Beginner's Guide to Supporting Chronically Ill Loved Ones
While there's often no clear answers and it varies depending on the individual, the condition, and so much more, but there are many things that are universally good to support your loved ones.
Tick Diseases
Aside from being extremely annoying and covering you in the most itchy bites I've experienced, they carry a lot of diseases! These diseases are nasty; many cause lasting damage and are just sheer misery!
Fireworks aren't always fun
they are serious triggers for neurodiverse people, those with PTSD (veterans and those who have experienced violence), those with breathing difficulties, people who suffer from headaches, and those who are generally sensitive to loud noises.
HIV Epidemic
The first cases of HIV/AIDS in the US were gay men and some of the opportunistic infections were nicknamed things like "Gay Man's Pneumonia" and Kaposi's Sarcoma, a type of cancer often seen in AIDS patients, was nicknamed "gay cancer".
Don't let bugs bug you: summer safety
Prevention is ALWAYS the best option when dealing with diseases. Thankfully there are several things that you can do to prevent bug bites
Queer Disabled People in History
Disabled people and queer people alike are both likely to be hidden, but both have existed for as long as humanity has - as have queer disabled people. Those who rose to historical prominence often have those parts of their identities shrouded by the world - or at least it's attempted.
Emeryl Redwine
Emeryl is a nonbinary queer artist with multiple conditions, including: anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, and dysmenorrhea. They predominantly do fantasy artwork that is inspired by anime, comic books, and video games to develop their own personal style.
Jessica Kellgren-Fozard
Jessica is a British YouTuber based in Brighton, England. She is probably best known for her videos on disability, queerness, and vintage fashion. She has multiple disabilities, including: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), post orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy (HNPP), and is deaf as a result.
Celebrating & Mourning My Voice
I sung everywhere: in the shower, in the car, in my room, and on stages. I've sung for graduations, competitions, basketball games, and to my dogs.
But when I woke up on February 17 of 2016, when I tried to ask my mom where I was, nothing came out.
Mental Health Metal
Metal music has a bad reputation of being a generally negative genre; but behind the screaming, heavy drums and guitars, there's actually a lot of good being done.
Remembering Thomas
He should be celebrating his 30th birthday today; instead, he's been gone over 13 years.
Neurodivergent Love Languages
While these aren't official, it is another pattern in human behavior; it's really helpful to learn how neurodivergent people communicate and show affection that may differ from the general ways.
‘Til Disabled Do Us Part
We had discussed plans for when he got back to the US and his upcoming trip to a different country before flying in. He talked to me to tell me that he had gotten his passport and was on a train.
Then there was nothing.
Vocal Cord Dysfunction
VCD is a condition of the vocal cords in which the vocal cords may close or partially close during inhalation.
Endometrial Ablation
Endometrial ablation, put simply, is a procedure where the endometrium is destroyed. The endometrium is the innermost layer of the uterus and the part that thickens to either provide a place for a fertilized egg or be shed as a period.
My periods were hell
For eighteen years since then, I’ve battled with severe pain, heavy bleeding, ovarian cysts, and pure torture nearly every month for several days – on top of my other health issues.
Ableism
Ableism is discrimination based on disabilities. It comes in many forms; mainly what I classify as "direct" or "indirect" . This can be seemingly obvious, or subconscious from ingrained beliefs.
My Kinky Colon - Ashley Byrd Pharr
I began an Internet search on Crohn’s Disease, an IBD. My dad had been diagnosed with it in the 80s and had passed just two years before. I vaguely knew the disease was associated with the intestines, but I had never taken the time to learn what Crohn’s was.
Classifying the spread of diseases
We’ve all heard the words “pandemic”, “epidemic”, and probably several more by now – but what do they mean? I’ll go over some of the most common terms used to classify the spread of an infectious disease
International Healthcare: United States of America
This is the healthcare system that I’m most familiar with – and still the most confused by. The majority of health insurance is through private companies (through an employer), but there are a few public options (Medicaid and Medicare, namely). Unfortunately, there is no universal healthcare.