Turning suffering upside down
Having lived for over 20 years with chronic pain and persistent involuntary muscle contractions from dystonia, a neurological movement disorder, I have experienced a lot of suffering. If you...
Trying to put pain into perspective
This year marks the 21st anniversary when devastating chronic pain from dystonia took over my life. Within months after my first symptoms, I went from a very active, social,...
Tips for becoming more self-empowered when living with a chronic health condition
When we are faced with a limiting health issue where performing “simple” everyday activities becomes a challenge, our self-confidence and self-worth can dwindle. This can happen with any health...
Listening to our body to help reduce pain and anguish
Having lived over 20 years with chronic pain from dystonia (a neurological movement disorder) in order to best manage my condition, I have to be very mindful of the...
Striving to find balance when in pain and everything feels off balance
I am always striving to find balance in my life, as I know most people are. Because my neck is off-center from a neurological movement disorder called dystonia, it...
How to choose better for ourselves when we are suffering
If you have dystonia and chronic pain like I do, or one of many other thousands of health conditions, or just dealing with some tough life situations, you are...
Self-care: Why, When, What, and How Much?
I have been compensated by Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC for this blog post including for sharing information about XEOMIN® (incobotulinumtoxinA). I am not currently being treated with XEOMIN. For a...
What a spider (and all of nature) taught me about resilience and adapting to adversity and pain
I have lived with chronic pain from dystonia, a neurological movement disorder, for 20 years. When it first began in 2001, it completely changed my life. I had to...
Stress is like a clogged drain – Tips for managing our emotional plumbing
I think everybody would agree that stress is a challenge in their lives. Personally, I think we should take on the belief that no stress exists and that it...
Slow down to manage your pain
How many of you find yourself rushing around and it’s causing you stress and pain? And if you already have pain, does it add to your pain? Are you...
Embrace the suck of life
Most of us are familiar with the Latin term, carpe diem, which means “seize the day.” This phrase became especially popular in the movie Dead Poets Society with the...
Are you turning your gizmo into a gremlin? Understanding and managing anxiety
When I think of anxiety, I think of the movie, Gremlins (1984). For those of you who have seen this movie, you know that feeding a gremlin after midnight...
NEW BOOK RELEASE — Beyond Pain and Suffering: Adapting to Adversity and Life Challenges
In 2015, I published my first book, Diagnosis Dystonia: Navigating the Journey. It is a combination autobiography, self-help, education book that provides treatment options, coping strategies, skills for daily...
