Sign In Subscribe
203 Posts

Chronic Illness

In this section you will find all articles related to chronic illness, which is a major focus for this website. Topics span from rare diseases to new diagnoses, chronic pain, brain fog, societal issues and more. Articles are a collection of patient perspectives, both my own and others from the chronic illness community.

Mental Health ⸱ Sheryl Chan

Clinical Depression: Diagnosed 10 Years Late

*Content Warning: Mentions of severe depression and suicidal ideation. Clinical Depression in the Spotlight Depression has been in the headlines a lot these days. It is good to see the rise in awareness for mental health, and the increase in the number of people stepping up and speaking out. Every
Read More →
Community ⸱ Sheryl Chan

Advice That Could, Quite Literally, Kill

One Size Does Not Fit All — Doctor's Perspective When it comes to chronic illnesses and autoimmune diseases, one size does not fit all. Even our doctors deal with us on a case by case basis: “This drug works for him, but can she tolerate it?” “It isn’t
Read More →
Chronic Illness ⸱ Sheryl Chan

An Open Letter to Death, and One Simple Plea

An open letter to death that I wrote, with just one simple plea – please, no more pain. Content Warning: This post contains mentions of death, depression and suicidal thoughts. *Disclaimer: This article is meant for educational purposes, and is based on my personal experiences as a patient. I am not
Read More →
Chronic Illness ⸱ Sheryl Chan

Appearances – the First Layer of Defense

Why I Care So Much About My Appearances Whilst I don’t spend hours applying makeup in front of the mirror, I do ensure that I look somewhat presentable before stepping out of the house. This can be a struggle on bad days, but still I try. Why? I have
Read More →
Relationships ⸱ Sheryl Chan

We Shouldn't Expect People to Understand

We Shouldn't Expect People to Understand – Anyone Who Says They Do, Doesn't Really The topic of this post might sound controversial but do hear me out. In all seriousness, how can anyone understand something that they've never experienced, even if they tried to? Anyone
Read More →
Creativity ⸱ Sheryl Chan

An Inspirational Poem on Miracles, by Thuli Zuma

A Poem on Miracles by Thuli Zuma, and How It Inspires Me Whenever I need a good dose of inspiration, this poem on miracles by Thuli Zuma never fails. It reminds me that I am a human being just like anyone else, and that we are all living miracles. *Disclaimer:
Read More →
Healthcare ⸱ Sheryl Chan

Is My Doctor Right for Me?

The Many Questions with a New Chronic Illness Diagnosis How do you differentiate between a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ doctor? How do you know if the diagnosis presented is accurate, or if the treatment options presented are the best ones? How do you know if your doctor or surgeon suits your
Read More →
Chronic Illness ⸱ Sheryl Chan

So This is What a Tonic Clonic Seizure Feels Like

What is a Tonic Clonic Seizure? (Formerly Known as a Grand Mal Seizure) A generalised tonic clonic seizure, formerly known as a grand mal seizure, is the stereotypical type of seizure that you see on TV (of course, it has to be the most ‘dramatic’ form). You know the scene
Read More →
Home & Lifestyle ⸱ Sheryl Chan

The Superpowers of the Average Human Being

My ‘Normal’ is Not the Same ‘Normal’ as the Average Human Being ‘Normal’ is a most fascinating word, because no two people's ‘normal’ is ever the same. For example, feeling some sort of ailment every day is normal to me, and not feeling any pain makes it an
Read More →
Chronic Illness ⸱ Sheryl Chan

Dealing with Pain, One Second at a Time

When You're in Pain, an Hour Can Feel Like Eternity My eyes fluttered open. It had been a long night in the intensive care unit after my heart surgery, but now the colour beyond the windows was the saturated blue of dawn. My eyes drifted towards the clock
Read More →
Mental Health ⸱ Sheryl Chan

Chronic Stress, the Silent Assassin

The Idolisation of Chronic Stress in Modern Society Chronic stress. It is an oft-forgotten factor in the equation to good health. Often, the tolerance for it is even glorified in modern society. More emphasis is placed on diet, exercise and sleep, with stress relief as a byproduct or afterthought. *Disclaimer:
Read More →
← Newer Posts
Page 17 of 17

Subscribe

Sign up to our newsletter for the latest content