Organising an efficient cleaning schedule can be difficult. One day you’re on top of all your cleaning tasks. Then the next day is spent attending appointments or work, and the chores start to build up, leaving you overwhelmed and not knowing where to start when you arrive home. If…
There are so many things that make chronic illness tough. The pain, the exhaustion, brain fog. They’re just a few of the physical symptoms that make daily tasks challenging. Then there are the mental frustrations that go along with having these conditions. Being left behind when everyone is moving…
How is it that time of year again? I can’t believe Christmas is already around the corner! Have you already started the shopping process? I try and start as early as October so that I’m not wading amongst crowds. If you have a chronic illness, shopping during the Christmas…
If someone had told me four years ago that I would need to part with a few of my belongings to reduce my stress, I would have laughed. There was no way I could part with anything – everything was sentimental.
But year after year, we kept adding possessions into…
Having a chronic illness means frequent attendance at doctor and specialist appointments. Often you feel like most of your days are spent meeting with them while trying to keep on top of all of your other commitments. Specialist appointments can be stressful. However, I’ve found that by preparing beforehand…
If you like, you can read about my story with autoimmunity here. Prior to my diagnosis, doctors would tell me my symptoms were due to stress. So when my specialists figured out the conditions I had (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, undifferentiated connective tissue disease, inappropriate sinus tachycardia, and postural orthostatic tachycardia),…
Painsomnia is an inability to sleep (insomnia) due to chronic pain. And when cyclical, can exacerbate symptoms of chronic illness. When dealing with an entire night of pain, I feel exhausted and my heart tends to work harder the next day, triggering more of my dysautonomia symptoms.
Most nights I…
I started meal prepping before I had chronic illness. It helped a lot when I was working full time and didn’t have the energy to cook when I returned home. Since being diagnosed, it’s helped even more.
Spending extra time in the kitchen seems daunting. Meal prepping can take a…
The time was fast approaching and I was about to start my 4-week practicum. I was extremely nervous. For the last two years, I had struggled to stand for long periods of time without my heart rate increasing and causing dizziness. I also experienced issues talking due to my…
Specialist appointments started to become overwhelming, I was tired of taking supplements multiple times a day, and I was over having my blood drawn. I just wanted to feel normal. So I shifted my health issues to the back of my mind. Although I was in pain, I pushed…
I was worried about whether or not I would have the physical and mental stamina to make it through a semester. I contemplated whether it was worth spending money on a degree that I may not be able to finish. And although I did not want my chronic illness…
Unfortunately, it’s not just the crust that can cause complications. It can also be what’s used as a base and the combination of toppings. You can’t always ensure your order won’t be cross-contaminated with allergens. And when you go through all the obstacles of customising your pizza, you can’t…
When I experience these symptoms, I know I’m close to fainting. I suffer from inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST), a type of cardiac arrhythmia and a form of dysautonomia. The “inappropriateness” means it can be activated out of nowhere. IST creates an excessive acceleration in heart rate with minimal exertion….
I was one of those people that would wait until the last minute to shop for gifts and then battle against the crowds. After one particularly stressful year, I decided it was the last time I was going to put myself through that ordeal. I wanted to spend less…
And if you’re suffering from chronic illness, receiving gifts you’re unable to use can be just as daunting. You’re left feeling terrible. Too terrible to admit to the buyer that you can’t make use of the gift due to allergies or over-stimulation. I can’t count how many skincare products…
I wanted a rustic wedding. You know the ones you see outdoors with the mismatched wooden chairs? We planned to have a drink station with a selected range of infused fruit waters for our 80 guests. The vegan buffet at the reception would be offered on platters down the…
Creating a daily routine has allowed me to maintain balance in the cleanliness of my home, all without depleting my energy. Before implementing my cleaning routine, I would often find myself not knowing where to start. I would glance at the mess piling up in every direction and it…
Why Laura? Why would you ruin a good thing by adding vegetables to a dessert? Crazy right? But before you decide that’s too odd a combination for you, I really recommend you give these a go!
There’s a saying that goes, “don’t knock it, till you try it”. Well…
It’s a common assumption that any bodily changes are just a result of getting older. I know I thought that way. Whenever a new issue arose, I’d push it in the back of my head not wanting to come across as a whiner. But the pain and frequency associated with…
Soups are my go to when it comes to Winter but as for Summer, not many people would think to enjoy a nice bowl of steaming liquid in severe heat. Unfortunately my autoimmune disease doesn’t discriminate according to seasons and instead I tend to eat foods my gut can…