đź’ŞI create resources to help people adapt to living with chronic illness so they can thrive.
đź“° Some honest news about the blog (and me)
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Hi Reader, I want to start this email with a little transparency, because it’s something I value here and something I hope you feel in this community. First, a change to how I’m running the blog. Going forward, I’ll be publishing two new posts a month, plus two updated posts. I’ve been wanting to refresh a lot of my older content anyway, and this gives me a steadier, more sustainable rhythm. You’ll still get fresh content, and your favorite older posts will get a little extra care. Honestly, I’m practicing what I preach about pacing, and I hope it’s a reminder that adjusting your pace isn’t failure. Second, the reason behind it. My health has gotten more complicated lately, and I want to share an update. My IIH diagnosis from 2018 has since been deemed inaccurate. A lot of my symptoms stem from migraines and Chiari Malformation Type 1, which has now been confirmed. I’m also looking into whether something is going on with my ears/sinuses and perimenopause, so there’s still more to untangle with my ENT and OB/GYN. Here’s what that means for the site: I’m not making formal changes to The Thriving Spoonie just yet, because I want a clearer picture first. IIH and Chiari can look very similar from the inside, which is part of why both are so hard to diagnose. What I’ve shared on the blog is still an accurate account of what I’ve lived through and the symptoms I’ve managed (and how I've managed them), so those posts will stay as they are for now. I’d rather wait for solid answers than rewrite things I might have to revise again. I’m sharing all of this because I want to be honest with you, and because I’d like to prepare you in case I need to make further changes to my posting schedule or other parts of the business down the road. If that happens, you’ll hear it from me first. Thank you for being the kind of community where I can say this out loud. Now, back to the good stuff. I just updated one of my most-pinned posts, Why the Early Morning Productivity Myth Is Toxic for Spoonies. If you’ve ever felt guilty about not being a 5 AM person, or like everyone else has a morning routine figured out, this one is for you. It breaks down why rigid early routines can backfire with chronic illness and how to build a flexible rhythm around your energy instead of the clock. Take gentle care of yourselves, |
April Smith | The Thriving Spoonie
đź’ŞI create resources to help people adapt to living with chronic illness so they can thrive.
Hi Reader, Can I tell you something? The money side of chronic illness might be the heaviest thing we carry and the thing we talk about least. I know how it feels to put off opening a bill because you do not have the energy to face what is inside. I know the quiet math, the guilt over a smaller paycheck, and the way the holidays can make all of it louder. And I know how lonely it gets when it seems like nobody else is doing that math. You are not bad with money, and you are not alone in this....
Hi Reader, When someone asks how you've been, how much of your answer is edited? I don't mean lying. I mean the quick pass most of us run before we speak: this version for a coworker, that one for the in-laws, the real one for the two or three people who've seen us on a bad day. That editing takes energy, and it's energy we were already short on. I rewrote an older post about chronic illness and identity to get at this. It covers why "don't let your illness define you" can make things...
Hi Reader,A reader reached out and let me know the link to the blog post wasn't working - sorry about that! I've fixed the error and you can access the post now through this link:Letting Go of Expectations With Chronic Illness Without Feeling Like You're Giving Up Thanks for your patience and understanding, April SmithWebsite | Facebook | Bluesky | Pinterest