Livin' on a Prayer
Leave it to me to bring out a twenty-year-old t-shirt to wear on the second day of the trip. I’ve always been one to find the hilarity in...
- Jul 18
Amazing Grace
Stop me if you’ve heard this one. After I sat for the second day of the bar on a sunny July day in 2009, I walked through the parking lot...
- Jun 29
Dog Days Are Over
If FUBR’s been around since WWII, I can imagine that “shit happens” was a thing long before I remember it being such a hit in the movie...
- Jun 15
Beautiful Day
I know I cursed God along the recovery way. I absolutely did. “ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This is what you do to me?” But the only time I really...
- May 26
I Can See Clearly Now
May 26, 2022 Dear May 26, 2018-Jackie: Today is one of the worst days you’ve lived through in your life, but you’ll hardly remember it....
- May 10
Your Song
“Life always kind of works out,” said my counselor to me a while back. I so badly wanted to argue, and say, Notta. But it really got me...
- Apr 26
Down With the Sickness
We’ve all heard the saying, “That’s about as fun as a colonoscopy.” Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say it, but I’m going...
- Apr 5
I Take My Chances
You’ll recall I’ve turned to high waisted pants these days. I don’t move as quickly as I used to. And I’m starting to embarrass my kids....
- Mar 29
I'm Alive
It’s hard to know where to begin in my relationship with her, but I think this story is best. She doesn’t live too far from me, and...
- Mar 22
Hello
Yesterday I was listening to a podcast about why blogging is important for your speaking career. (Yip, I’m that awesome. I wasn’t out...
- Mar 14
Time Marches On
I have no idea when, but once when I was younger, I asked my dad why we had to change time during the year. He told me very matter of...
- Feb 28
Hold On II
I penned the “Hold On” blog over a month ago. I write blogs in real time, but don’t always post them that quickly. I finally published it...
- Feb 17
Hold On
Q: What do you do for a living? A: I’m a professional patient. Truly. That’s why I do with a lot of my days. I go to the doctor. Q: Do...
- Feb 2
I Want to Hold Your Hand
I am a very social person. Truly, one of the most social people I know. In law school, I became close with someone who was the shyest...
- Jan 11
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
I couldn’t quit staring out the window. I just sat there and kept blankly looking. But I was smiling. For sure on the outside and...
- Jan 3
Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow
It’s New Year’s Eve Day, and I’m doing what others around the world are doing – pondering where I will party tonight. Yeah right, in my...
- Dec 29, 2021
One Headlight
“That’s a big deal and you’re incredibly stupid for standing in the middle of a dark road,” she said as she laughed hard and flashed me a...
- Dec 20, 2021
I'll Be Home for Christmas
I often wonder what it would be like to go back in time and watch myself as a kid. As my kids grow, I’ve become obsessed with asking my...
- Dec 9, 2021
Crocodile Rock
I’ve been in serious contemplation about whether I’m going through a midlife crisis, with my wearing navy blazers and high waisted,...
- Dec 7, 2021
It's a Big Ol' Goofy World
While growing up, the “worst” thing to happen at home was Dad going grocery shopping. No matter what, no matter the season, Dad came back...
- Nov 16, 2021
The House That Built Me (Part II)
“You know they say, you can’t go home again. But I just want to come back one last time.” As my brain had already checked me out of life...
- Nov 5, 2021
I Want to Break Free
I found this NYT’s video opinion piece to be very thought provoking. I encourage you to watch it to think about what “quitting” means to...
- Nov 5, 2021
The House That Built Me (Part I)
I want my book to first and foremost help people who are diagnosed with AE. I also want my book to have broad appeal and hopefully be...
- Oct 18, 2021
Carry On
When I wake, the first thing I do is decide that I’m still really tired (stupid AE aftermath). The second thing I do is walk straight to...
- Oct 18, 2021
Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)
I’ll never forget the day I met her, in the dorm hallway. Trish is a bit (a really super duper) of a closer talker (and I love her for...
