Columns

I was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease two years ago, at age 30. Last year, I had surgery to remove a 3 mm pituitary tumor. The tumor was causing a host of symptoms, including weight gain, moon face, buffalo hump, muscle weakness, bone pain, fatigue, and…

Summer is a time of celebration and contemplation for me. June is LGBTQIA+ Pride month, and July is Disability Pride Month. These are two identities I’m proud of, two communities I love dearly, but being queer and disabled has made my life very different from what I expected.

I am struggling right now due to a rough Cushing’s disease flare-up. That’s been clear in some of my recent columns and to those who are close to me. While I hope for better days, it’s not easy. I should’ve seen the signs as soon as I started…

I opened my eyes and scanned the room. It was dark, so I knew it was late. I was in the neurosurgical intensive care unit and had just survived brain surgery. A nurse was standing nearby charting, and I could see the warm glow of the computer light on…

I’ve spent many recent days wrapped up in blankets and trying to get out of my head. Cushing’s disease affects my cortisol, its levels fluctuating due to a teeny-tiny tumor. While my medication, for the most part, helps stabilize my cortisol, sometimes this disease grabs…

I usually try to stay hopeful through my Cushing’s disease — so much so that people often comment that they’re amazed I’m still happy and thriving despite all the hardships my condition has caused me. While I’m proud of my ability to overcome those challenges, a lot of those…

Last November, I had a transphenoidal pituitary resection surgery to remove a 3 mm tumor on my pituitary gland, in hopes of placing me in remission from Cushing’s disease. It’s laughable to say that having brain surgery was the easy part of this journey, but getting to the…

It hits me like a ton of bricks every single time. My stomach starts to knot together, I feel myself gagging, and I know that if I so much as breathe wrong, I’ll end up on my knees throwing up everything I’ve eaten in the past 24 hours. The nausea…

Six months have passed since I had transsphenoidal pituitary surgery to remove a 3 mm tumor on my pituitary gland. Since then, I have taken time to reflect on things I’ve learned. Before surgery, I had many expectations about how my Cushing’s disease symptoms might improve afterward. These…

In the past year, as I’ve been dealing with a recurrence of Cushing’s disease, I’ve found myself needing a wheelchair for myriad reasons. My bones are brittle, my muscles are weak, I have vision issues, and I’m at risk of fainting. Furthermore, I have extreme fatigue, which will only…