Renata Carmen Writes

Hello there! It's been longer than I prefer since I've last posted on here :/ Between the Neil Young concert my man and I were lucky enough to attend a few weeks ago upstate, being a heat sensitive person in the peak of New England summer (woah, humidity!), and the sudden drop in temps we've had over the last week (WTF, signs of Fall already? Winter is coming!  Ah, Rural Vermont Life), along with a few other health issues I won't get into, I have been pretty laid low. "Low on spoons" as they say ;) But, I'm back on my feet, caught up on a major freelance project I've been trying to hammer out for some time ( Shameless self-plug: Go get a subscription to Auto Restorer magazine! ), and am very excited about everything that is happening right now, including posts for this blog that I've been wanting to get out for some time. Driving Upstate Vermont in Late Summer is a glorious experience! :) A preview of what's to come: - A write-up about the Nei...

Journal Entry from earlier this morning: "Rough start so far, but determined to turn things around. Emo and in pain from ovulation. Didn't sleep as long/deeply as needed and am exhausted and ready to go back to bed even though I just got up. Also stiff, sore, nauseous. Woke up sad/angry about my life circumstances - about feeling rejected/misunderstood by both sides of my family, about money, independence, my health and stamina and sun sensitivity, disability. My brain started going down fast. Started crying, feeling overwhelmed, wanted to break down and start destroying furniture and shit. But this energy does nothing positive or constructive for me at all, and I know everything I'm feeling is valid, but I must channel the river of my emotions accordingly so as not to get swept away in a path of irreversible destruction.  This day is mine , I claim it, to do with it as I please. I will focus on my blessings, all that I do have, and I will work my ass off to the best...

When you picture a disabled person, you're probably like I used to be. For me, the term "disabled" used to conjure images of quadriplegics, like Stephen Hawking, or the blind, or deaf. I had no clue there is a whole spectrum of disabilities out there, many of which aren't visible to the uneducated/inexperienced, nor that they can vary in severity from moment to moment and day to day. After the onset of what turned out to be Fibromyalgia in 2011, I have learned differently. Even though I'm half Mexican and used to sunbathe all day, one of the most debilitating symptoms I struggle with is a light sensitivity (UV rays). In fact, that is the primary reason my boyfriend and I left Boulder County, Colorado. At over a mile high and with more than 300 days of sunshine annually, I was literally stuck inside our apartment most of the day with the blinds drawn and tapestries over them because even then it was still too bright. I remember struggling to walk maybe a hundred fe...

Hello everyone! Thanks for checking out my latest blog post. My apologies that I haven’t been writing more, it’s been a great struggle for me. But I do plan on being here more often, sharing information from my journey that I hope will help others in similar situations. Hope you had a great Holiday and New Year surrounded by loved ones and delicious foods!  I’ve realized that I’ve not yet discussed my chronic illness in detail, so I would like to take some time to talk about that today.  Should you find anything useful on this here blog, please consider donating to my PayPay account (I’m working on adding Bitcoin here too!). I am unable to work at this time, but have not yet qualified for Disability, so no amount is too small.  Most of all I’m just flattered you’re here. Thanks for stopping by! WTF is Fibromyalgia?  Before the decline in my health in 2011, I’d never even heard of Fibromyalgia , nonetheless knew anything about this debilitating chronic illness. I didn...

Many thanks to all those that donated! This donation account is no longer active. Thanks to your support, my partner and I were able to pull together the needed funds to get the care I needed at the time, and relocate to a place where we could have some support from family and live in a climate that better suits my UV Sensitivity.  However, the struggles of being a disabled mechanic/artist who does not currently receive SSI/SSDI are still very real.  Please, if you find any value from this blog, please consider making a donation to the PayPal link at the top right of the page. I don't create these posts expecting anything but to help/entertain others, but when I'm flared up it's hard if not impossible for me to get my hustle on, so your support is still greatly appreciated. No amount is too small!  I'm also working on adding Bitcoin here! :)  Hello my beloved readers! I do hope you all had Happy Holidays and a Blessed New Year! Typing is murder for me right now so th...

I have been deep in the grip of a flare-up in inflammation, which has put my Health Tips for the Holidays Series on hold. I will be getting back into that shortly. In the meantime, I wanted to post something to keep this blog alive and kicking, but I'm in a ton of pain and have the worst brain fog and fatigue so it makes writing very difficult. Thus, this will be short, and probably full of silly technical errors. Please forgive any that do appear. In the going on 3 years now that I have been chronically ill, I have done a ton of research related to the matter. Some of my favorite sources are forums, where one can read the experiences of other patients. Not only do these stories provide unique and invaluable medical insights, and help me maneuver the complex health system more efficiently, they also validate my feelings. To know one is not alone when you feel desperately so is like giving water to someone wasting away in the desert. It could save a life. That is probably the most ...

I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving yesterday filled with love, laughter, and wonderful foods! As we enter the joyful chaos of this Holiday Season, we find ourselves caught up in a whirlwind of social events: eating, shopping, eating, gifting, eating, and traveling (and did I mention eating??). This 45 day crunch of consumerism and partying can wreak havoc on the body’s defenses, making us more prone to catching the season’s flus, colds, and other bugs that threaten to dampen our merrymaking. There is nothing worse than being too sick to enjoy festivities that you have been looking forward to all year! So how does one survive this onslaught with enough vitality left-over to enjoy the ride all the way through midnight on December 31 st , and beyond into the New Year? Especially when you are at a slight disadvantage from having a chronic illness or compromised immune system? Most health sources quote the same usual remedies: Vitamin C, Echinacea, Elderberry, Garlic, Homemade Chick...