Walking On Water
— Shalana Jordan

Weight is a popular topic here in the U.S., and “skinny” seems to be the desired standard. Celebrities, regular working people, and even teens and children are constantly pressured to be thin. But what happens when you have a rare, chronic disease that wreaks havoc on your body? I spent…

I had to stand on my toes and take a deep breath in order to reach my carry-on luggage and drag it down. Then I wiggled my heavy weekender bag out from the seat in front of me where I had forced it to fit. I had an aisle seat,…

Becoming sick with a rare and chronic disease is life-changing. It can affect your health, physical strength, diet, and so much more. But I never knew I would gain new “superpowers,” too, including a better understanding of my own body. In September 2020, I spent almost two months in…

In our society, we’re encouraged to always be working, active, and busy. So when we finally get some free time, it’s an exciting thing. But what do you do when you have nothing but free time for weeks on end? In September 2020, I was in the intensive care…

Doctor appointments: They’re the bane of my existence but also a constant part of my life. Nephrologist, hematologist, primary care physician, gynecologic oncologist, pain management doctor, physical therapist, cardiologist — the list goes on. I see each of these doctors regularly. I nearly died in September 2020 and spent…

Dialysis, which performs the kidneys’ work by filtering blood, is hard on the human body. It’s usually given to patients whose kidneys are functioning at less then 15% because of injury, infection, disease, or other medical complications. When I was on dialysis, it caused me some atypical side…