Columns

Caregivers Are Appreciated, Valued, and Necessary

My wife has worked in the healthcare industry for 16 years. She started as a caregiver and is now in an administrative position at a major hospital. Although the description of her job duties has changed along the way, she has always remained a caregiver, not only for her clients…

How Extreme Dieting Damaged My Body

Before receiving treatment, navigating Cushing’s disease was extremely difficult for me, not only because of the painful and fatiguing symptoms, but also because I started to gain weight like never before in my life. I was always a thin person, so this aspect of the disease left me feeling embarrassed.

How a Phone App Helped Me Finally Get Diagnosed

Have you ever thought that your phone could play a vital role in your journey to a medical diagnosis? There’s so much information to be utilized from such a small device, including its internet capability, its camera, and the apps. Surprisingly, an app helped me significantly in my Cushing’s…

What I Learned During My Frustrating Journey to Diagnosis

Getting diagnosed with Cushing’s disease was a tricky process for me, and it often can take a long time. While some in my community have been struggling with symptoms for years, a few of us received our diagnoses rather quickly. Here’s a bit of history to preface my advice.

The Importance of Having Friends Who Understand Your Disease

In the midst of my disease, I felt very alone. Invisible diseases like Cushing’s tend to make life harder, because one shows no outward signs of an illness. Those who haven’t been through something similar may have a hard time relating to the hardships. Therefore, I believe being friends with…

Seeing Beyond the Stereotypes

There’s more to people than meets the eye, although the first thing we often notice about someone is how large or small they are. When I was younger, I was always thin and in shape. I never had to try to maintain my weight, and well into college, I still…