All Things Disability
Guidance for life with a disability: stories and facts, insights and encouragement.
All Things Disability
Guidance for life with a disability: stories and facts, insights and encouragement.
Recommended
Some Call It The ‘Suicide Disease’
Few things compare to constant electrical-like currents with burning hot and ice cold pain. That’s what Elizabeth Seickel, RN, likened Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) to, in terms of pain level.
“It’s physical torture, “said Seickel, “If I didn’t have this condition, I honestly don’t know how I could wrap my head around its severity. It’s hard to articulate.”
Diagnosed nearly 12 years ago, Seickel is a knowledgeable spokesperson in the CRPS community. She volunteers with […]
Most Popular
SSA Expands Fast-Tracking for Disability Benefits
Coping with a long-term disability can be challenging. It’s even more stressful for individuals waiting on a favorable decision about their Social Security disability claim. Now, imagine the reduced pressure that comes with getting faster results.
On Monday, Aug. 20, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced the addition of five conditions to the Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program. The new CAL listings are:
- Fibrolamellar Cancer
- Megacystis Microcolon Intestinal Hypoperistalsis Syndrome (MMIHS)
- Megalencephaly Capillary Malformation Syndrome (MCAP)
#BeBold4GP Highlights Gastroparesis Awareness Month
By Melissa Adams VanHouten, Gastroparesis Advocate
August is national Gastroparesis Awareness Month! We encourage medical professionals, patient groups, family and friends, and the general public to help educate others about this life-altering chronic illness and its potentially debilitating effects on patients and their loved ones.
What is Gastroparesis?
Gastroparesis, or “paralysis of the stomach,” is a gastrointestinal motility disorder in which the stomach muscles fail to contract and move […]
Psoriatic Arthritis Doesn’t Stop Her
Melanie Lech was a senior in college when she attended a belly dancing class that left her significantly more sore than usual. It was the beginning of a painful journey through the medical maze known as psoriatic arthritis. She was only 21 years old.
The Huntersville, North Carolina, native said, “The next day it felt like my arm was falling off. It actually felt like my shoulder was sliding out of the joint. […]
Now What? Find Your Inner Ninja
The first thing you may notice about Amy Rivera is her leg. It is larger than the rest of her body due to lymphedema, a painful swelling that happens when lymphatic fluid can’t circulate properly and builds up in soft tissues.
“Your body releases toxins, but they have nowhere to go,” Rivera explained. Although it is considered a rare disease, affecting about 3-5 million Americans, Rivera said the numbers are rising, with more cancer survivors […]
Living a Good Life with Scleroderma
Amy Gietzen was 19 when her world changed forever. She was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, a chronic connective tissue disease marked by tightening of the skin and joint pain. Symptoms can range from very mild to life threatening. For Amy, who endures pain on a daily basis, they were life-changing.
“I had a plan on how my life was going to be,” said Gietzen. “You have to leave your old life behind and start a […]
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Recommended
Some Call It The ‘Suicide Disease’
Few things compare to constant electrical-like currents with burning hot and ice cold pain. That’s what Elizabeth Seickel, RN, likened Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) to, in terms of pain level.
“It’s physical torture, “said Seickel, “If I didn’t have this condition, I honestly don’t know how I could wrap my head around its severity. It’s hard to articulate.”
Diagnosed nearly 12 years ago, Seickel is a knowledgeable spokesperson in the CRPS community. She volunteers with […]
Most Popular
SSA Expands Fast-Tracking for Disability Benefits
Coping with a long-term disability can be challenging. It’s even more stressful for individuals waiting on a favorable decision about their Social Security disability claim. Now, imagine the reduced pressure that comes with getting faster results.
On Monday, Aug. 20, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced the addition of five conditions to the Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program. The new CAL listings are:
- Fibrolamellar Cancer
- Megacystis Microcolon Intestinal Hypoperistalsis Syndrome (MMIHS)
- Megalencephaly Capillary Malformation Syndrome (MCAP)
#BeBold4GP Highlights Gastroparesis Awareness Month
By Melissa Adams VanHouten, Gastroparesis Advocate
August is national Gastroparesis Awareness Month! We encourage medical professionals, patient groups, family and friends, and the general public to help educate others about this life-altering chronic illness and its potentially debilitating effects on patients and their loved ones.
What is Gastroparesis?
Gastroparesis, or “paralysis of the stomach,” is a gastrointestinal motility disorder in which the stomach muscles fail to contract and move […]
Psoriatic Arthritis Doesn’t Stop Her
Melanie Lech was a senior in college when she attended a belly dancing class that left her significantly more sore than usual. It was the beginning of a painful journey through the medical maze known as psoriatic arthritis. She was only 21 years old.
The Huntersville, North Carolina, native said, “The next day it felt like my arm was falling off. It actually felt like my shoulder was sliding out of the joint. […]
Now What? Find Your Inner Ninja
The first thing you may notice about Amy Rivera is her leg. It is larger than the rest of her body due to lymphedema, a painful swelling that happens when lymphatic fluid can’t circulate properly and builds up in soft tissues.
“Your body releases toxins, but they have nowhere to go,” Rivera explained. Although it is considered a rare disease, affecting about 3-5 million Americans, Rivera said the numbers are rising, with more cancer survivors […]
Living a Good Life with Scleroderma
Amy Gietzen was 19 when her world changed forever. She was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, a chronic connective tissue disease marked by tightening of the skin and joint pain. Symptoms can range from very mild to life threatening. For Amy, who endures pain on a daily basis, they were life-changing.
“I had a plan on how my life was going to be,” said Gietzen. “You have to leave your old life behind and start a […]