HI! I'm Katie, and writing 'About Me' pages is not one of my strong suits!
I originally started this blog to advocate for orphans with special needs across the world, as the conditions they face are beyond deplorable. Many of my earlier posts deal with this subject. I have since converted this into a personal blog and created another for orphan advocacy, which you can find here. If you aren't familiar with the topic, it's worth checking out.
This blog will be a mixture of whatever is on my mind. I'm a writer at heart - both fiction and nonfiction, and I often have something to say. I feel passionately about a variety of issues, so this is a place for whatever is on my mind.
I'm 26 years old and have a bachelor's degree in public health. I volunteer at a cat rescue, I love to write and paint and be outdoors, to enjoy the company of my friends and family. I have been lucky enough to be something of a mentor to three amazing children in my life, and spending time with them is hands down my favorite thing to do. I'm currently unemployed due to disability, which brings me to one of the topics that will be covered on this blog.
Few people currently consider mental illness 'disability', but of all the diagnoses I've received (and there have been plenty, from endometriosis to C. Diff to kidney stones, on and on) my psychological diagnoses are the most limiting. There is undoubtedly a stigma attached to mental illness, and admitting to having even one is not easy. Coming forward to the public about all my diagnoses is one of the hardest things I have ever done - but I think it's also the most worthwhile.
I have Borderline Personality Disorder. I also have Major Depressive Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder. I'm a veritable alphabet soup of psychiatric diagnoses. About a year and a half ago, after coming to a serious crossroads in my life and choosing to fight instead of give up, the diagnoses my therapist had suspected for years were confirmed in an outpatient therapy program. Coming to terms with this was difficult, particularly with my BPD diagnosis, because the public perception of people with BPD (or indeed, any personality disorder) is exceedingly negative. But I come forward because it's hard. I share my story so that others might not feel so alone in theirs, so that we might change public perception to create a better understanding of mental illness.
I am also extremely enthusiastic about any and all children's causes (as evidenced by the orphan advocacy). I believe every child sould have a safe and loving home and that it is up to us to be their advocates. Speak loudly and clearly for those whose voices are too small to be heard. I've had my own life experiences that have given me a unique perspective on this, which has lead to some of the more personal posts on the blog.
I suffer from endometriosis and chronic kidney stones, among other things, and between diagnoses, I am essentially in chronic pain, which is just about as poorly understood as mental illness, so I also seek to explain to the world what it's like to live with chronic pain, to foster understanding and cooperation that might make our lives a little easier.
In the past I have been extremely active in childhood injury prevention, in fact, my internship for my degree was in an injury prevention program at the local health department. I'm less involved now than I was then but I'm still always open to a car seat question or a helmet-fitting-how-to.
There's not much else to tell - I write what I feel. I write my perspective, because I am the only one who can. It is mine, and no one else's - I don't expect anyone to share in all of my feelings - but I do hope seek to connect with people on some level. I know from experience that the road I walk is not one to walk alone. So if you feel so inclined, stick around, read some posts whenever it strikes my fancy to write them, give me your feedback, and use this blog in whatever way works for you.
I wish you good luck along whatever journey your life may be taking you on, and know that you are not alone.
