Dominate your chronic life
Spring Clean Your Chronic Life: Scour Your Social Media Feed
HOW TO SPOT SOMEONE WITH A CHRONIC ILLNESS
Unpack your unrealistic vacation expectations
Spring Clean Your Calendar and make room for your chronic illness
*Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. Meaning that at no additional cost to you, I receive a commission when you make a purchase through my links. The proceeds earned fund the giveaways I host in my Facebook groups.
Chronic Life: Does the waiting ever end?
How Charlie’s Angels Prepared Me to Live with a Chronic Illness
The Disabled Diva’s Top Ten Travel Tips
Spring Clean Your Chronic Life: Disinfect Your Diet
Are your spring break vacation expectations realistic?
Spring Clean: Spruce up your view!
*Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. Meaning that at no additional cost to you, I receive a commission when you make a purchase through my links. The proceeds earned fund the giveaways I host in my Facebook groups.
If you have psoriatic arthritis or psoriasis, or you are or may become a caregiver to someone who does, would you please spare five minutes of your time to take WEGOHealth’s survey that will benefit the psoriatic disease community? Participants will be entered into a drawing to win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards! Click here to take the survey.
I may have been born in the late 60’s, but I am a child of the 70’s!
One of my favorite television shows of the seventies was Charlie’s Angels. Not only did I never miss an episode, the following day I would make my friends act them out with me! For those of you who are not familiar with this show, Charlie had a private detective agency and he hired three sexy women that he called angels. The original angels were Farrah Fawcett as Jill Munroe, Kate Jackson as Sabrina Duncan, and Jaclyn Smith as Kelly Garrett. They were badass women kicking butt and uncovering mysteries.
I wanted to be an Angel, Jill in particular because, well, hello that hair!!!!!
Little did I know that a show about beautiful, strong, and intelligent women would also give me the “know how” I would need to surviving life with not just one, but multiple chronic illnesses!
*Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. Meaning that at no additional cost to you, I receive a commission when you make a purchase through my links. The proceeds earned fund the giveaways I host in my Facebook groups.
When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, degenerative disc disease, coccydynia, and endometriosis, I had no clue that each chronic illness would lead to a life of searching….
Searching for what you ask? What not would be easier to answer, but whether you have one chronic illness or a slew of them, the life of the chronically ill is spent searching for ways to relieve pain, new symptoms, reoccurrence of old symptoms, side-effects, and treatments. The chronically ill spend a lot of time investigating their bodies, the fluids that come out of them, their mental status, abilities and disabilities.
Thankfully Charlie’s Angels taught me to never give up and that there is always an explanation. My doctors may have given up, but I will never give up searching for the source of my chronic illnesses.
Like any good detective, I have learned to trust my instincts. I received my first chronic illness diagnosis in 2001 and since then I have had countless tests come back and show nothing wrong when I went in with a complaint of pain. Thanks to my Angel training I knew not to accept that answer and kept pushing the issue and presenting new clues to my doctors. In several cases, tests showed absolutely nothing wrong with me, but surgeries revealed the truth. The findings of each surgery proved and validated my complaints by being something that no test could have ever revealed.
Trusting my instincts has saved my life countless times and will until I am no longer able to speak for myself. I can never stress enough how important it is to be your own advocate!
Like a well trained private eye, I know how to protect myself. While I may not be punching or handcuffing my enemies, I have to fight to receive the care I deserve and need. I have learned when fighting a doctor about a diagnosis or test is worth my time or not. Sometimes my energy is better spent finding a new physician.
I have also learned to listen to my body. It will let me know if the situation is urgent or if it can wait a little longer. This instinct also helps me get through life. I have learned what levels of pain and exhaustion can be pushed through and what cannot.
Living alone, void of any assistance from others when you have a chronic illness is possible, but it’s not realistic. Whether you are married or not, it is best to have a team.
First you need a medical team that is working together and not against each other. They and you, need to be on the same page about treatment of the disease and pain.
Then you need your personal team. You need someone that you can confide in, because trust me there are going to be days when you just need to vent your fears without terrifying your spouse/partner. My husband is a fantastic team member that I don’t ever want to be without. He has witnessed the horrific treatment from surgeons and has been there for me at the absolute worst moments of my illnesses. Other teammates that are beneficial are folks to help with transportation, provide an occasional meal, or to tidy up your home when you are at your worst. No matter what, you need someone in your life to make you laugh, because without laughter we are only left with sorrow.
Be sure to train one or more of your team to be your patient advocate. You may not always be alert enough to express your requests or needs. Having someone who can speak for you when you are unable is invaluable!!!
Thanks to the skills I learned from Charlie’s Angels, I continue to fight pain, solve symptom mysteries, and refuse to give up!
