021February 28, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

      February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Diabetes Resource Guide

      February 5, 2021February 5, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      World Cancer Day: 5 ways to support someone…

      February 3, 2021February 3, 2021

  • General Wellness
    • General Wellness

      5 Healthy Meals You Can Cook on the…

      February 24, 2021February 24, 2021

      General Wellness

      Spread love, not germs, this Valentine’s Day

      February 12, 2021February 12, 2021

      General Wellness

      New CDC Guidelines on Double Masking

      February 11, 2021February 11, 2021

      General Wellness

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      General Wellness

      Looking Towards the New Year With Hope and…

      December 30, 2020December 30, 2020

  • Shop
  • Home
  • Friends in the Fight
    • Friends in the Fight

      Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

      February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      World Cancer Day: 5 ways to support someone…

      February 3, 2021February 3, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      We Are Mighty Well

      January 22, 2021January 22, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Making the Invisible Visible

      December 16, 2020December 16, 2020

  • Chronic Illness
    • Chronic Illness

      Rare Disease Day

      February 28, 2021February 28, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

      February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Diabetes Resource Guide

      February 5, 2021February 5, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      World Cancer Day: 5 ways to support someone…

      February 3, 2021February 3, 2021

  • General Wellness
    • General Wellness

      5 Healthy Meals You Can Cook on the…

      February 24, 2021February 24, 2021

      General Wellness

      Spread love, not germs, this Valentine’s Day

      February 12, 2021February 12, 2021

      General Wellness

      New CDC Guidelines on Double Masking

      February 11, 2021February 11, 2021

      General Wellness

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      General Wellness

      Looking Towards the New Year With Hope and…

      December 30, 2020December 30, 2020

Mighty Well

Chronic IllnessFriends in the FightUncategorized

Father’s Day Accessibility

by Ariela Paulsen June 15, 2019June 15, 2019
written by Ariela Paulsen
Father’s Day Accessibility
Illustration by Mari Andrew

For a few years, I’ve posted this image around Mother’s Day.  As someone who has felt like an outsider and witnessed loved ones struggling with infertility or loss, it felt important to me that we remain mindful of how our traditions affect people.  

This year, I hesitated. It’s not that I’ve changed my mind. Rather, I noticed something that was missing: accessibility.  This year, a number of people in my life have become so ill that they struggled to participate in Mother’s Day, and are nervously anticipating Father’s Day.  Some are bed-bound. Others simply cannot travel to be with their parents or children. Still others cannot eat food or be around fragrant flowers.  

I have had many times when I could not be part of holidays.  My mom’s birthday a few years ago, I woke up with a migraine, fever, and fatigue, and spent the day unable to lift myself off the living room floor.  One Father’s Day I’d planned to work in the garden with my dad, but the sun triggered my MCAS and my joints were too messed up to kneel or shovel. This Mother’s Day, I wanted to go dancing with my mom but didn’t know how my joints or GI dysmotility would do, and wanted to eat out with my mother-in-law but struggled with the wooden chairs, woodsmoke smell, and food options at the restaurant.

I do not think we should stop celebrating Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or any holiday for that matter.  Parents are incredible, often overworked and under-appreciated. Singing their praises one day a year seems hardly enough.  I just hope that we can celebrate while paying attention to how our use of social media may affect others, and making sure that those in our circle feel included.

Tomorrow is Father’s Day, an opportunity to celebrate the “fathers” in our life who parent in a variety of ways. To begin this practice, see if someone you know could use a listener to grieve their lost child or parent, or to vent about their strained relationship.  Celebrate them for their other acts of “parenthood” — taking wonderful care of pets, loving all their students, caring for someone who needs it. Check in with those you’re celebrating with. Do they have food they can eat? Do they have transportation options that work for them?  Do you have opportunities for people to engage while laying down? If someone can’t make it, consider bringing the party to them, even if it’s a second party at a different time. But if nothing else, let those around you know they are seen, even if their experience is not what the world portrays.

