Articles

Editor’s note: In this article, we use the word "woman" to refer to people with 2 X chromosomes and "man" to refer to people with an X and a Y...

Imagine going to the doctor for help, but they don't take your symptoms seriously or tell you it's all in your head. This is called medical gaslighting. It can make...

I had my spinal tap whilst staying in hospital during my first attack. I wanted to avoid it as much as possible because at the time, every time I moved...

We want to learn more about our community members living with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Each NMOSD journey has common threads, but the individual experiences are unique and can...

The day I heard Covid was poking its head out again in the news, I got it. My friend went back to New York to take care of her mother...

Getting to know your body is very important when living with a chronic illness like NMOSD (neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder). With the years I have living with NMOSD I’ve learned...

You’re so strong. I don’t know how you do it. You’re so young to be dealing with this. You’re too young to be doing this. With a rare disease diagnosis...

I haven’t been abroad for 7 years. I didn’t go anywhere for the last two years because of my NMO (neuromyelitis optica) attack. My mother and I decided earlier on...

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD or NMO) is a rare disorder affecting the nervous system. About 4 percent of all NMOSD cases happen in children. Because childhood NMOSD is so...

It was 10 years in September since I became paralyzed due to an NMOSD (neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder) flare up. I finally have both my hips replaced and I am...

Well, I made it. It was a long stressful summer of illness all around. From depression to a car of screaming cats, I made it back to New York. Now...

Navigating the healthcare system is hard enough for a regular English-speaking person. But imagine being diagnosed with a rare condition like NMOSD (neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder) and English not being...

Life is a beautiful journey filled with ups and downs. It's natural for us to experience a wide range of emotions as we go through life. However, society's focus on...

The joys of chronic fatigue, the battle that even caffeine can’t win. When I was first diagnosed I would sleep 16 to 20 hours a day, I would fall asleep...

How does one let go of the idea of perfectionism? With today's world and so much social media, how is it not difficult to compare yourself to others? It’s important...

Love is something most people want. It’s warm, it’s safe, it’s comfort, and it can be unique. It can be a million little things really. But to me it’s a...

Living with a suppressed immune system is hard. Especially as a student, going to university, taking public transport and eating out for lunch. You have to take extra precautions because...

Once I passed my drivers license test to drive with hand controls, I was super excited to start shopping for a vehicle. I was excited to get back to what...

When I tell people about my condition, they expect that my lowest point must have been in hospital after my first neuromyelitis optica (NMO) attack. I was paralysed from the...

For most of my rare disease journey I was a sick and unemployed college dropout with minimal work history. The first three years of my diagnosis I applied for disability...