My Dysautonomia Awareness Products

As I’m sure you all know, I have a Zazzle store to sell my photography and other things! I also have a wide variety of chronic illness awareness products available for sale, including DYSAUTONOMIA PRODUCTS!!!

I know Dysautonomia Awareness Month is technically coming to a close soon, but we need to spread awareness all year long! I have a great selection of products in my store including:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
What other products would you like to see?
Do you have ideas for designs (I’m still experimenting with design software)?
Any [non-copyright] phrases you’d like to see on something?

Happy Fall Ya’ll

It’s now officially fall! Yesterday was the autumnal equinox, which marks the first official day of fall here in the northern hemisphere.

One of my friends, CL, shared an interesting article on her Facebook about why fall is the only season that has two names (one thing I know I have personally wondered about many times). I thought it was an interesting, and not too terribly long, read:

Why Is Autumn the Only Season With Two Names?

Do you have a preference for what you call this season? I use both fall and autumn about equally. Sometimes I’ll even use both in the same sentence! I do really love the name Autumn, as well.

Is this your favorite season? Even if it isn’t your favorite season, what is your favorite part of the season? I absolutely love watching the trees change (so gorgeous!), the smells, the crunch of the leaves underfoot, the feeling of the crisp breeze, and hoodies!!! I also love hot tea and cozy blankets, but I get to keep those all through winter too 😉

Supplements Carry Risks Too

Don’t get me wrong, I am not just blindly wanting you to follow “Big Pharma” down the rabbit hole of taking more drugs and needing drugs to counteract the side effects of those drugs. Actually, I am all for all sorts of different combinations of lifestyles. If you love taking pharmaceuticals, then go take your pharmaceuticals and I’m so happy that they make you feel better! If you love taking supplements, then please go take your supplements and enjoy your life! If you love combining the two, then go do that too and enjoy feeling better! Woot for feeling better and managing our symptoms the best way we know how!!!

Anyway. Now that that is over, here we go. The point of the post 😛

Some people don’t realize that supplements can carry just as many risks as pharmaceuticals can. In fact, I would argue that, because of the state of “common knowledge” they are more dangerous. Why do I say that? Simply because people read an “all natural” label and are willing to pop it into their mouth without learning anything else about it… leading to potentially deadly consequences.

Wait, did I just say deadly?

Yes, yes I did. Continue reading

Nausea and Dysautonomia

Today, Dysautonomia International shared an article to their Facebook  about nausea and vomiting, and how the two don’t always go hand in hand and how they tied to the nervous system. The text that accompanied D.I.’s post points out that nausea is a common symptom for dysautonomia patients.

As many of you know, I have been suffering with chronic nausea for years. Lately, it’s been so bad that, at times, I struggle to eat. That’s actually part of why my GI decided to do the colonoscopy. As of my last appointment, he didn’t believe I had primary gastroparesis, but he did say I definitely have what is called “delayed gastric emptying” which is caused by my whole system running slow so it tells my stomach to stop working. Very similar, but different causes. He is thinking he might do more testing though, later, just to be sure.

I am wondering if the reason my nausea is so bad is because it has multiple causes?

Anyway, I found the article extremely interesting and really wanted to share:

Nausea and Vomiting: Not Always in Sync by Pharmacy Times

“Grieving The Life I Once Had” – from HuffPost

A little while ago, I read this post on HuffPost:

Grieving the Life I Once Had
by Naomi Sakin

(I actually got there from Dysautonomia International‘s Facebook page.)

Facebook is really the only way I get any of my news. The only news source I follow directly is National Geographic, and that’s primarily because I have admired their photography for as long as I can remember. Anyway, that’s off topic.

The article, is heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking because it’s real. So devastatingly and painfully real. You don’t find out what she has until the end, but it doesn’t matter. I think anyone with a chronic condition can relate, especially one that you weren’t born with, or that you were born with that didn’t get diagnosed or show up until later in life, or one that changed as you grew, or one that is progressive that suddenly throws you curve balls that alter your day-to-day. Really, anyone. Anyone that no longer can do what they used to.

Take caution reading the article. If you are fragile, you will cry. I teared up, but luckily I’m not doing too badly, mentally, right this moment so I didn’t lose it. Yesterday, I would have flat out bawled for hours.

I am kind of proud as to what my unconscious and fingers decided to add to my Facebook share and wanted to share it with you:

The life we once lived gets torn from us in an instant. The life we once lived gets replaced by pain and pills. Still, we are somehow expected to carry on. We adjust, and we move forward.
– Elizabeth Bulfer

Sometimes, we don’t know how we move forward, but we always seem to move forward. That’s why I started this blog: to move forward, to remember to always move forward, to give me a reason to move forward (if only to make one more post), and to remind others to move forward.

Together, we can carry the enormous weight of these illnesses and our grief.

Together, let’s move forward.


Featured Image from the article

Sometimes Simple Explanations are Best

Yes, it’s from PBS Kids. I did have an odd time accepting that I was getting information from a site designed for kids, which I told Dan. However, Dan read through parts of the site, and said that it definitely wasn’t “childish” in any way. It really is a site with good information, and it seems to have really helped me process some things.

PBS Kids: Accepting Death

I read through all the relevant portions of this site before bed the other night, and woke up feeling a little better. At night (as you sleep), your brain does work through things at a subconscious level.

Today, however, I am having a little bit of a rougher time. I had a really odd dream. We picked up my grandparents (both of them) and we were taking them to my parents’ house for a party. Tons of people were there: my whole family, all our friends, people I can’t remember now that I’m awake. Once we got to the house, no one could seem to get Grama out of the car. She was also shrinking and was really fragile. I finally crawled into the car and managed to squirm myself under her and then carefully shuffled out of the car and we got her into a wheelchair, but she was tiny and almost just skin and bones. It was really odd. Then I got called into the house. Suddenly, people were disappearing. I went back to find my family members and they were gone, then my friends were gone. I was panicked and suddenly I was all on my own. I was standing in my parents’ backyard (but of course, it was just a little off) surrounded by lots of giant, loud frogs and wondering why I was suddenly all alone. Then I woke up.

Obviously, that dream is full of potential symbolism. I can definitely see why it made me a little emotionally shakey. Overall, however, I’m definitely doing better than I was a few days ago. I have a better grasp on how I’m feeling now, and I can slowly start to tackle my emotions one small piece at a time.

“Official Uniform of the Dysautonomia Warrior” – another shirt and two questions

 

I found a pretty and comfortable looking tee shirt! (It says it’s made out of very soft materials.) I’m thinking it’ll probably be great for lounging around the house in the summer.

What kinds of merchandise do you think will work well with this design? I have a basic sweatshirt and now this tee.

What other illnesses/conditions do you think I should make this design for? (Example: “Official Uniform of the Fibromyalgia Warrior”)

Just Breathe – Great Art for Chronics

 

Just a friendly reminder from one Chronic to another: Sometimes, you just have to take a second and just breathe.

This is also available as a wood wall hanging and on a spiral bound notebook!

Chronic Living – Buzzfeed

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Living With A Health Problem | Buzzfeed

Here’s a collection of good quotes about living as a young adult with chronic health issues.

Defining Disabled from Indisposed and Undiagnosed

Defining Disabled – Indisposed and Undiagnosed

I’m just going to leave this here. I’ve been thinking along the same lines, and she articulated these thoughts perfectly!