When my postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) first started escalating, the most concerning symptoms included things like chest pain, palpitations (like my heart was flopping), and tachycardia (racing heart). Not knowing what was happening, my doctor ordered an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the...
I am driven by striving. In one conversation with a Christian mentor, the words blurted out before I could properly weigh them: “Striving is what makes life worth living.” I wasn’t completely wrong, but I definitely wasn’t right either. A more appropriate statement might have been...
It blew my mind that our understanding of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) as a recognized condition is only about 30 years old. While there have been a few labels used to describe similar symptoms/conditions observed, such as “soldier’s heart,” “irritable heart syndrome,” or “orthostatic...
If only I had a limp. I’m kidding of course, but in the day-to-day of living postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a part of me wishes there was some sort of external manifestation of the craziness happening inside my body. When I first started familiarizing myself...
Mental health isn’t something that is solved with 7 quick tips from a young person on the internet. I get that. The complexity of a person’s story and the depths of the needed healing are not concepts that are lost on me, and the more...
Memes are one of my favorite ways to express the humor, frustration, and experience of POTS. Check out my previous batch here. Enjoy!...
When it comes to suffering or living with hardship things can get kind of complicated. When tragedy strikes unexpectedly. When there is no crime yet a punishment is inflicted. When the young feel old. When the hurt isn’t healing. What about prayer? What about Faith?...
Going to counseling is an adventure that has highs, lows, struggles, and victories. It is being known by a human being who is there to support and facilitate healing, growth, and mental wellness. It can be a process to find the right counselor, but it...
I often joke that counseling is like dating. You don’t always ‘click’ with every counselor, and when it comes time to say goodbye, it can feel like you have to artfully construct a breakup. Sometimes it’s awkward, sometimes it’s painful, and other times it’s mutually...
The first time I learned about kintsugi I immediately resonated with the concept. It’s a tangible display of brokenness and restoration and that ambiguous “beauty from the ashes” that we often talk so much about. It looks how I feel, and the process itself quickly...