Rainy southern California days may cause mudslides and flood streets, but they shouldn’t ruin your Disneyland vacation. I learned long ago, before living here, that you never know what the weather is going to be like. We have experienced cold and wet winter weather during spring break and triple digits on Thanksgiving, The good news is that those strange weather days never last for long and if prepared, they shouldn’t disrupt your vacation either. Here are some tips for cold and rainy days that will keep you warm, dry, and happy!
*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Meaning that at no additional cost to you, I receive a commission when purchases are made via my links. The proceeds offset the expense of running this blog and fund the prize pools for my Facebook groups. I am not affiliated with Disneyland or the Disney company.
There are a few rides that may be shut down when it rains, but they are outdoor rides and not ones that you would run to for shelter. Use this time to discover areas that you haven’t made time for in the past and enjoy lower wait times for everything else since most people leave when it begins to rain. In addition to attractions, there is nothing more beautiful than to walk throughout the park in the rain. Low crowds make it a perfect time to get some awesome photos of your favorite views. It is also a wonderful time to go shopping or to enjoy a meal at a sit down restaurant.
Here is a quick list of indoor attractions that have mostly indoor queues (if the lines are short, you shouldn’t have to wait outside):
Disneyland
California Adventure
All it took was one vacation in 1998 where the weather was freezing for one day of our multi-day visit to make sure to pack for at least one or two cold days. We haven’t always needed our winter attire, but my family was sure thankful I brought it along when our vacations were interrupted by a cold front.
Here is a quick list of items you should always bring on your Disneyland vacation to ensure that a day or two of chilly and rainy days won’t ruin your vacation. BTW Rainy days aren’t the days to wear your favorite Disney bounding outfit or cutest Disney dress, they are the days to dress for comfort, warmth, ability to stay dry, and functionality. Skip the ears and instead put a bow in your hair!
Click here to discover all the ways that PEMF therapy has improved my chronic pain. Click here to learn more about Oska Pulse. And as always, my discount code DIVA will save you $55.00
Just because everyone you know is traveling home for the holidays, it doesn’t mean you have to. Too often I see people do things they really don’t want to do or have the emotional or physical strength to do in order to please family members or to keep up appearances. Today I want to tell you that it is okay to not be okay with traveling during the holiday season! And here are a few reasons why!
If traveling triggers a flare from your chronic illnesses, you should rethink packing your bags. Pleasing family shouldn’t come at the expense of not being able to function when you return home. Traveling during the holiday season exposes you to more people and germs than if you traveled in a less busier time of year. Winter weather also increases your chance of becoming ill. Having a chronic illness doesn’t mean that you can’t travel at all, but rather you should travel during seasons when you experience less pain and will be exposed to fewer germs.
Disclosure: I am NOT a medical professional and I am not issuing medical advice. This post contains some affiliate links. Meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission from sales. The proceeds offset the expense of operating this site and fund the giveaways for my Facebook groups.
Those of you who suffer from anxiety, know how debilitating it can be. In fact if not managed well, it can literally paralyze us. If spending time with family during the holidays increases your level of anxiety or triggers attacks, do yourself a favor and stay home! Don’t look at it as letting your obnoxious or manipulative family members win, think of it as winning by valuing your mental health. However, I do suggest that you find a therapist to help you work through your emotions and possibly prepare you for dealing with those family members in the future should you decide to visit. Online-Therapy.com is therapy that available when you need it and there is no need to drive across town. My readers save 20% when they register through my link. Click here to check them out. Instead of putting yourself through an emotional battlefield, make plans to visit the relatives that you really want to spend time with during a time that wouldn’t warrant the whole family getting together.
Seriously, do NOT travel if you do not want to. If the cost of travel, the wear and tear on your body, and mental exhaustion have your stomach in knots and you haven’t even booked your ticket, stop!! Again, seek therapy to find out if your fears are rational or not! Do not make a bad situation worse by forcing yourself to do something that will have a negative impact on your finances, or mental/physical health.
On the other hand, if traveling home for the holidays is really important to you, do it! But don’t act surprised or get upset about any additional pain you may experience or the time your body will need to recover after you return home. Unless you are newly diagnosed, you know by now that living with a chronic illness changes everything. You also know who a disrupted emotional state can increase and trigger flares as well. What you decide to put your body through during the holiday season is up to you and only you are can decide what it is best. With that said, will you be traveling this holiday season? What steps will you be taking to reduce your odds of returning home in more pain? Not sure? Then check out my chronic travel trips!
Whether you choose to travel or not, I wish you a happy holiday season and a pain-free new year!
