About me & this blog


I'm a working, chronically ill, mother of two (7 and 13), recovered from Bell's Palsy, living with CFIDS (Chronic Fatique Immune Dysfunction Syndrome) and/or Lyme disease. I am a Wildlife Biologist and a Writer Editor for a federal agency, working my way back to full time.

I spent most of my time and energy during 2011 in a federal EEO process to get my job back, which set my recovery back to start.  I returned to work January 2012, following mediations in DC directly with the agency I work for---but I've put those experiences and resources in a separate blog so I could stay focused on my health and more positive things in this blog. 

Having this illness is tough, and having to watch its impacts on my kids and husband is tougher.  I have improved, dispite the setbacks presented by a very horrible legal dispute and the issues that persisted after my return.  I have continued to regain recovery each time, though, or at least start again.

So, this is me moving on and trying to get through this so I can really move on.  I was on the road to recovery before the dispute got ugly, causing a huge decline.  I'm hoping to get that back, and the crazy opportunities I've had these past couple years (see posts on my travels) have really helped with that.  It's worth noting that I can't afford it....I have a husband who works seasonally for an airline, so we have free flights as standby passengers for part of the year.  The other expenses I have to keep very low or find other ways to pay for them (in some cases even selling my clothes and gear!) but it has been worth it.

    I love the outdoors, girlscouting, and being with my family.  My husband is a firefighter paramedic who spends all of his off time helping to compensate for my illness by keeping up with the yard and the house.  We have chickens and ducks and an awesome rescue dog and we live in a small town near Glacier National Park.

     I still have plenty to offer and I will continue to have a wonderful life.  There's been too much gray this year to even begin to describe, but I don't believe it will stay that way forever.