In between balancing a chronic illness, work, and a feisty toddler, I love to share my tips, experiences (no matter how gross or embarrassing), and humor with others. I’m a wife, mother, feminist, animal rights activist, and a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. I graduated from Stetson University with a BA in Religious Studies – plus a huge student loan to boot 😉 – and currently work as a cognitive skills trainer with children facing developmental challenges. I hope this blog can encourage others and I look forward to reading about your experiences, too!
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Bump Birth and Beyond 
Hi! I just read the post you wrote for coffee and crumbs and just had to pop over to say hello! I also have several chronic illnesses including Marfans Syndrome – for the majority of my life up until a few months ago I was thought to have Ehlers Danlose. Anyways our pregnancies and outlooks on life seemed so similar, it was refreshing to read about why you loved pregnancy. I’ve often wondered to myself and others have verbalized their questions as well as to why I would even want to have another baby because it’s definitely not an easy task for a very flawed body but in a way it’s refreshing to have a reason and purpose for the day to day pain. At least in pregnancy there’s a goal and an outcome to reach for and so the pain is so worth it. When not pregnant it’s sometimes hard to come to terms with the daily aches and pains. Thank you for your beautiful and articulate honesty!
Hi Ashley! Thank you so much for reaching out! I’m somewhat familiar with Marfans Syndrome, but all I know is that it’s a connective tissue disorder, right? It’s strange that even though my heart breaks whenever I hear of another individual sharing a similar illness or experience I also feel somewhat comforted and relieved to know we are not in this alone 🙂
Motherhood even for an “average” person is such a journey of ups and downs, that it’s no wonder people with a chronic illness or other challenge face higher highs and lower lows. I just hope that this sheds light on how each woman’s pregnancy/childbirth story is so complex and rarely a fairy tale. Thank you again for sharing your own experience and support! I’m so glad to have met you (even if it’s just through a screen 🙂 ).