My Several Worlds - Chronic Pain and Disability Awareness

02/28/2026

My Several Worlds 'Top 10' Best of 2022

Each year I post my top 10 best performing articles on , , , and . This is also my 900th post on MSW since starting it in January 2007. Woot woot!

Have a read through this post to see what my readers loved learning about in 2022. Read it: https://www.myseveralworlds.com/2022/12/27/my-several-worlds-best-of-2022/

02/27/2026

Story of my life!

"HAVING TO MAKE MEDICAL DECISIONS ON A FREOUENT BASIS IS OVERWHELMING

After the doctor has given you your options and you've done your own research, the anxiety often remains.

Will this treatment help me or harm me? Will it cause a flare or do irreversible damage?

When your condition makes you sensitive to medications, you feel like your body sees the list of possible side- effects as a to-do list.

Either way it's a risk: you risk getting worse or you risk staying the same, either way it's terrifying."

Credit:

02/27/2026

Throat Pain with MECFS and Fibromyalgia: A Rarely Talked About Symptom

I wrote this article many years ago and documented my voice loss in a video so others can see what happens.

Throat pain is a rarely talked about symptom with & patients. I lost a 20 year career in music thanks to this symptom. Many patients can relate to once they realize it's more common than you think. It's so common, I asked friends on Twitter and they submitted their experiences which you can read about in my article.
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https://buff.ly/3148cFt

02/26/2026

February is . The more you know about Raynaud's and how to manage it, the better your quality of life is.

Raynaud's Awareness Month raises awareness about Raynaud's Phenomenon, a condition that affects blood circulation in extremities such as fingers and toes. Raynaud’s causes decreased blood flow to the fingers.

It can also cause less blood flow in the ears, toes, ni***es, knees, and nose.

Most patients notice color changes in your hands and feet.

My fingertips and feet often go stark white, blue, or bright red. You'll feel cold and numbness in the affected areas.

The best ways to try and prevent it is by staying warm, don't smoke, and avoid trauma or vibrations.

The diseases most often linked with Raynaud's are autoimmune or connective tissue diseases. My Raynaud's is classified as secondary Raynaud's because of my APS and Spondyloarthritis diagnoses.

Learn more here
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https://www.myseveralworlds.com/autoimmune-disease-101/raynauds-disease/

02/26/2026

"Chronic pain is a trip because you have to simultaneously hyper focus on physical discomfort to monitor your health and pain levels while also trying to completely ignore pain in general.

I will freak out over a new twinge or sensation of pain because I worry about it being more nerve damage or a new health problem.

On the flip side, I actively ignore pains of know origin that don't go above a 5 on the pain scale; sometimes I won't realize something is actually serious until an injury is bleeding all over my carpet or half a broken tooth falls out of my mouth."

Credit:

02/26/2026

16 years with and ... I’m calling 2024 The Year Of A Thousand Cuts to document my year of life with severe allergies to anti-TNF inhibitors. I have never experienced meds

On Humira, Enbrel and Simponi, I developed thousands of tiny bumps and micro cuts, especially my face and lips. My skin started overproducing oil. I could taste mold in everything. Massive slabs of skin sloughed off my legs and arms. I had blisters and pustular lesions all over my face and lips. I'm 1% of patients who has severe allergies to anti-TNF meds. Read it:
🔗 https://www.myseveralworlds.com/2025/02/12/adverse-effects-to-anti-tnf-inhibitors/

02/25/2026

My gal Kristal Kent at The Fibromyalgia Pain Chronicles and Veteran Voices For Fibromyalgia is a total badass boss babe for our fibromyalgia community. She sets an example for all of us time and time again. I'm so proud of you, my Lagertha! 💜💜💜

I'm proud to be a part of this incredible community of advocates and I love each and every one of you for your steadfast commitment to raising awareness about life with fibromyalgia.

The fibromyalgia community thrives on dedicated teamwork, and we extend our sincere gratitude to everyone contributing to these efforts.

We recognize and the dedicated members of Veteran Voices For Fibromyalgia, along with leaders such as The Fibromyalgia Pain Chronicles, Fibromyalgia Task Force of New York State, Men with Fibromyalgia, Looms4Lupus, Lupus Spoons, My Several Worlds - Chronic Pain and Disability Awareness, International Pain Foundation, Fibromyalgia National Health Organization, Fibromyalgia-Even In Pain We Smile, More Than Lupus, and Fibro Life.

