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CHRONICALLY
EMILY
Living with Chronic Illness since 1998
I'm Emily--dog lover, human, creator of community, advocate, fundraiser, Jew--and I live with invisible chronic illness. Join me in exploring and embracing the disability space and my life with ME/CFS, dysautonomia and related illnesses.
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25 Years Later: Davidson's Enduring Gifts
This past week marked my 25th anniversary of my graduation from Davidson College. Next month will mark my 25th 'sickiversary'. In this...
Em of One
May 21, 20234 min read
When Your Elderly Mom is Your Caregiver
The woman in this photo is my almost 78 year old mother, who has been my primary caregiver since I first became disabled in 1998. That is...
Em of One
Feb 19, 20236 min read
A Snapshot: All In A Day (with Chronic Illness)
Chronic illness is often confusing, even for those of us who live with it. After 25 years, I still wonder how my body can be so...
Em of One
Feb 11, 20232 min read
We Made It! (+ Boom Goes the Chinese Balloon)
We are here! Another year in Sunset Beach, NC. This will be our 9th winter here since we first started snow-birding in 2013. (We missed...
Em of One
Feb 5, 20232 min read
Top 12 Books of 2022
5 Stars I don't usually write reviews on Goodreads, but here is what I wrote about The Girl with the Louding Voice: This book was...
Em of One
Jan 12, 20235 min read
2022: My Year of Books as Survival
It's only since I became chronically ill that I really began to love books. Growing up, I didn't read for pleasure, which always worried...
Em of One
Jan 3, 20232 min read
Ready to Roll? Maybe, Maybe not?
Since it's been a minute, let me bring you up to speed on the process of getting a new wheelchair as an ambulatory wheelchair user. Last...
Em of One
Nov 20, 20225 min read
A Wheelchair Update (With a Side of Microaggressions)
Last night while out for a StRoll with Mom, a castor completely fell off of my wheelchair. The tires are also kaput and no longer holding...
Em of One
Aug 23, 20223 min read
Embracing Identity, Expanding Impact
Last week, I wrapped up my time with my counselor. (Many tears were shed!). She is leaving for a new job. In our short time together...
Em of One
Aug 4, 20222 min read
How Ableism Lead Me to Embrace My Disability
I've spent the past year with a counselor who is trained as a social worker. Instead of approaching problems from a personal level, she's...
Em of One
Jul 25, 20223 min read
Apples to Oranges
I have a tendency to compare things that are not meant to be compared largely because, despite 24 years of disability, I still expect...
Em of One
Jul 3, 20224 min read
24 Years Sick: A Shifting World View
Today, June 18th, marks the 24th anniversary of 'getting sick'. Or maybe now, after all of these years, I would change that language to...
Em of One
Jun 18, 20223 min read
Stay Small: Dating First, Disability Second
I've been dating this way: Find someone. Act non-disabled. Now I'm saying: I'm disabled. I'm lovable this way. When I started this blog,...
Em of One
Jun 5, 20224 min read
I Asked For a Power Wheelchair. Do I "Need" It?
I just received a call from the medical supply company to follow up on my doctor's order for a power wheelchair, I tried to explain why I...
Em of One
Jun 2, 20224 min read
Muddy Waters: A "What The Neck?" Update
Naturally, you (and I) have a LOT of questions about what the diagnosis of craniocervical instability means, where we go from here, will...
Em of One
May 30, 20223 min read
Tovah Turns Ten
In an IG post, I promised to post photos from Tovah's tenth birthday once she had recovered from all of her partying! Well, her birthday...
Em of One
May 21, 20221 min read
What the Neck? Craniocervical Instability
After a year and a half of relapsing, throwing everything we've got at my symptoms and getting no relief, Dr. Rowe suggested that I have...
Em of One
May 10, 20224 min read
We Are All Broken Vessels
A couple of days ago while we were at the beach for a short while, I spent a bit of time near the shoreline as the tide came in. That's...
Em of One
Mar 16, 20222 min read
All Of These Feelings Can Be True
Our beach trip has been different this year for many reasons--but the biggest one has been how poorly I've been feeling. People often...
Em of One
Feb 20, 20222 min read
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