Protected: When Rest Is The Work

The story of how I ended up becoming “disabled.” People often ask, “How did you get here?” It’s easy to make assumptions based on my age, how I look, or the fact that — from the outside — I don’t look sick. But the truth is, the path to becoming what some would call “disabled” has been layered,…

Traveling with Chronic Illness Traveling with chronic illness is complicated. It’s beautiful, exhausting, and bittersweet all at once. On my first trip out of the country, I found myself balancing awe and pain, joy and grief — learning that even when your body feels heavy, the world can still feel light. ✈️ Traveling with Chronic…

I remember when I worked three jobs: two fast paced and busy restaurants by night and personal training by day. I started my day at 7am and ended it at 1aM. I remember when my days were filled with motion, bright lights, sweat, and noise. When people used to say, “How do you do it? I…

& The Friendships That Stayed One of the most unexpected parts of getting sick was realizing how much it would affect my relationships — especially my friendships. When all of this started, I didn’t even know what was going on. I would wake up in pain — a lot of pain — and I didn’t have the…

There’s a particular kind of loneliness that comes with being chronically misunderstood, which many illnesses like mine are. It’s not just about people not “getting” your illness, it’s the constant questions, the unsolicited advice, the blank stares when you try to explain why you had to cancel plans (again). And the worst part? I have…

The Fight to Feel Better: Why I’m Finally Sharing My Story Hi, I’m Rachael — and this blog has been a long time coming. I used to think these kinds of blogs were “cringe,” but now I think it is one of the kindest things someone can do for themselves to express themselves and their…