https://youtu.be/iehJXmzzmqA In this episode we celebrate Blood Thinner Appreciation Day, the commemoration of living through my second pulmonary embolism experience in 2013. As I give you a sneak peek into how I’m celebrating this year, I also share why my personal celebration (and the days that followed) led me to grieve. In the end, I... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/31PKGIkFBes I recently heard that storytelling is essential for advocacy. I’ve spent quite a bit of my life typing my stories and sharing them with the world, but I now need to explore new outlets for storytelling. In an effort to minimize the amount that I have to type, I’ll use this YouTube channel and... Continue Reading →
It's a long hallway, but it's not long enough. My steps are limited, as is my ability to grasp what my doctor just confirmed. "You already knew what he was going to say," I remind myself as I approach the end of the hall. It's freeing to turn the corner and leave behind the clinic... Continue Reading →
“Lindsey, it may not be what you think,” my mom asserted, her voice breaking through my cacophony of wheezing. “Mom!” I tried to shout, but the sound of my interjection was muffled by my breathlessness. As my mom sped down the highway toward the ER, I couldn’t stop myself from saying the words I knew... Continue Reading →
October-ish 2019: “Mom, do you think this is what my life is going to look like from now on?” It’s an impossible question to answer, but I had to ask. If you keep up with my posts, you know that my health hasn’t been...swell. I’ve been referring to my health complications as a “season,” but... Continue Reading →
When you’re born with a debilitating disease, you’re born with health complications. Your body doesn’t wait until you’ve had a long, “good” life to start failing you. I’m young, but I’ve endured almost 24 years of problems and pain. Ethan and I have married for a year and a half, but we’re veterans at upholding... Continue Reading →
“Hey, let me do it,” my sister whispered while reaching for my french fries. As she offered to feed me, I tried to count how many people were watching me fail to feed myself with my dysfunctional right hand. For just a moment, I want you to step into my shoes. You’re 23 years old.... Continue Reading →
“How long will this take?” I asked the MRI technician. As my body glided into the MRI machine, he replied, “About forty minutes.” Two hours later, I began to cringe in pain. “Stay still! Stay still!” I reminded myself. But I couldn’t. My hand felt like it was on fire. My back ached because of... Continue Reading →
“It’s going to get progressively worse,” the doctor informed me. I smiled and nodded my head as I responded, “I know.” But I didn’t actually know. The past few years have been relatively “easy” in comparison to my adolescent years. As the major health complications decreased, I became increasingly convinced that life would progressively “normalize.”... Continue Reading →
May 2019: As my mom and I left Children’s the other day, we overheard two women discussing their travel plans. One woman was preparing to go to Monte Carlo, and the other woman was planning to go to another PGA tournament site. As they innocently conversed with one another, I wanted to scream. I, too,... Continue Reading →
Growing in the Groaning 