My Several Worlds - Chronic Pain and Disability Awareness by Carrie Kellenberger
➡️ I write so you can better understand life with disability related to Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Spondylitis, MECFS, and more.
➡️ Former world traveler
➡️ Veteran patient advocate
Hello, beautiful warriors and friends! I've lived here since 2003 and I've called Taiwan 'home' since early 2006. I've suffered from chronic pain for over two decades. I'm 49 years old and disabled. I've been using a wheelchair and cane to get around since 2009. At 34 years of age, after suffering from really odd joint problems and pain for many years, I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis in February 2009. Now more commonly referred to as Axial Spondyloarthritis, my inflammatory arthritis attacks my joints and everything else in my body. My central nervous system is a mess. I suffer from several kinds of arthritis: axSpA, PsA and OA. Additional diagnoses: fibromyaglia, ME, APS, chronic primary insomnia since age 24, multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome, MCAS, migraine, skin rashes, mouth ulcers, otitis media, depression, anxiety, and more. I'm touching the tip of the iceberg here to give you an idea of my messy and uncool body! I grew up in a small town called Carleton Place in Ontario, Canada. I got a law and anthropology degree, then got my ESL teaching certificate, and moved to Asia. At that time, I had pain, but was able to convince myself it was from running and working out. Many patients normalize their pain and strange symptoms because they think everyone feels that way. When you're a sick teen, you're often not believed as well and that is what happened to me. Like most of you, I woke up one morning and things weren't working right. I couldn't put weight on my left foot; my right shoulder was frozen, I felt like I had the flu all the time; I had extreme muscle weakness and my back was on fire. The fatigue was crushing me, and my joints were not happy. It wasn't uncommon for me to wake up with knees the size of bowling balls. Once it affected my ability to stand, we had to seek medical attention and voila - 'You have AS, Carrie!' My first thought was, 'Thank goodness it's not Rheumatoid Arthritis!' I had no idea that Spondyloarthritis is just as bad as RA if not worse. It has completely derailed my life. In 2014, after having more health problems crop up, I received fibromyalgia and MECFS diagnoses. I'm told autoimmune diseases LOVE to party together. It turns out I am also a chronic EBV patient and all of it stems from recurring mono infections. I've also been treated for CRPS and myofascial pain syndrome. I started blogging about our life abroad in early 2007. What you see here on MSW is more than two decades of research and writing. This page supports chronically ill and disabled patients who are looking for research and citations. Ask questions. Make new friends. Welcome to My Several Worlds. Chronically yours,
Carrie
PS: I'm not a medical professional and none of the information I provide on my website or on this page should be taken as professional advice. Please consult your doctor on health matters and medical care. PROFESSIONAL BIO:
Created in January 2007, My Several Worlds is a health website for chronically ill patients in Asia and around the world. I write so you can better understand life with disability related to Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Spondylitis, MECFS, and more.
*MSW provides much needed health resources and information in English.
*2022 Support Fibromyalgia Legacy Winner
*Best Blog for Fibromyalgia with Healthline in 2018, 2019, and 2020
*Finalist for WEGO Health Awards 2020 for Lifetime Achievement Award in health advocacy
*I work with several non profit organizations to help disperse up to date information and research to patients all over the world
*930+ articles on this site covering a range of health topics and travel options in Asia for readers to enjoy.
*I'm an experienced public speaker and content creator for health topics.
*If you're interested in hiring me, please feel free to get in touch. I'd love to hear from you!
