Chronically Yours— Noura Costany

I turn 30 in a few months, which has me reflecting on how my life has unfolded. Have I done enough to give back to others? Am I as far along with my career…

I am a big believer in science, and I’m grateful that many vaccinations exist to keep me healthy and safe. But I also tend to have strong reactions to vaccines, partly due to my…

I generally like my health insurance plan, because it covers a lot of what I need. But I have Cushing’s disease, which is complex and can lead to complications with my insurance coverage.

I’m currently about halfway through my pregnancy, which is an amazing and exciting feat. To ensure the baby’s safety, I am currently off most of my medications for Cushing’s disease. I am…

Working out with Cushing’s disease can be incredibly tough. I have weak bones and nonexistent muscles, and starting any new workout routine is intimidating. I’ve tried lifting, Pilates, yoga, running (the…

I’m terrible at asking for help. It’s important to me to prove that I can handle anything, despite my disability with Cushing’s disease. I have high expectations for myself and big goals I’m…

My pregnancy is both high risk and low risk, which can be a bit confusing to explain. Because of my Cushing’s disease and polycystic ovary syndrome, my partner and I decided to pursue…

Recently, an image depicting a “disability hierarchy” has gone viral on social media, sparking controversy within the disability community. The pyramid has three levels that seem to indicate the severity of one’s disability:…

I have Cushing’s disease, so I always travel with a mask. That’s because whenever I’ve gotten sick with something like COVID-19 or norovirus, it’s taken me out for weeks and posed great risk…

I’ve previously written about the spoon theory, which posits that different tasks require a certain amount of energy, or number of “spoons,” to complete. Those of us with chronic illness have a limited…

Last week, I announced that my partner and I are expecting our first child in February. We couldn’t be more excited about this development and are pumped to become supercool parents next year.