Role Reversal and the Patient-Caregiver RelationshipI have been a rare disease patient since my first rare disease diagnosis of familial adenomatous polyposis at age 8. My mother (who has the same rare disease as me)...reactionscomments
How to Care for Someone With Congenital Adrenal HyperplasiaCaring for someone with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is difficult. A CAH diagnosis can feel overwhelming since it is a lifelong genetic condition without a cure. But with the right...reactionscomments
Founding a Rare Disease Non-profit: The Importance of Advocate Self-careAs an advocate, caregiver, and mom, I am guilty of running on autopilot and failing to acknowledge when my body and mind are extremely tired. Because what choice do I...reactionscomments
Voices in the Rare Disease Community: What's Your Story?Every day, we take in stories from the world around us. We consume them on social media. We read about them in books. We listen to them on podcasts. We...reactionscomments
Tips for Finding the Right DoctorFinding the right doctor can be challenging for anyone, but it seems especially challenging for those of us in the rare disease community who are looking for specialists to help...reactionscomments
Parental Partnership: Supporting Families With a Child Affected by a Rare DiseaseWhen I became a mother at 26 years old and my husband a father at 27 years old, we learned that the future ahead of us would be characterized by...reactionscomments
Coordinating Care With a Rare DiseaseMany general medical practitioners are not educated about rare diseases. This can make it difficult for people with rare diseases to get access to diagnosis and treatment. It can also...reactions1comment
Understanding Primary Biliary CholangitisPrimary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic condition that affects the liver. Chronic means that it lasts for life. It is also progressive, which means it can get worse over...reactionscomments
3 Ways I Spend Quality Time With Multiple Kids as a Rare Disease CaregiverMy 3 children are nothing alike. My oldest is a sweet and laid-back growing boy who is medically complex and living with a rare disease. My middle is a high-energy...reactionscomments
Understanding Congenital Adrenal HyperplasiaCongenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a group of rare genetic disorders that affect the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are 2 walnut-sized organs located above the kidneys. They produce essential...reactionscomments
Developing Elevator Pitches for Rare Disease AdvocacyMost of us are familiar with the term "elevator pitch." An elevator pitch is sharing one's story with another person and requesting action in approximately 5 minutes or less. But...reactionscomments
Groin Wiser: Adopting New Strategies to Manage My Rare DiseaseI recently wrote an article, Groin Older: Aging With Hemophilia, where I described my life with the bleeding disorder, hemophilia. My first pulled groin muscle was the star of the...reactionscomments
Was I Just Soft? A Reflection on Getting a DiagnosisGetting diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) in my late 20s had an impact on the way I see myself. hEDS is a genetic disease, and I was born with...reactionscomments
How to Observe Rare Disease Awareness DayI admit that I cannot resist the rare disease zebra branding. It's cute; zebras are close enough to horses to make my horse girl self happy, and unlike other rather...reactionscomments
The Overflowing Cup: Childhood Trauma and Mental HealthRecently, I tried a new form of therapy: hypnotherapy. After 5 and a half years of counseling, I decided that while it was incredibly helpful, I also needed another form...reactions3comments
Why Joining Your Rare Disease Community Is ImportantWhen my son originally got his rare disease diagnosis back in 2020, I was told about a private Facebook group for families. At first, I was hesitant to join because...reactionscomments
20 Essential Self-care Practices for Rare Disease Caregivers: My Journey to ResilienceBeing a caregiver for someone with a rare disease is an incredibly rewarding yet demanding role. Learning how to advocate for my daughter gave me a sense of purpose and...reactionscomments
Why I Made My Home Wheelchair Accessible Sooner, Not Later"Why do you think you would need wheelchair-accessible doors in your home?" I answered simply that I was previously required to obtain a wheelchair and utilize it to participate in...reactions3comments
Recovering From Advocacy BurnoutAdvocacy burnout can look different for different people. Burnout can present itself in many different ways. Some possible signs of rare disease advocacy burnout can include excessive fatigue, lack of...reactions1comment
Becoming a Do-Not-Resuscitate PatientWhenever I encounter new medical providers at any level of care, they are often surprised to discover that I have a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order and I’m not even age 40...reactionscomments
