In April of 2018, I traveled to Costa Rica to prove to myself that even through everything, I still have a chance at the life I want to live. To paraphrase something I’ve heard Chris Kresser say time and again: “healthy” means that I can function in the life I want to live with relative ease. On this trip, I would encounter and accomplish many firsts: First time traveling on my own. First time traveling to Central America and the jungle. First time traveling to what is considered a developing country where medical care would be limited. First time  ...

When I started this series on dealing with grief at the beginning of the year, I didn’t realize just how much it would affect the year ahead. I had just lost my grandfather, a wonderful man who was truly a second father to me, and I knew that my life would forever be changed. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to write about grief and the various ways it shows up in our lives – in my life. But grief would become rather a theme for the year. NOTE: This post is a personal account of finding strength in anger. It includes references to  ...

When I first started my Sudden Sight personal blog on WordPress in 2011, it was because I wanted a place to share my experiences of recovery. If I wanted to take back my life and become a writer, I had to start somewhere. Where better to start than with my own life experiences? My first post was the night before a major eye surgery that I believed, after three years of pain and surgeries, would restore my full sight in both eyes. But that’s not what happened. Instead, the blog marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life that would lead me to  ...

Presented at the Critical Juncture 2017: The Role of Art at the Art@Work Program by Alexandra C. Pauley. Originally presented at a 2016 Bleux Stockings Society safe space show in Atlanta for the theme, “Beauty.” Warning: Graphic Images Below   I have always been beautiful. Growing up, I was thin even though I ate like a racehorse. I managed to get out of braces before high school. I played the lead in many school and community plays and was a soloist in chorus. I was a cheerleader, a dancer… Do you hate me yet? Of course, I  ...

Depth Perception premiered at the Atlanta Fringe Festival June 7-10, 2018, winning the Audience Choice Award for ensemble show. CONGRATULATIONS to the amazing cast and crew!