kalamata olive symbolizing the start of chronic illness identity loss

When Chronic Illness Took My Body, It Took My Identity Too

Living with a chronic illness doesn’t just change your health. It rewrites who you are. For me, psoriatic arthritis didn’t just mean pain. It meant losing the identity I’d built since I was a kid: athlete, competitor, future NHL player. This is my story of chronic illness and identity loss and how I started rebuilding…

Hand holding a warm mug of lemon water — a ritual of calm in chronic pain

Living at a 6/10: My Chronic Pain Daily Routine for Remote Work Survival

This morning I woke up at a 7/10. My body begged me to stay in bed. But I’ve learned something in 25 years with psoriatic arthritis: if I don’t move now, I’ll pay double by noon. So I stretched, whispered “slower is smarter,” and started anyway. I don’t chase pain-free days anymore. I design my…

Figure walking toward light at end of a dark tunnel — symbolizing resilience and hope through chronic pain

How I Rebuilt My Life With Chronic Pain and Remote Work: 25 Years of Resilience

My Life Before Pain I grew up chasing the NHL dream. I was a AAA hockey player, skating daily, training like my future depended on it, because it did. Movement, strength, and competition weren’t just hobbies; they were my identity. Life was structured, joyful, and full of momentum. Until it wasn’t. Living with chronic pain…