[Image Description: drawing of a crab, on shore and looking out at a bioluminescent ocean waves. The caption reads 'you deserve to be on your own side today]

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so much solidarity to everyone who's dealing with this <3

I wish I could look forward to my doctor appointments. I wish I wasn't so scared all the time.

reblog to make prev stop having headaches

this is your reminder to tell you that you've only seen the way you look through photographs or a mirror. you've never seen the way your smile lights up an entire room. or the way your eyes sparkle when you see something you love. or the way your cheeks turn red when you get shy because someone said something sweet. so the next time someone says your beautiful, don't question it. because although you haven't realised your beauty yet, it's all that they can see.

Reblog to hug the person you reblogged this from and tell them that everything's going to be okay

[Image description: a knitted pinkish-lavender cardigan with a deep scooped neckline. It has a lace pattern, scalloped neckline and edges, and a ribbed cuff at the sleeves. I thik the scallops are crocheted, but I'm not sure] Can anyone help @airasora's mom out? If you recognise this pattern or have any leads, it would be great to know! I think this cardigan is beautiful and I would also love to knit it one day. I miss knitting *so* much.

I know that this isn't what I normally post/reblog, but knitting pattern mysteries are fascinating. And also there's a big crafter/chronically ill overlap. So maybe someone knows. Or knows someone who...you know how it goes!

So, this is an odd call for help from me, but my mother is trying to figure out what knitting recipe this might be and I offered to try and ask you guys in case there's anyone out there who has any idea how to make this.

I can't knit for shit, and know nothing about it, but my mom is a huge knitter and she's in love with this pattern, so if anyone has any ideas what the knitting recipe might be, please do let me know! ❤️

I’m not sure who needs to hear this but it’s normal and okay to be DISABLED by your DISABILITY.

Sometimes it is going to stop you from doing things, and that’s okay. Sometimes it’s going to get in your way or make you struggle or cause problems in your life. But that’s okay, that’s why it’s called a disability.

You don’t need to fight yourself or “not let it hold you back” because a lot of times it will, but that’s the point.

this is so important!

we are allowed cute things!

so often, stuff for disabled people is designed with practicality/function in mind, but not how it looks/feels

sometimes the practicality is all you're after; sometimes you want to feel fancy

for example, I used to like using my silver/grey NHS walking stick because it was immediately recognisable as a mobility aid. maybe people thought I was recovering from a temporary disability (like a broken ankle), rather than understanding that I'm chronically disabled, but that didn't matter. people opened doors for me, gave up seats for me and got out of my way. also, it matched my shoelaces in the trainers that gave me gender joy.

I love my rainbow pill boxes because they form a rainbow!

I decorate my symptom diary with cute stickers because they make me feel better (thank you @noddingcat)

disabled people buying cute mobility aids, pill boxes, joint braces, etc. are NOT just buying them as a fashion accessory. we need that shit and if we have the option to buy an aid that is pretty as well as practical to make us feel a little better about needing them in the first place then we have every right to use them without being judged for it. 

stop villanizing disabled people. stop assuming we're just being lazy. stop assuming we could be trying harder. stop assuming that we'll "feel better" in a few weeks. stop assuming that we have the same energy levels as everyone else. thanks for coming to my ted talk.

Low Cost Stuff That May Help If You Get Covid

Brush your teeth as usual (+ floss if that's something you do)

Mouthwash (things you could use: CPC mouthwash; cooled green tea; salt water) cpc = cetylpyridinium chloride, an ingredient in many/most commercial mouthwashes

Green Tea (drink on an empty stomach if possible; can also be used for swishing/gargling once it has cooled; if green tea isn't doable for you, black tea is an alternative)

Nasal Spray (if chemicals in nasal spray causing an issue for you, saline nasal spray also an option)

Vitamin C supplement

Antihistamine

Other prophylactics to consider: Nattokinase, Grape Seed Extract, EGCG supplements

Natto (if this is something you already eat, or would like to try. It's fermented soya beans and is popular in Japan, although I think there's a similar dish in Korea. I'd love to try this, but can't digest beans!)

The idea with all of this stuff is that it may work to reduce viral load in the hope of minimising symptoms. And your chance of developing Long Covid. These things may also help reduce/minimise some symptoms, if you have Long Covid already. I've been following this closely because I have severe ME and POTS and there's a big overlap. I have learned a lot from LongCovidPharmD, who has a great (free) substack, which shares research-based info on what might help: https://substack.com/profile/2921065-longcovidpharmd LongCovidPharmD emphasises safety re. dosages and potential interactions if you're already on any meds. **Just to include that this isn't medical advice and I'm not a medical doctor. Just a disabled person who wants us all to survive.**

here's the thing. "ace people can still have sex" and "aro people can still be in relationships" are objectively true statements. this is because people can do whatever the fuck they want forever regardless of their label/orientation. however some of you have GOT to get your shit together and stop using those statements to undermine larger conversations about aspec identity. following up "ace people don't owe you sex in a relationship" with "ace people can still have sex in a relationship though!" is not fucking helpful! yes it's true. yes it's a reality for many people. however if we used our fucking brains for a second and thought about how following up "people don't have to conform to societal expectation" with "but people can still conform!! don't worry they can still conform!!!!" is counterproductive and very frustrating for a lot of people then we could get back to the actual point which is not "aspec people can still have sex/be in relationships" but "aspec people can do whatever they want with their relationships and their bodies". which they can, by the way. they can do whatever they want forever. and you should give them 200 dollars every time you see them for dealing with this shit

anyone else ever wish they could lie down harder? Like, I'm already horizonal, but I need more horizonal. I need to be absorbed by the floor. I think that would fix me

Something I want able bodied people to understand is that I don't wanna be sick so bad; I want a diagnosis because there is already something wrong with my body but I don't know what the fuck it is.

Your parents are not "narcissists". They're typical authoritarian assholes who treat you like their property because society allows them to.

Your ex boyfriend is not a "narcissist". He's a typical misogynistic douchebag who treats women like shit because society allows him to.

Your boss is not a "narcissist". They're a typical classist dipshit who thinks workers' entire purpose in life is to generate profit because society allows them to.

And even if they happen to be a "narcissist", that's not what gave them the power to get away with abuse.

So stop blaming mental illness and start blaming society's normalization of abuse. Stop acting like someone has to have a mental illness in order to do something cruel when ordinary people have been doing atrocious things since forever.

If you are physically able to do something for a short time, but it really hurts you, you should not be expected to do that thing.

Living with chronic pain is hard enough, I'm done hurting myself so that others don't have to think about accommodating my disability.

Free Compression/Shapewear Garments

Hey folks, I've been trying out different kinds of compression and 'shapewear' garments to see if they will help my POTS. In the process, I've accumulated a few items that either don't fit or don't work for me. If you'd like either/both of these items, please tell me. I will post them to you for free. 1) 1 pair of Haddenham Star Cotton Below Knee Stockings, size III (Class 1 (18-21mmHg), Regular Length, Closed Toe, Black) Worn once + hand-washed Link to Haddenham Size Guide Note: These were too short in the foot for me. I have size 7-8 UK 'women's' feet. 2) 1 pair of shapewear shorts (UK size 20; I think this is equivalent to US size 16) Worn 3-4 times + hand-washed

Shorts have been claimed. Stockings still available!

I hope this week is gentle with you, and if it isn’t then I hope you are gentle with yourself. I hope you smile a lot and that you stumble on something joyful that makes you reconnect with a part of yourself you haven’t for a long time. 🌸