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Have you visited Disneyland on a holiday such as Thanksgiving or Christmas Day? If you did, did you make reservations at one of their sit down restaurants? If yes, did they have the entrée you had planned to order when you arrived? The reason I ask this is because, my family and I made reservations at one particular restaurant for Thanksgiving and we were shocked to find out that our favorite dish was not available on that day!!! Continue reading to find out what went wrong and how to avoid our holiday mishap!
*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Meaning that at no additional cost to you, I receive a commission when purchases are made via my links. The proceeds offset the expense of running this blog and fund the prize pools for my Facebook groups. I am not affiliated with Disneyland or the Disney company.
Via the official Disneyland app guests can view menus from every walk-up and sit-down restaurant and food cart. They can also make reservations up to 60 days in advance. Reservations can be made through the app, online, or by calling (714) 781-DINE or (714) 781-3463. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak and holiday seasons. As you can see in the picture above, we were able to view what the Thanksgiving special entrée and dessert were going to be as well as view the rest of the menu for Café Orleans. We knew that not everyone in our party would be interested in the Thanksgiving entrée, but felt safe making reservations as there were other dishes that our guests would have been thrilled with. With that said we placed our order……..
So the person who was not looking forward to trying the Thanksgiving Monte Cristo was me!! Sorry, but it just sounded disgusting (get used to this word)….. What I wanted to stuff my face with was their original Monte Cristo. Here is how placing our order went:
My husband: We need two checks. One with a regular Monte Cristo and basket of Pommes Frites and the other with one Thanksgiving Monte Cristo, one regular Monte Cristo, and a basket of Pommes Frites.
Waitress: We don’t have the regular Monte Cristo today.
Me: Is it possible to get the gravy on the side?
Waitress: No
Me: That’s disgusting!
My husband: Could they get the cheese Monte Cristo?
Waitress: Yes.
We were off to a bumpy start, but I let it go since it appeared that I would get to eat something that I liked. By the way, any Monte Cristo from Disneyland is huge and easily feeds 2 people, keep that in mind when ordering. Thankfully this is something that we already knew and didn’t order more than we did for four people. Thinking that the worst of our dining experience was over, we waited patiently for our food to arrive.
Well hello basket of Pommes Frites (garlic, parmesan fries)!!!
OOPS, where’s our second basket??!!!
We requested that both baskets be served prior to our entrees, but our waitress only noted our request on one of the tickets…. so we waited and waited and waited for the second to arrive.
By the way, the fries are delicious and come with a special sauce that has a little kick to it. Personally I am not a fan of the sauce, so I request a side of ranch.
Whew, we all have our fries! Now we can relax, dig into our baskets, and enjoy the rest of our meal when it arrives.
So, what should arrive? A mess!!!! Not one dish was correct!! Even the Thanksgiving Monte Cristo that was ordered was delivered to our table with gravy on the sandwich and on the side!! Then instead of receiving two cheese Monte Cristos, our table was graced with the presence of two more Thanksgiving Monte Cristos with gravy on the side. DISGUSTING!
At this point there was a shift change and our new waitress was stuck with the mess our original one created. She apologized for the misunderstanding, but couldn’t fix it because the Thanksgiving Monte Cristo was the only one being served that day. My heart went out to this girl, first for having to work on Thanksgiving, the second to deal with the mess another cast member created. We had a good laugh and she charged us the lower price of the entrée we had actually ordered. My daughter and brother in-law ended up liking the Thanksgiving Monte Cristo, but I thought it was…. wait for it…. disgusting… LOL….
I did mention to her and the manager that it would be nice if they app and website could inform guests not just of what the holiday dishes are, but what won’t be available on the holiday. Had we known this, we would have made our reservations somewhere other than Café Orleans. Because of this fiasco, we changed our Christmas Day reservations to Carnation Café, where there are plenty of entrees for us to choose from should we not decide to order the Christmas special.
My favorite part of the meal was dessert! Santa’s Lumps of Coal Beignets were amazing!!! You are lucky I snapped this picture before they were gone! The dish came with four beignets and peppermint ice cream.
Do you have any Disneyland holiday dining disasters to share? We’d love to hear about them!! In all of our years of dining in the park, this truly was the worst dining experience we have ever experienced. And this was NOT our first Thanksgiving in the parks, in fact it was our fourth. I get it, mistakes happen, but all of this could have been avoided had the app and/or website noted that the other Monte Cristo versions would not be available on that day. Having a waitress who understood this would have helped too, but………… Anyways, what is your favorite meal from Café Orleans?
I have received many inquiries lately from people who want to see if cannabis could help relieve their chronic pain, but they either don’t live where medical marijuana is legal or it is legal for medicinal use where they live, but they don’t want to sink a fortune into entering their state’s program only to discover it doesn’t help them. Today I am going to share a legal and safe way to find out if adding cannabis to your pain management plan is for you.