Has anyone ever gone out of their way to include you in a holiday?  What advice do you have for advocating to family members to make get togethers more accessible and inclusive?

0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Ariela Paulsen

Ari struggled with a wide array of health problems for decades before being diagnosed with EDS/POTS/MCAS/etc at age 25. She began writing as a way to heal while spreading information and helping others through their own journeys. She loves being part of the Mighty Well team, sharing the stories and strengths of spoonies everywhere!

previous post
Top 3 Tips for Conversations With Your Doctor
next post
Trying out the Mighty MedPlanner – Your New Medical Organizer

You may also like

Lyme Disease Awareness Month: Stories from the Community

May 14, 2019

Meet Mighty Model, Max Logan: Athlete, Lyme patient,...

February 4, 2019

How My Business Helped My (and others’) Lyme...

May 22, 2017

Why I Am An Open Book About My...

November 22, 2016

I’m Suffering from PTSD But No One Knows...

September 29, 2017

Infusion and Feed Capabilities – A Closer Look...

May 23, 2019

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation – The Mighty Well...

September 13, 2019

Top 4 Things Patients Should Know About Life...

November 11, 2019

6 Things I’m Grateful as a CEO and...

November 19, 2018

How the First Tube-Fed Model to walk NYFW...

October 23, 2018

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

About Us

Hi, We're Mighty Well.

The mission of Mighty Well is to help patients and their caregivers turn sickness into strength. We are leading the global charge that changes the perception of patients from victims to fighters. We do this by improving the experience of being a patient. We create the products we wish we’d had: functional and stylish apparel and accessories that you can wear with confidence - and content that can help you get through the good times and the bad. It’s wellness you can wear.

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Instagram

No images found!
Try some other hashtag or username

Recent Posts

  • Rare Disease Day

    February 28, 2021
  • 5 Healthy Meals You Can Cook on the Road with a Kitchenette

    February 24, 2021
  • Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

    February 17, 2021
  • Spread love, not germs, this Valentine’s Day

    February 12, 2021
  • New CDC Guidelines on Double Masking

    February 11, 2021

Categories

  • Adaptive Wear
  • Chronic Illness
  • Featured
  • Friends in the Fight
  • General Wellness
  • Healthy Work Environments
  • Lyme Disease
  • Medical Devices
  • Mightier Together
  • Mighty Models
  • PICC Line
  • Popular Posts
  • The Undefeated
  • Treatment and Care
  • Uncategorized

Tags Cloud

Active Lifestyle Adulting Best Fit for Your Lifestyle Be Your Own Advocate blm Chronic Illness coronavirus coronoavirus covid-19 Diabetes Disabilities Dysautonomia Family Feeding Tubes Fibromyalgia Gastroparesis holidays invisible illnesses Living Mighty Well Living With a PICC Living with a Port LLMD lyme disease Lyme Into Lemonaid Lyme Literate Doctors MedPlanner mental health Mental Illness mighty mask Mighty Pack mighty well mask Misdiagnosed Mom with Lyme New Years Organization Tips PICC PICC line cover PICC Line Dressing Change PICCPerfect POTS Prevention Self-love Support Systems TPN trans black lives matter

Our Story

Mighty Well - Founder - Emily Levy - Our Story

 

It all started with a cut off sock, a cute hockey player, and an 8 AM finance class. Oh, and a PICC Line. That moment inspired us to launch our first product, the PICCPerfect PICC Line Cover.

 

We know it stinks to feel defined by a diagnosis or feel like just a name on a doctor’s chart. Sounds like you? Read how our founder turned sickness into strength.

Recent Posts

  • Rare Disease Day

    February 28, 2021
  • 5 Healthy Meals You Can Cook on the Road with a Kitchenette

    February 24, 2021
  • Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

    February 17, 2021

Join the Fight

Mighty Well's Facebook Page

Find Us on Instagram

No images found!
Try some other hashtag or username
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Mighty Well © 2018 All Rights Reserved


Back To Top