What Happens After Port Surgery?
In the second part of our port series, I am breaking down a little bit of what happens after port surgery. A critical part of having a port is caring for the incision site after placement. My experience with getting a port implanted was far more painful than getting a PICC, primarily due to the […]
Knowing When To Take a Step Back When Living With Chronic Illness
When I tell people I’m sick, they usually think I mean something short-term and contagious like the flu or a stomach bug. If I say I have a chronic illness, they picture conditions like IBS, a bad back, or chronic migraines. The actual reality is all this and more. Yes, and. “I’m sick” I have IBS-like […]
It’s Here: The Chronic Illness Revolution
As 2022 races out of the gate, I am feeling hopeful. For many reasons – some of which purposefully self-fabricated as I described on New Year’s – but one reason looms large in my mind: the chronic illness revolution is here. I feel like my entire life has been building to this moment. As a child, my […]
Emily’s Care Team Tips
As we explored building up a care team last month, I wanted to take this opportunity to dive into a few of the treatment plans, therapies, and healing modalities that put my chronic illness stemming from Tick Borne Illness in full remission in 2022. I wanted to share these tips with you in case it aids you […]
5 Tips for Building An Awesome Caregiving Team
Learning to thrive with a chronic illness is a team effort; it’s not something you can simply do on your own. You’ll need to work on building a caregiving team of people supporting you throughout your journey. You may need specialists, non-traditional or non-medical practitioners, a primary care physician (PCP) to see the big picture, and […]
Preparing for the Unexpected
Getting organized for daily life can be a challenge. Being prepared for potential unexpected detours — like a trip to the hospital — can feel overwhelming. But now more than ever, it is helpful to have a plan in place, just in case. Hospitals are under strain, and so wait times may be longer and […]
4 Tips for Advocating to Employers Post-COVID
The struggle to find work that accommodates chronic illness and disability is not new. Many of us exist in a grey space — able to work, but not in the environments offered by our employers. We face a choice to either give up our careers and income or push through unhealthy situations for as long […]
Sick at School
Most kids stay home from school when they feel sick. It’s comforting to not have to be around others, to let your brain unplug from the rigor of classes, and to just care for yourself — whatever that means in each moment. For those of us with chronic illnesses, we have to find a way […]
Be inspired: Life as an Athlete, Runner & Type-1 Diabetic
Photo by Erika Young Every month, we feature Friends in the Fight™ from our Mighty Well community who have stories on how they turned their sickness into strength. We hope that by reading their stories, you will be inspired to keep going and keep fighting despite the many challenges. This month, we bring you Erika […]
Lessons Learned on the Road to Acceptance
My name is Emmy, and I’m an 18 year old battling Systemic Arthritis, along with other autoimmune diseases, Mast Cell Disease, and more. Back in 2014, I went from being a healthy kid, about to start her freshman year at a new high school, to a girl I no longer recognized. The road to finding […]
President Trump’s 2018 Budget: What’s Getting Cut in the Health Department?
On May 23, the Trump administration released his full 2018 budget proposal, which details many of the changes that may be made to the United States federal government’s spending. Outrage from politicians, mayors, outside parties, and citizens followed the release of these plans. According to the Washington Post, the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department, […]
Being Ill in Any Way Is Better When You Are Not Alone
Jess shares how her “face-to-face” battle with mental illness has made her a stronger person. A few years ago, Jess would have told you, “my disorder has destroyed me.” But after consciously confronting her illness head on and developing a caring support system, she no longer views her anxiety as a weakness, but as a […]