I've spent years struggling with the idea of sharing my creative work, especially when money and “being good enough” got tangled up in the process. But today I realized something: maybe I haven't been finishing the creative loop. I've been making more than ever, but not sharing. So I'm trying something new—closing the loop by sharing.

I started this blog with the best of intentions. I wanted it to be a place where I could share my experiences, my art, and most of all, everything I have learned about being chronically ill and living with CIRS. And yet, eight months have passed since I posted anything. Why?

I woke up yesterday and, as I was laying in bed reading before dragging myself out of bed, I found myself asking a question I think many chronically ill people are familiar with: Am I just lazy?

Misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and often missed all together, CIRS is a misunderstood biotoxin illness that plagues about 25% of Americans— including me. Often misdiagnosed or missed entirely, it is a silent epidemic. I’m not a medical expert, but I’ve lived with CIRS most of my life. I want to demystify this illness so that others like me can feel seen, heard, and find resources to take back their lives.

Essays can be daunting . We often put them off because they feel overwhelming, scary, and like too much work. Thankfully, I had a high...