Three red gift boxes. Text: Gift Ideas
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Gift ideas for chronically ill people

The holidays are around the corner, and soon, we all will be ordering presents for our healthy or chronically ill friends and family. I don’t know how you feel about this, but I always have a hard time finding the right gift. Luckily, there…
Karina, a woman with short brown hair leans against a wall on a balcony during sunset. She wears a white hoodie and holds a glass of wine in her hand. In the background you can see an old church and many older houses.

Cheers, to a new New Year’s Eve tradition: Gratitude

Can you believe that the year is almost over? Again? I feel like since the pandemic started, time has flown but also stood still at the same time. Unlike 2020 - we can all agree that 2020 should just be canceled entirely, right? - I have mixed…
Karina, eine Frau mit kurzen braunen Haaren und große silbernen Ohrringen
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Not losing yourself as a chronically ill person

My back hurts, sitting in an uncomfortable grey metal chair with red and white tape next to me, so nobody can sit down right beside me. I stare at the white wall that features a giraffe and a leopard - at least I think it’s a leopard, but…
A woman stands on a wooden walkway of a lake and looks into the distance with a threatening dark and cloudy sky above
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Chronic Illness, the bad days & coping

“Wow, I feel like my condition has stabilized a bit. Finally, I can take part in regular life again!” I thought a few weeks ago. Life has been challenging throughout 2020. Actually, challenging isn’t even the right word. It has been a…
Black and white image of Karina, a woman with shaved head. She is wearing glitter eye shadow and red lipstick.
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Raising awareness for EDS: I was a guest in several podcasts and blogs!

Ehlers-Dan… What? Most people - and sometimes even medical professionals - do not know how to spell Ehlers-Danlos syndrome at all, let alone that they would know anything about the various symptoms that are associated with the rare illness.…
Karina, a woman with super short, shaved hair sits in front of a door. She is wearing red lipstick and large silver hoop earrings
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Learning to accept life with a chronic illness.

It is not easy to live with a chronic condition. All of a sudden, your whole life changes, and nothing is like it used to be. You fall into a big hole that does not seem to have a bottom, and it is challenging to get out of it again. However,…
A black and white shot of Jameela, a woman with long black hair who rests her head on her hand
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Interview with The Good Place actress Jameela Jamil

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing actress and advocate Jameela Jamil for ABILITY Magazine. Jameela Jamil is an advocate for social justice, body neutrality, LGBTQ rights, and for a while now, she has also been using her public…
Karina, eine Frau mit abrasierten Haaren, steht in ihrem Garten. Sie trägt einen schwarzen Hut, große silberne Ohrringe und roten Lippenstift.
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Why I have changed my opinion about therapy as a chronically ill person

Only two years ago, I would have never considered therapy. Well, I guess life changes, and even my stubborn self can change her mind. Up until today, I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with therapy, but I feel it changed my life for the…
Karina, a woman with short brown hair is smiling, her eyes small from the sun in her face. She is wearing a neck brace and her flower tattoo on her shoulder is visible
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A letter to myself after getting diagnosed with EDS in 2014

This is a letter I wrote to myself right after getting diagnosed with EDS in 2014. It’s all the things I would have needed to hear from doctors, friends and family. And it’s also advice I gave myself. It was published by The Mighty in…