IJAG – Diagnosing part 7 (Restless Leg Syndrome)

I'm over on Substack now and I wrote a piece on being diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). Give it a read: https://bentcolumn.substack.com/p/im-just-a-girl-diagnosing-part-7

Vogue vomit

I wouldn’t wish _______ on my worst enemy. That common, certainly overused, phrase fits how I feel about my health challenges. Unstoppable pain, ever-changing symptoms, dramatic physical changes, life altering daily struggles, etc. My broken body is my burden. My unfathomable new existence. Even after nearly a decade of trying to find a normal, I …

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Spruce ter-let

My frustrations with ablism around most outdoor adventures are numerous. One of the most glaring shortcomings we face on the daily is a lack of access to bathroom facilities. This complaint runs across the board. For all genders, all types of disability, all ages, etc. Every person needs and deserves access to clean functional toilets.  …

It’s still raining

I don’t know how long it takes for something to be obvious. How many individual accounts of the same story? How frequently do we need to see the same symptoms? When do they, the people and institutions in power, connect the dots or follow the strings? More and more often, journalists and celebrities are publicly …

Tripping into peace

A few weeks ago, I underwent surgery to eliminate all of the cancerous tissue in my uterus. Even though I was under full anesthesia, it was fairly quick as far as surgeries go, around an hour, and I was able to head home later that day. I was incredibly lucky and they were able to …

Logs on the fire

Four days ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. I’m still in shock. I had no symptoms or indicators. During my annual gynecological visit, they did a pap. It isn’t a requirement or even recommended to do a pap for every visit, but my doctor is diligent because of my chronic conditions and family history. A …

So many sorrys

We’ve been apologizing for as long as I can remember. Saying sorry to anyone who happens to see you on a hard day. Cowering to the people who consider our existence an inconvenience. Trying to soothe the awkwardness of those around us when we are flaring.  From the first time I was brought into the …

Lady like me

The complexities of being a biological female dealing with chronic pain and illness are innumerable. This isn’t to say that other gender identities don’t struggle with similar issues. Everyone’s struggle is real. There are no flat roads in any of our health journeys. These are just some of the particular areas where women face constant …

I’m just girl – Diagnosing part 3 (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)

I just assumed that every person became light headed when they stood for an extended period of time. Standing up quickly or being overly active would always leave me with a spinning room and short light show. It was something I naturally compensated for through the years. I figured that everyone lived with these daily …

I’m just a girl – Diagnosing part 1 (Gastroparesis)

I was 18 years old and living in the American south. It was a new adventure after moving to the U.S just a few years prior. Being eighteen and still adjusting to a new culture, my life was a combination of amazing and incredibly stressful. It was a time before social media. The Internet was …