Gluten free bbq fried chicken sandwich with vegan carrot slaw on a white plate. New Cascadia gluten free bun. Rainbow carrots. Gluten free chicken tenders. Stub's bbq sauce.
Sam, the creator of invisible illness living, leaning forward with her left hand against her chin. Smiling and looking above the camera.
Homemade gluten free kale pesto sits on a bench inside. The vibrant green shows through the glass of the ball mason jar. Fresh garden basil and kale, raw garlic, walnuts, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, lemon and lemon zest.

Find the new normal

Sam, the creator of invisible illness living, hiding behind a gluten free cookie she is holding. The gluten free cookie is the size of her head and she is in a grey shirt. Sam is standing in front of a wall of the bakery Sweet Lemon Kitchen.

I was diagnosed with my first few conditions nine years ago, some of which include: celiac disease, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), and vasovagal syncope. It took me about five years to find my new normal because of the learning curve that comes with invisible and chronic illnesses. I was angry, I thought it was unfair, and I was overwhelmed by the unknown of what my life would be.

I have learned how to prioritize myself, and I am now able to make productive moves to further my future on my own time. The fact that I am “better” than I was 6, 7, or even 8 years ago doesn’t mean I am “cured” or “healed”. I still struggle, but I try not to dwell on that.

I’m a different person than I was for the first 18 years of my life. And I’m okay with that now because I’ve found my new normal.

Life may be different

Sam, the creator of invisible illness living, smiling with the cookie by the side of her face. The gluten free cookie is the size of her head and she is in a grey shirt. Sam is standing in front of a wall of the bakery Sweet Lemon Kitchen.

So what am I doing?

I use myself, my life, and my symptoms to show people who do not have invisible and chronically illnesses how I live. And also to discover others who are like me. Whether it’s someone who knows nothing about an illness learning, or someone who sees something and feels less alone, I am happy. I have loved connecting with others and building upon the amazing corner of the internet that is the chronic illness community.

With all of the different medical conditions I have (POTS, fibromyalgia, hearing loss, IBS, and PCOS to name a few) I’m in a unique position to raise awareness in many areas. I shed light into the lives of those with invisible and chronic illnesses, and do what I can to bridge that gap between us with the diagnoses and our support systems.

I have many plans and dreams, all of which will further this goal of bridging the gap and making connections.

When I studied photography, I assumed my life would be all about traveling, not converting my knowledge into social media, or videos, and having to be in front of the camera. How I live is much different than I expected, but after spending all of my adult life as a person with invisible and chronic illnesses, I have found ways to be happy and find fulfillment.