Message from Jamie Holloway
For eleven years I have been learning to live well with chronic illness. It hasn’t been perfect. I haven’t always been successful at achieving my goals. It has been a chaotic, messy, learning experience that has made my life adventurous. I have learned a lot about how complicated, dangerous & even emotionally, spiritually & mentally draining living with several diagnoses is.
I am asked by my many doctors, nurses, caregivers, friends, family, strangers & store clerks how I have maintained my good attitude despite the many medical adventures, I have lived through, that might have left me feeling bitter, angry, broken & unforgiving. All I can say is, I made decisions & I followed through. One decision was to fight for me. Jesus fought for me so why shouldn’t I?
I also realized, I didn’t want my crawl through lifelong sickness, just for my own benefit. I wanted to be a wellness advocate & help those who are in the same predicament. I wanted to be one of the helpers that Mr. Roger’s speaks about. I do this by reminding myself that my attitude can help me navigate through the dark channels of chronic illness.
I am determined to say thank you to the doctors, nurses, caregivers, anyone who helps me. Showing gratitude reminds you that your life is not over just because you are sick. I say thank you & I mean it. I also decided that I didn’t want to become idle. I want to actually accomplish something, so I started writing.
I believe communicating my pain, needs, & being willing to listen as part of communication allows me to be able to be in a good relationship with my team. I have a good support system of family, friends, doctors, nurses, & caregivers who allow me to achieve many of the goals I have made. I am able to live in my home & able to keep on breathing, writing, reading & loving on my boy, Nicholas.
Since 2017 I have been an owner of Wellness Works NW. I serve as the Research Manager. I am a lead writer & my column is called Chasing Wellness.
Book Reviews
I love reading. This is one thing that keeps me busy and not feeling sorry for myself because I sometimes feel useless in my condition. I have enjoyed every book I have read, even if some of them weren’t my favorite. I enjoy the process of reading and reviewing books.
Read Jamie’s Latest Blog Posts…
My Inner Artist
“The Artist Way” by Julia Cameron is a book that has been around for a long time. I finally got my hands on a copy of the book and the journal that comes with it. I am just starting week three of the exercises that she has you do to unblock your creativity. I have not...
Try Or Am I Too Tired!
I am in pain today. My back and sides are hurting making it difficult for me to walk. I did not feel like doing anything at all today. Myron walks in his usual way full of energy and vinegar and challenged me to get up out of bed. My negativity can go on; I have not...
Comfort Comes From Many Places!
Lately, I have found myself getting angrier as time goes by; I get frustrated by the fact that I have an incurable disease. That I have to suction, lavage, nebulize daily several times a day so that I do not have a huge clog come up and then I have to save my own life...
Negative Monsters!
I bet you have been wondering what happened to me. Nothing too exciting I can report in great details about finding a million dollar check in the mail, or flying off to Italy (sigh, I wish) or another great trip to the hospital. Nope, I lost my Internet due to my...
Self-Care
I decided that I will be meditating on bad nights and self-care. I am not talking about those nights when you are full of emotions because the neighbors just won’t stop playing their loud Twisted Sister records all night and you have to act like Dee Snider and bust...
Sleep, Who Needs It?
I am participating in the virtual conference about invisible illness this week and let me tell you there are some great speakers this year. Check it out at: http://invisibleillnessweek.com/virtual-conference-2/ I am writing this post for Erwin. I met Erwin and his...
Happy Chronic Illness Week!
Monday is the start of Chronic Illness awareness month. There is so much I want to write about, express, and I see some amazing ideas from amazing writers that share their own experiences. I will be taking a word and expanding my own illness and life surround a...
Thankful Heart!
Happy Sunday! I am happy to say that I am home. Yes, it is 4:30 in the morning. I have to get up in order to suction and nebulize myself in order to keep the mucus thin enough so that I do not get giant clogs. Whatever it takes to keep me breathing, moving forward,...
God’s Synchronicity
"The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my Rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my strong hold." Psalm 18:2 My pediatric trach I had to have for a few days. Now I have my T-tube in. I'm breathing, smelling,...
Oxygen, The Vidal Thing For Life!
A conversation I had with my friend Summer while she, Karen, and I were driving from Vancouver/Longview to Seattle so that I can get the help I needed for my Subglottic Stenosis in my throat and the adventure I had in the ER. You can read about it in my post before...