Chronically Creative

How's everyone doing? It's summer and it's hot AF. Also, I reluctantly turn 40 and we talk about dealing with remissions and mental health. 

Hey, I'm back! Well, sort of. I started a new website and podcast called The Chronically ill Christian. We talk about turning to, and questioning, our faith in times of struggle with chronic disease and disability. Will try to find God in all the messy places of our lives and deal with the hard questions, while still trying to find hope and peace and healing. Come join us over at www.thechronicallyillchristian.com and listen wherever you get your podcasts. 

New year, no more podcasting? Well, we'll see...Oh, yeah, and screw those damn resolutions! :) 

Halloween can be triggering for those of us with mental illness. Unresolved trauma can surface during this time. Not everyone celebrates or they may celebrate in a way that excludes gore, spookiness and fright. If that's you, I understand. 

Let's talk about the scary aspect of cohabitating with others who also have a chronic illness. Does it work for you? Or does it leave you running from your home like it's haunted? Also, how do we return to "normal" after this pandemic when our version of normal never was normal? 

Want to be a guest on an upcoming podcast? Contact me: www.stephenfratello.com 

Just checking in. Fall is upon us and that can mean cooler temps, which is great for heat intolerance, but we also welcome fall allergens -- which is not so cool. Daylight savings time and darker days can be a bummer for SAD, depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. Also, do you live with someone who also has a chronic illness? Do you find it helpful or does it make everything worse? I want to talk to you about it on an upcoming podcast, so get in touch! 

How do we find a balance between acceptance and living in the moment vs. hoping for a better future? 

Sometimes birthdays can be a bit of a bummer with a chronic illness and sometimes grief can be....complicated. 

Independence Day. Yay.  And, does misery really love company? Also, has your chronic illness gotten so complicated and nuanced that you don't even know how to explain it to other people? Do you even understand it? It's totally okay if you don't. I'll talk about it in this episode. 

What's Pride going to be like this year? What is our community going to be post covid? What do we do with haters? All that coming up. 

Themighty.com

Katebowler.com

Chronic-Joy.org 

Summertime is often regarded as a fun time. It's a season that most people love. Well, if you have a chronic illness that is affected by the heat, or restricted by what you can eat, or find it hard to travel for vacations...summertime isn't so fun. I get it. 

How does politics affect people with disabilities? What about LGBTQ people? Let's talk about it. 

Did you know that the weekends are not always the most fun for people with chronic illnesses and disabilities? Sometimes we get out and do fun stuff but a lot of times we spend it inside reading a book, watching a movie or doing something really low-key so our symptoms don't flare. If you know somebody with a chronic illness that lives by themselves, reach out and say hello. If you can, stop by for an hour or two. :) If you are someone with a chronic illness, then you know exactly what I mean. 

More on toxic positivity when dealing with chronic illnesses like depression and anxiety. 

We all know that being positive has its benefits, but it can be toxic to stuff your feelings down and paste a smiley face over your pain. We'll discuss what it's like to live with a chronic illness and have positivity shoved down our throats. 

The healthcare field has many caring and compassionate professionals that want to help people get well. Unfortunately, it also has people who are greedy, cruel and hurtful. They are unprofessional professionals. Let's talk about them.

Do you feel pressure to disclose a chronic illness, disability, mental illness or addiction? It's up to you if, when and how you do it. 

What do you eat when you can't eat anything?! Nutrition is important but it's tough to keep up with when you are chronically ill. Let's talk about it. 

If you struggle with a mood disorder/mental illness (depression, anxiety, bipolar, PTSD, phobias, ect.) you are part of the chronic illness community.  Often times, people with mental illnesses are overlooked. You get more understanding and sympathy from having a broken arm or heart attack than you do for having to live with ongoing mental health issues. 

As chronically ill people, we may struggle with forgiving friends who abandon us, family members who were absent or uncaring and a whole lot more. Let's get into it. 

Do you have any spiritual practices that help you cope with your chronic illness? Has having a chronic illness helped to strengthen your faith or weaken it? We'll talk about that and more on this episode of Chronically Creative. 

In this 2 part series, we will discuss how spirituality helps us cope with our chronic illness. We will also explore how our faith has been tested or changed because of chronic sickness. Stay tuned...

Limitations. Friend or foe? 

Easy does it. It's been a crazy year. Now with a new start, how can we make each day just a little better while living in such a crazy world? 

Sometimes animals can be very helpful and therapeutic in helping us deal with our chronic illness. However, on the flip side, they can also add a great deal of stress to your life if you are not ready or capable of caring for it. 

The holidays can be tough for people with chronic illnesses.  A word on that in this short and sweet episode. 

I'll talk a little bit about what MCAS is and how I have experienced it in my life.  

We have a new President, which is reason to hope and I'll talk a little about mast cell activation syndrome, depression and anxiety. 

I'll be back blogging and in addition, a new podcast. We'll talk about the crazy things happening in the world and how it affects people like us with a chronic illness. We'll also talk about ways we can cope and stay centered by engaging in prayer, meditation and connecting with ourselves and others. Stay tuned!