Chronic Health Blog Post – Alexandra C. Pauley

Inertia

I am lying in a ball, swaddled in a blanket on the couch. I am not cold, but I sweat and shake and pull the blanket tighter. I am not ill. I have no fever. I am having an episode. I can help no one in this state. Not even myself. I feel the tinglesContinueContinue reading “Inertia”

Vacations at Home

Can you remember your last vacation? The sun warming your skin, or snow misting across your face? My last travels took me to Paris and the south of France, but my last vacation was this morning.I’ve seen several people talking about taking vacations in their mind (shout out to Debi Mazar’s Spain mind-vacay today), andContinueContinue reading “Vacations at Home”

What Should I Watch While Self-Isolating?

Shelter-in-place orders are ubiquitous. Movie theaters are closed. And Netflix subscriptions are up! You know what else is up? Anxiety. Pandemics, like living in a guerilla combat zone, mean that strikes can happen anywhere at any time. That shit is scary! Add high unemployment rates, children at home 24/7, and a news cycle of clickbait,ContinueContinue reading “What Should I Watch While Self-Isolating?”

Stir Crazy: The Chronically Ill Person’s Guide for Healthy People on Dealing with Anxiety, Uncertainty, and Boredom

Hello Healthy People! Your Friendly Neighborhood Person-with-Chronic-Illness here to share some hard-won wisdom about how to stay home and stay sane at the same time. The truth is, it’s not easy. But it doesn’t have to be the hardest thing in the world either. Honestly, I’m kind of excited that my illness finally has someContinueContinue reading “Stir Crazy: The Chronically Ill Person’s Guide for Healthy People on Dealing with Anxiety, Uncertainty, and Boredom”