Pain has shaped Pam’s life for decades, both physical and mental. Others’ pain, too. She has served as a caregiver for multiple family members and in more recent years, after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions, shifted focus to her own…
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An accident at work changed the trajectory of Kimberley’s life. Although her health issues may seem invisible to others, the pain she feels is very real. Here she shares a situation she encountered with someone she used to consider a friend and how…
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Taking the time to listen and care for your body is a critical life-skill. This is true for everyone, but especially when you’re living with chronic health conditions. Sylvia of Virginia is living with lupus SLE, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), depression,…
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Nikki Albert has coped with chronic pain since she was a kid, when joint hypermobility syndrome left her with aching knees and insomnia at just eight years old. As a young adult, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and migraines. Now in her early…
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Applying for disability wasn’t an easy decision for Erica Carrasco, the migraine blogger behind Achy Smile. She’d been a go-getter her whole life, but had suffered from increasingly severe headaches as an adult that eventually derailed her career. There was nothing left to…
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Editor’s note: If you or a loved one are living the CRPS, depression, and/or anxiety the following post could be potentially triggering. You can contact the Crisis Text Line by texting “HOME” to 741741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255….
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It might start with a throb behind your eye. Or maybe you see an aura; a bright spot or some other change in your vision. Perhaps you just get nauseated suddenly. Sometimes bright lights or sounds become all-of-a-sudden intolerable. Migraine headaches are experienced…
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We first met Jim and learned his story when he signed up to participate in a virtual patient panel. If you’re interested in sharing your story and hearing about opportunities like the one Jim had, sign up to share your story. “This is…
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It’s easier to talk about physical scars than emotional ones, but life with a chronic illness like Hidradenitis supporativa (HS) isn’t just about physical pain. Hidradenitis supporativa can leave unseen wounds that are just as serious and bothersome as their physical counterparts. In fact,…
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“I couldn’t do this alone.” Without context this statement might sound a little self-defeating, but it’s true, and it touches something deep and very real about our humanity. Humans are fragile, breakable things and each and every one of us needs to rely…
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We recently spoke with Jessica Gimeno, author of the blog Fashionably ill: The Sick Woman’s Stylist. As someone who fights mental illness and chronic pain daily, Jessica is dedicated to helping people survive chronic illnesses with style and humor. Check out what she…
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Health Stories Project was created to give people opportunities to share their personal health experiences and to learn from the experiences of others.