Peaceful Chaos — Allison Ross

The first week of February, I turned 35. It was a typical, uneventful adult birthday — especially because it fell on a Monday. I happened to be traveling back from a weekend of out-of-state work, so besides some good…

When the world outside of your head becomes overwhelming and you need to cling to something for support, where do you find your center? With vasculitis, that world is an unfamiliar one. It’s full of new challenges,…

Those of you who have followed my column for at least a year might recall my annual January tradition, called Hibernation. I treat it as a mental and physical reset, and eagerly look forward to it after…

Body image involves more than vanity. Though we often think of cosmetics and fitness as superficial, the reality is that they help us feel good about ourselves. We want to appeal to a mate, impress friends, and come off…

Sometimes the simplest things turn out to have an enormous impact. Vasculitis patients know the value in life’s beautiful details that others may take for granted, such as a stable routine, supportive friends, or a day of the…

Once you’ve lived many years with a disorder as stressful as vasculitis, it’s both harder and easier to endure routine medical procedures. A couple weeks ago, I encountered severe dental issues. I never had my wisdom teeth taken…

You know the song. The obnoxious, catchy song that rings in your ears incessantly. “This is the song that doesn’t end, Yes, it goes on and on, my friend, Some people started singing it not knowing what…

Brandon Hudgins and Ben Wilson are two longtime friends of mine, both with a similar vasculitis diagnosis. We met while volunteering for the Vasculitis Foundation as young adult leaders. Obviously, life looks very different when you’re sick…

Though a new diagnosis can be overwhelming, there’s no doubt it’s educational. Even after years of living with vasculitis, there’s still more to research and experience. Once the immediate danger has passed, there’s more luxury of time to…

The Labor Day weekend was a good time to be alive. As an extrovert with a few days off work, I packed the calendar full of social activities, parties, and meals with friends. School and a busy work season…

Another week, another doctor’s appointment, another stack of bills. Even my pillbox reflects it — each dosage carefully lined up, disappearing one day at at time, only for me to start the same thing over the following week. It’s…