These groups coordinate initiatives such as New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte's recognition of May 12, 2026, as Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, advocate for veteran-specific support, promote nationwide advocacy, and advance research, medical education, and compassion. Their efforts begin months in advance.

Veteran Voices For Fibromyalgia has been a real catalyst behind sustainable nationwide proclamations and recognitions for Fibromyalgia Awareness Day! They have worked hard to coordinate submissions with follow-up, build relationships with legislators, share compelling patient stories, and foster cross-community collaboration. Their dedicated team has turned fibromyalgia proclamations into a reality.

To every volunteer and advocate working diligently behind the scenes: your commitment, communication, and persistence are making a meaningful difference, reducing isolation, and building a stronger future for those living with fibromyalgia. You demonstrate that no one faces this alone.

Let us continue to unite, advocate, and support one another. Together, we can achieve lasting impact. 💜

02/25/2026

My health has been on fire with several new diagnoses coming through that I simply had no time to chase down on my own.

👉 I knew there was something wrong but did not know how serious it is.

This week I started iron infusions along with other treatments. Naturally they are kicking my butt. My fingers are crossed with my eyeballs on the horizon. I hope they help me feel better.

Of course I am the patient with ALL the rare side effects. It happens every single time and usually 48 hours in. Meanwhile I keep getting the 'side effects are rare' speeches from pros.

Story of my life!

Just gotta keep going. 🤷‍♀️

This post from Linda seems apt for today:

EVERY LUPIE'S MEDICATION STORY

✔️ Made me feel worse
✔️ No noticeable effect
✔️ Can't afford it
✔️ Side effects were unbearable
✔️ This helped a little
✔️ Worked until it didn't
✔️ It flared up another condition
✔️ This one's the winner! (So far one is working well.)

02/25/2026

Sit back, breathe a sigh of release, and relax into the steamy heated goodness that nature has to offer in Taiwan’s hot springs.

With 130+ hot springs, Taiwan is ranked as one of the world's best hot spring destinations. You can find hot springs, cold springs, mud springs, saltwater springs; and springs that vary in color and mineral content (sulfur to sodium and iron) here.

Hot spring locations throughout Taiwan are acclaimed for providing relief for ailments such as , muscle soreness, , fatigue, and more.

As someone who is chronically ill, I love the options here! Check out my guide to Taiwan hot springs here
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https://www.myseveralworlds.com/2011/11/16/taiwan-hot-springs-guide-soaking-up-hot-spring-fever-in-taiwan/

02/25/2026

Red Light Therapy for and Inflammation

Right Light Therapy is an alternative treatment for pain that uses low-intensity red light to reduce inflammation.

I've included five studies about RLT which are linked to 2023 research on Science Direct, National Library of Medicine, & Research Gate that outline the thought processes behind it.

Learn how I've used RLT to help with my face (since 2011) and with painful joints and muscles due to and . There are new articles coming on this topic with further research as I move deeper into exploring the latest research on light therapy. Hope you like it.
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https://www.myseveralworlds.com/2023/09/08/red-light-therapy-for-pain-and-inflammation/

02/24/2026

"Morning struggles of a full time


I literally just put a pill in my mouth, dropped the other one, and then freaked out cuz I couldn't find the one IN MY MOUTH."

Credit, Carrie,

02/24/2026

Did you know that My Several Worlds has been featuring global artists since 2007? I have a huge series featuring artists and how they use art to cope with illness and pain.

MSW ARTIST INTERVIEWS: ART THERAPY FOR CHRONIC PAIN & ILLNESS

Featuring: Karen, Rachael, Jae, Jeane, Amanda, Cameron, Rachel, Julia, Carrie, Michi and more!

"Building resilience and understanding about life with illness and chronic pain - one artist at a time."

Have a look at this page to see the different kinds of artists I've featured to showcase how art therapy helps us cope with pain and illness. While you're at it, you can support a chronically ill artist with a purchase!

Learn more at: https://www.myseveralworlds.com/msw-art-therapy-interviews/