At 7 p.m., I’m staring at a blinking cursor, my body screaming to stop, but fear of disappointing others keeps me typing. That’s what living with chronic pain often looks like: silence, not screams. For years, I thought boundaries were walls. Saying “no” felt like pushing people away. But over time, I learned the truth:…
When I wake up on flare days, disappointment hits first. I go through a quiet flurry of negotiations with myself:“Can I push through this pain today?”“Can I pull myself upright for one more meeting?” After 20 minutes of internal tug-of-war, I ask a better question:“What version of my routine do I need today?” Flare days…
When you’re 25, you think you have time. You think your body will bounce back, that working harder will eventually pay off, that one day you’ll arrive at a version of your life where everything feels stable. But chronic pain has its own timeline. It doesn’t care about your plans. I was 25 when I…
Most home office guides are about style. Mine is about survival. Living with chronic pain means every tool you use matters. The wrong chair can wreck your spine. Bad lighting can drain your focus. A too-firm mattress can ruin your next 24 hours. After 25 years with psoriatic arthritis, these are the remote work tools…
Most home office guides are built for comfort. Mine was built for survival. When you live with chronic pain, an Instagram-worthy desk won’t cut it. I needed a remote work setup for chronic pain that could flex as fast as my symptoms, from spine-locking fatigue to nerve flare in my wrists. Remote work gave me…
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…
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…