Welcome :)

First of all, hello, and welcome to my blog. Here is where I will share my journey with chronic illness, specifically a condition of dysautonomia. (POTS).

I’ve created this blog in hopes of helping others with similar conditions, whether it is helping them understand what is happening to them, or just helping them accept what their ‘new’ life with illness will be like. I would like to help all of you realize that none of us are alone in this, as well as help those of you who may have ended up here because of a family member or friend you know with a chronic illness, but may not know what it means or how to help support them.

To begin, my name is Judy, and I’m a 20 year old Canadian. I enjoy photography, fashion sketching, writing, reading, designing, and planning - when POTS isn’t causing me too much trouble. I became very ill three and a half years ago, but did not receive a diagnosis that explained what I was experiencing, or why, until two years after that.

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome is a condition of dysautonomia, meaning it affects the autonomic system (essentially every part of the human body). It is classified as a rare disorder, although it is more likely just rarely diagnosed. I’ve personally experienced many people in the medical field who had no idea what this condition is or how it affects an individual (they often end up Googling it because they think I’m making this stuff up). 

I have not yet met anyone (in person) who has any condition listed under dysautonomia, which can make it feel like a very lonely and isolating illness. However, thanks to social networking (Twitter) I have found there is a community of “Spoonies”. A “spoonie” is a person that suffers from a chronic illness of any kind. (If you’d like to learn more about Spoonies, follow the link below). 

I hope to extend this feeling of closeness and community to the world of blogging. Welcome to my journey. 

http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/wpress/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/