I have been sick for 14 months or 402 days or 578,880 minutes. It is a long journey. It is a hard journey. Yet, unlike too many other chronic diseases, there is an assumption that the disease will end one day and I will return to my pre-disease “normal.” For me, it did not endContinue reading “In This Moment”
Author Archives: Carolyn Ristau
Day of Rest
Disappointment and success go hand-in-hand as I transition a writing day into a day of rest.
Hope 2
I ignored, or rather, I was distracted at the time of my one-year anniversary of Long COVID (start: November 2023). It was a long and hard year where I spent an immense amount of energy focused on interpreting, diagnosis, and understanding my health on a daily basis. I have learned much about the body, theContinue reading “Hope 2”
Movement for the Soul
Walking and dancing are fundamental to my being. As long as I can walk, I will be ok. But once a foot injury is added to the mix, I struggle.
Listening to Your Body
Whether you have Long COVID, post-election malaise, or other physical or emotional challenges, the multi-step technique of listening to your body can be a helpful self-care tool. In this post, I share my experiences of when I’ve used it well and when I haven’t.
Post-Election Playlist
Music shines light in darkness.
The Long COVID Treadmill
Having Long COVID takes a lot of work, which is unfortunate because most of us who have Long COVID are running on low to no energy.
Surgery Outcome
I had high hopes that endometriosis surgery would be a magic bullet solving much of my health problems. It wasn’t.
Women’s Health Matters
I chose to have surgery while having Long COVID because I grew up in the tail end of the dark ages of women’s health…and we may be headed back there.
Planning Ahead
Planning ahead has been one of my primary tools for anxiety management for years. It continues to help me through Long COVID.
Carolyn Ristau 