Coping methods

Ever since neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) introduced pain into my life, I’ve been trying to exorcise it from my body. I’ve become a formidable opponent to pain, but parts of it still frighten me. The spasms were the worst. They once felt like someone was pouring boiling water…

I hate complaining. Truly. Deep in my soul, I believe in powering through, staying positive, and not becoming “that person” whose personality is just one long sigh. Victim mentality? Not my brand. I like to think I’m more of a “grit, grace, and decent hair day” kind of person. But…

I’ve never been great at fitting neatly into so-called boxes, especially spiritual ones. I grew up exposed to many religions, from Jehovah’s Witnesses to Seventh-day Adventists. I even begged my mom to send me to Catholic school for a period during elementary school, and dragged my younger brother along. In…

If someone had told me years ago that my most consistent daily workout would involve tapping a screen like a caffeinated woodpecker, I would’ve laughed. Yet here I am, a proud neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patient of 16 years whose newest addiction is playing mobile games. I play…

What does it take to be a rare disease patient? An immense amount of time and patience. Buckets of both, preferably refillable. Even when you think things have settled and you’re managing your health well, something pops up. After many years with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), I’ve come…

I’ve always loved bright lipstick colors. The bolder, the better, in my opinion. There’s something delightfully defiant that makes me smile about catching my reflection in a window and seeing a pop of fuchsia or fire‑engine red. It’s hard not to feel at least a little cheerful when your lips…

I’m a self-sabotaging, push-the-limits kind of gal. The worst kind of patient. The sort of patient doctors warn their interns about. Yes, I know I should be following their recommendations, nodding politely when I’m told what to do, but my neurologist and I both know that I probably won’t listen.

There are some days (or weeks) when it feels like the world is coming at you hard and there’s nothing you can do about it. Life can be messy. I had a day like that just last week. So how do you power through when everything is a priority, but…

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…

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…