A Life With Trigeminal Neuralgia
Living with TN is hoping that an increase in pain is a temporary blip – a change in weather, a medication adjustment, a prolonged source of stress – and not the predictable outcome of progression that my body seems to favour. The logical side of my brain considers all of these possibilities. I know that […]
I have never described myself as a creative person. I’m drawn to creative activities like writing, dancing, and making music. However, I, as a person, struggle with creativity. The left side of my brain is incredibly dominant; I’m analytical, methodical, and I measure things quantitatively, which means that I often impose rules and regulations upon […]
Well, it’s been one year since I had the surgery that drastically changed my life. Recovery has been an absolute roller coaster to say the least; every up has had a down, every twist has had a turn, and every bit of “full-speed” progress has required a brake. There have been times where I felt […]
Exactly one year ago, I was in the hospital sicker then I’d ever been. After being diagnosed with Serotonin Syndrome, the decision was made to cold turkey me off of over 50% of my medications. I spent 8 days in hospital going through such intense withdrawals that I thought I was going to die. That […]
I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t anxious when COVID-19 emerged. As a chronically ill person with a bad immune system, I don’t take viruses lightly. I know how violently my body reacts to a simple cold or flu; replicating that on a larger scale isn’t something I want to do. As the […]
I’m often told that “I don’t look sick” or that “I look pretty good for someone whose in pain”. Unless you pay close attention, you wouldn’t notice my face wince or me holding my breath until the stabs in my face stop. On one hand, sometimes being invisible is easier. I know that when I […]
When I was 10, I would try to imagine what my life would look like as an adult. It excited me to think about all the opportunities and responsibilities I would soon get to experience. Growing up couldn’t come soon enough. When I was 13, I thought I was invincible. I thought that through […]
About a month ago, I decided that I wanted to do a series on how chronic illness affects relationships. Throughout the years, I’ve seen how Trigeminal Neuralgia has created, disbanded, and altered the personal connections I pursue. Between family, friends, romantic relationships, the public, and even our relationship with our own bodies and minds, there’s […]
There’s a phrase that’s tossed around the chronic illness community and it’s something I think about a lot. “Don’t let your illness define you.” Perhaps because I share my story quite often and quite graphically, I’ve had many people tell me that I’m obsessed with my illness. While I don’t think obsessed is the right […]
I’ve got to say, it definitely doesn’t feel like it’s been 3 months since the “Great Head Snip of 2019”. On one hand, it feels like it’s been much longer; I often reflect on how much I’ve accomplished since surgery and it generates this allusion that the surgery happened many months ago. On the other […]
Living With Teal 