- Oct 4, 2021
Thunderstruck
I will never do that. I’d be the only person in history to get one and then get Lyme disease, or worms. I’m sure I’d die from it. Me for...
- Sep 22, 2021
You Can't Always Get What You Want
When I was little, around third or fourth grade, I desperately wanted Reebok pump shoes. Imagine a black high top, with a little orange...
- Sep 8, 2021
One Toke Over the Line
“Jackie, that’s how I know you’re healing. That’s how I see true inner peace coming from you.” My counselor told me that the other day,...
- Aug 24, 2021
100 Years
I watch about 3 movies every 10 years. But one of my absolute favorites is Lonesome Dove. Though 6 hours long, I used to watch it every...
- Aug 3, 2021
Tiny Dancer
You never think it will be you. But then suddenly, it’s you. Sorry about that. Sorry it’s you. My cousin sent me an Insta video on this...
- Jul 11, 2021
Man in the Mirror
“For this week’s WordPromptWednesday, write about the reflection in the mirror being different than reality.” I read that and chuckled,...
- Jun 23, 2021
That's How Your Love Makes Me Feel Inside
“Be thankful for stumbles, they prevent falls.” I saw that on a church’s marquee at the corner of a busy street. It was the day after it...
- May 26, 2021
Change
"If you knew that you would die today If you saw the face of God and love Would you change?" I’ve spent the better part of three years...
- May 20, 2021
The Times They Are A-Changin'
To keep or not to keep? To do or not to do? Stay right here in this place or go somewhere new? My life feels like a Jeopardy board. But I...
- May 4, 2021
Why Pt. 2
I once heard Hunter Pinke say that he doesn’t ask, “Why me?” rather he asks, “Why not me?” (If you don’t know Hunter’s story, Google him,...
- Apr 15, 2021
Skyline Pigeon
My counselor recently asked me to start a gratefulness journal – to write down daily thankful thoughts. But since my diagnosis and...
- Apr 7, 2021
Masters of War
You came onto me so fast. Like a sick lover. But, we were never meant to be. Me and you. You’ve been away for years now. Yet, you linger...
- Mar 3, 2021
Here Comes The Sun
I read an opinion this morning in the New York Times, about how nurses are being overworked to serious degrees. Covid has strained these...
- Feb 13, 2021
Enter Sandman
“Everything is worse at night. Everything.” Said my mother to me yesterday, after I had a particularly awful night, which led to an...
- Jan 21, 2021
Fire and Rain
“Princesses, they’re just like us.” My friend Christina once commented that on Facebook, under a picture of Princess Kate. You know, the...
- Dec 31, 2020
Better Days
While I was in the psychiatric ward, and could still write a little, I wrote: “BETTER DAYS AHEAD.” It was more me trying to convince...
- Nov 24, 2020
Kind and Generous
*The turkey artwork is courtesy of my Kindergarten son.* When I was in college, the United States was involved in conflict in the Middle...
- Nov 6, 2020
Fight Song #MaskUp
This photo of me was taken at the Mayo Clinic, on November 6, 2018. It was at the height of the dark days of my recovery from autoimmune...
- Oct 22, 2020
The Rising
Everyone has an idea and a way for me. I’ve accepted that’s just part of living with a monumental illness.
- Oct 4, 2020
Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)
My newfound time and perspective on life have given me all sorts of nostalgia. Feelings of longing for the past.
- Sep 6, 2020
Learning to Fly
Everything about autoimmune encephalitis scares the bee jeebies out of me. It’s horrible to face your own mortality, but also eye opening.
- Aug 27, 2020
Eleanor Rigby
As my health improved, I became less fixated on life’s uncertainty, but I remain lonely.
- Aug 4, 2020
Teacher I Need You
Figuring out how to educate our children and keep them safe, is a big part of our new daily routine.
- Jul 12, 2020
Tomorrow is Today
After all, drinking cold coffee may be guaranteed, but tomorrow isn’t.
- Jun 15, 2020
The dance
Please take away from this piece that I have some thoughts about coping with grief, not that I read old lady magazines.