#ThriverThursday

The Duke, also known as Side Eye Susan, sitting on his plush woolly bed giving me one of his classic “not this sh*t again Jeeves!” looks, mixed with soupçon of “I’m so cute, why wouldn’t you want to give me all the things?” 🥺

I always say he is 100% bichon fluff, and ruff-ly 200% pug attitude. It’s true what some say—pugs really do think they are better than us 👑

Except for dinner time when I’m granted a temporary pardon.

Unfortunately for me there’s also after dinner time, when he turns into a hobbit and looks at me like “but what about second dinner Jeeves?” After about 20 minutes of grumbles, the pug divatude emerges and he morphs into Marie Antoinette with demands of “let me eat bone cake!” (I suspect there might be some mutterings of “off with heads”, so I consider myself lucky that he doesn’t have opposable thumbs!)

As you can no doubt tell from all this, it is very hard work being the Duke and having to tolerate us insubordinate Jeeveses, which is why he requires all the snoozes. He manages to get own back though by kicking the ground into my face after he’s pooped like “here’s mud in your eye, Jeeves!” 😆

#MightyPets #Dogs #DistractMe #Fun #ThriverThursday #itsapugthing

Embracing my thyroid hair loss hat look 🤓. Thankful that it’s winter, and a special shout out to my Alopecia and cancer hair loss sisters. You do not have to be brave for me, or inspire me. I just want to say I see you and acknowledge how vulnerable hair loss makes us in a society which places extreme value in all of us with chronic illnesses being “whole again.”

For me, courage is saying I may never be whole again—and that’s okay 🖤

#ThriverThursday #AlopeciaAreata #PostchemotherapyAlopecia #Cancer #HairLoss #HypothyroidismUnderactiveThyroidDisease #ChronicIllness #MyCondition #ChronicFatigue #ChronicBeauty #Fibromyalgia #Spoonie #thisismetrying #iamwhole #wholeself

So much to unlearn but having my health need to be my number one priority due to illness - forced me to figure out what I really needed & wanted to be satisfied with my life ♥️

#MightyTogether #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #CheerMeOn #ThriverThursday #Anxiety #Depression #BrainInjury

Many days I've felt *so far* from thriving. The opposite of it. If this feels like where you are right now--I see you ❤️

Join us tomorrow for a talk on the highs and lows of living with invisible illness, specifically #InflammatoryBowelDiseaseIBD .

We're here for you.

#UlcerativeColitis #CrohnsDisease #ThriverThursday #Anxiety #Depression

I about did a happy dance this morning when my doctor told me my white count was down to normal levels... AND he is letting me do 2 more days of IV vancomycin instead of 5! I’ve was diagnosed with an #CommonVariableImmuneDeficiency . and antibiotic resistant pneumonia. So it’s been quite the wild ride! Sometimes the smallest sucsesses can actually be pretty HUGE What is a small medical sucsess you have had This week? #ThriverThursday #MightyQuestions #MightyTogether

Say it loud and say it proud! I am Me and I am Mighty!

Hey Mighties, as part of this supportive community, I am setting a personal 2020 goal to engage more. A life with multiple chronic illnesses and mental health challenges can create unhealthy isolation. That’s a no-go for me AND a no-go for you. Let me hear those voices, comment below I am Me and I am Mighty! And, are there any goals you’d like to work towards?

YOU ARE WORTHY OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE I love you❤️ PERIOD

#MentalHealth #SocialAnxiety #Isolation #ThriverThursday

In 2013 I got married. I also had my first shoulder surgery. I had a torn rotator cuff and labrum, along with bone spurs and synovitis.

In 2014 I had a revision, as the first surgery made me worse, along with a carpal tunnel release.

In 2018, after years of dealing with chronic pain and taking NSAIDs every day to try to manage, I developed a perforated ulcer, so I underwent emergency surgery and spent a week in the hospital.

In 2019 I was diagnosed with Ehler's Danlos Syndrome, which helps explain why my labrum and rotator cuff tore from a minor accident, and why surgery didn't cure it.

Today I am much better but I still deal with chronic pain. I probably always will. But I'm fortunate to have a great support system and they help me fight through.

This group of photos reminds me of what I've been through and what life can be. I'm grateful to be here today even though I'm in pain.

#MightyMinute #ThriverThursday #MyPainPointOfView #ChronicPain #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #RareDisease