The past few months have served as a reminder that life can throw a lot of difficult situations your way at once. In the past, this deluge of disasters would have overwhelmed me. But now, I know I have the tools to deal with each challenge. Note: This post mentions the loss of loved ones and suicide. It felt like a hurricane passed through my life First, I know I’m not the only person dealing with difficult situations. Between the pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine, the wor

As I shared in October 2021, I’ve officially been diagnosed with the autoimmune disease Sjogren’s syndrome plus four other health conditions. But before I was diagnosed, I struggled to understand what was wrong with my body — and my life. I wasn’t feeling good, despite my attempts at self-care. I was experiencing a lot of body pain and there was soooo much stress. Even the smallest things, like checking my email, could be overwhelming. Normally, I try to have no more than 80

As I shared in January, I finished off 2020 by getting tested for Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that affects about 4 million people in the U.S. The results are in and it’s official: I have Sjogren’s as well as four other conditions: celiac disease, pelvic congestion syndrome and interstitial cystitis. My blood work indicated that Sjogren’s may be the bigger problem. But my doctor said I would feel more of an immediate health impact by treating the celiac disease f

Immediately upon returning from our family’s epic road trip, I went to a rheumatologist to discuss the symptoms I’d experienced before our adventure. Why a rheumatologist? It was the only doctor I hadn’t seen. Over the past decade, I’ve talked to neurologists, oncologists and gynecologists about my symptoms. I’ve meditated, taken every type of yoga class and even attended an ayahuasca retreat. (More on that later.) I’d tried everything. Except seeing a rheumatologist. Within