Columns

I’ve been a list builder for as long as I can remember. Even as a kid, I found comfort in writing things down, mapping out what needed to be done, and crossing items off one by one. Lists gave me structure. They still do. I like to stay busy, not…

Ever get that quiet, nagging sense that something in your body just isn’t right? For me, it started with extra trips to the bathroom — nothing dramatic, just enough to make me pause. Before long, I realized I was dealing with yet another bladder infection. Living with a rare autoimmune…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Ultomiris (ravulizumab-cwvz). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. When Alexion Pharmaceuticals first approached me about being featured for Rare Disease Day on Feb. 28, I initially declined the offer.

During a recent appointment with my general practitioner, I was surprised that I didn’t have to wait. She called my name just five minutes after my scheduled time and apologized for being late, though I didn’t feel that she was. At the start of our visit, she explained that her…

Pain is received differently by everyone, but I believe most people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) develop an unusually high tolerance. Once we adjust to a new normal, we find ways to exist inside it, ways of holding ourselves, bracing ourselves, and moving through the world that help…

It was one of those stressful moments when I simply did what needed to be done. My mother had been visiting us in the city for a couple of weeks, and I was sending her home on the train. Parking here in downtown Toronto is nearly impossible, so my husband…

It’s unusual for Toronto to be hit by two massive snowfalls in one week, shutting down the city and giving kids rare snow days. As a lifelong Canadian, I’m no stranger to snow, although I’m usually fortunate enough to avoid anything major. The downtown skyscrapers in Toronto usually shield us…

Why does it seem like every Google search I do regarding my health blames my weakened immune system for whatever is happening on a particular day? Take, for example, one simple question I innocently asked: “Why are my feet so dry?” Suddenly, I was knee-deep in results suggesting I was…

Do you ever have moments when you stand in front of the mirror longer than you should and don’t recognize the person staring back at you? Sometimes I look at myself, and my tired eyes, stress wrinkles, and bloated face make my appearance unfamiliar. It’s a body that resembles…

I always feel like the start of a new year arrives with a certain amount of pressure. We make resolutions, talk about reinvention, and make quiet promises to ourselves that we’ll do better. As someone living with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), that pressure can feel especially heavy. Chronic…