The Blogging Platypus

Some days are easier than others and, boy, today was a doozy. The day before was too. Sometimes it just feels as if the rough days keep piling up, back to back. Monday was full of annoyances, some little, others more significant. One of the more challenging aspects was that I found out just how much my doctors and VA clinic here in town think I matter to the world. See, they sat on repeated requests from the cardiologist for more information and notes to why I needed an echocardiogram. Since the requests were ignored, the referral for services that were started by my geneticist were rescinded, but the insurance company failed to inform the cardiologist or myself that the appointment was not going to be covered. That also means that the echocardiogram that I was to have this week will not be happening. I was also lied to and gaslighted by the VA nurse who called me to let me know that both sides of my body didn’t need to be tested during the nerve conduction test I had done earl...

My experience in pursuing my disability approval has been one that has made me sink to one of the lowest moments in my life. After getting my first denial for disability, it gutted me. But, this second time, it crushed me, while at the same time, made me want to fight for all of the other people who have experienced the same or similar treatment by the powers that be. When the government says you aren’t disabled, but you have all of the doctor's notes, lab results, and hell, even a genetic test that revealed a mutation in my collagen that is associated with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, it becomes such a mindfuck. It is as if the government says you don’t have a right to be alive, since, in their view, I am just a lazy sack of crap who just chooses not to work. When, in reality, my body is slowly falling apart, my shoulders and hips pop out of place if I move sometimes, my core temperature drops often, with my hands being 60-70 degrees (about 20 degrees cooler than they should b...

To say that I have lived an interesting life in my 42 years would be a bit of an understatement. From graduating high school at age 16, earning my AA degree at 18, then spending 12 years in the military on active duty, followed by my BS and MS degrees, then to be hit with a handful of debilitating illnesses. I’ve seen a lot. I’ve heard a lot. I’ve been through some shit. All of that goes into who I am at any given moment. Our past most certainly influences our experience of the world around us. That’s what makes life interesting, as no two people have had the same experience of life. The diverse views held by society requires us to be more open minded than some are comfortable with, which can lead to the minds being closed. If we nurture compassion, empathy, and understanding, society as a whole may improve. Let’s put the human back into humanity. Okay, I’ll step off my soapbox now and get to today’s post. This game can be challenging, especially when you feel like you have lived s...