A few years ago, I lost my home and career, my car broke down beyond repair, and I nearly died from a rare disease. I was alone in the hospital and apart from my children for months, and the experience left me with a permanently damaged body, necessitating lifelong chemotherapy.
Several years ago, terms like “deductible,” “in and out of network,” “PPO,” “Medicaid,” “Medicare,” “Medigap,” “SNAP,” “prescription coverage,” and “disability” were thrust upon me suddenly and without warning. I had to learn them quickly to continue receiving lifesaving care. I was sitting in a hospital…
I make short, feathery strokes with a dark brown eyebrow pencil. Then I apply two carefully guided, wet swipes with black eyeliner glue. Next come three rows of 3D eyelashes, combined and cut to fit my large eyes. Finally, I affix a long and layered dark brown wig with a…
Pain throbs from the tips of my toes to the top of my left thigh. It echoes the strong, solid melody of my heartbeat. The ache worsens no matter how much I rub my leg. I try to stand. Maybe walking around will stretch my muscles and ease the pain,…
Pain shoots through my jaw and into my sinuses and eyes. The ache throbs to the rhythm of my heart like a drum getting louder and louder. Decay forces me to cover my mouth when I laugh. I never lean in close to a friend to whisper because of bad…
“Sometimes I worry about what life would be like if you died.” Upon hearing this, I felt a pang of pain in my heart and a knot in my stomach. I looked in the rearview mirror at my 9-year-old son sitting behind me. He was staring out the window deep…
My mouth was dry and my throat burned. It was becoming hard to swallow. I hadn’t been allowed to drink or eat anything for hours because I’d been admitted to the emergency room and was hit with a barrage of tests. A young and apprehensive nurse came in holding a…
Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it seems like mental health issues have been discussed more than ever. According to the Mayo Clinic, global surveys in 2020 and 2021 “found higher than typical levels of stress, insomnia, anxiety, and depression.” But even after the height of the pandemic had…
This week’s solar eclipse got me thinking about the last time we had one, in 2017. At the time, I was running a thriving preschool with over 100 students. I’d gone on the trip of a lifetime to the Chichén Itzá Mayan ruins in eastern Mexico. And…
The snap of a nitrile glove going on my nurse’s hand catches my attention and diverts my gaze from my phone. I see her holding a butterfly needle as she prepares to give me my second stick of the day. My heart rate quickens and my body tenses at…
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