Her small hands hesitate just the slightest bit as they brush over the thick pink scars. Brown eyes meet mine and then immediately flick back down to the rushing water of the pedicure chair. Her eyes pry, "What happened to you?" or "Who did this to you?" I can't be sure which. (more…)
Write down the five things that are most important to you in the whole world. I'll wait a moment while you do that…. If you are anything like me, your list may include values like independence or peace; it may consist of goals or aspirations, or people like your family or friends. But tell me, are YOU on that list? (more…)
Most New Year's Resolutions I have made in the past have been about changing myself. They could be changing my appearance, like losing weight or taking better care of my skin. Others have been about making more money or saving more money in the hopes of feeling a certain way. Some have been about exercising more, doing more meditation, or reading more books. But this year I am going to try something different. (more…)
Can Narcolepsy be cured? While narcolepsy can still not be cured, there are lots of things we can do to manage narcolepsy. There are so many different narcolepsy treatments available, we don't have to give up. Everyone has to find the narcolepsy treatment options that work for them! Some people choose to treat narcolepsy naturally. There are ways for us to mitigate our symptoms without taking narcolepsy medication. We want to beat the brain fog, fight fatigue, and take back control over how we feel. This list is about short-term goals! Try one or more of them NOW! (more…)
Maybe the most important lesson I have learned about feeling better is just loving myself with narcolepsy. I'm not going to lie and say it's easy. But I do think this is especially important for people with a chronic illness. I have ups and downs and I'm constantly working to try to do it more consistently. It's easy to get into negative patterns and tear ourselves down. It takes a lot of practice to reverse that so that we are consistently giving ourselves positive messages. (more…)
Harsh rays of sunlight are scratching at my eyelids, begging to be let in. I squint trying to lift the heavy lids and figure out where I am at. It doesn't feel like my pillow or my bed, and my window faces West. I'm never harshly woken like this in the morning. It's a hotel, and the "blackout curtains" they boasted about on their page do not reach the ceiling. It must be nearly 7:00 am anyway, so its time to wake up. Even on vacation, I don't dare sleep in and disturb my circadian rhythms. That would send me crashing into a cycle of narcolepsy symptoms that I don't like dealing with. I can read all the tips for wakefullness in the world and work on my sleep…
