Private Chef, Writer & Podcaster
Burned out, exhausted, and held together by caffeine and sarcasm, I decided not to wait until September for a beach vacation. Here’s why I booked a chronic illness-friendly escape to Cape Cod—with nothing but my Kindle, portable oxygen, and a deep craving for ocean air and silence.
After years of drowning in headlines, outrage, and “breaking news” pings, I finally unplugged—and discovered that peace, calm, and mental clarity are a lot more satisfying than doomscrolling. Here’s how quitting the news improved my mental health, lowered my stress, and helped me start living again.
A chef living with chronic illness discovers that sometimes life’s soggy disappointments lead to unexpected beauty—like when a canceled dog walk turns into a rainbow moment that slaps you with perspective. A story about resilience, humor, and finding color in the drizzle.
Sarcoidosis may steal your breath, your energy, and—if you’re lucky—your voice, but it can’t take your sense of humor. As a chef living with chronic illness and heart failure, I’ve learned to navigate breathing tests, inhalers, and vocal cord drama with sarcasm, garlic, and a pinch of grit. Here’s what happens when Symbicort and I go another round in the fight for air—and why I still keep cooking, writing, and laughing through it all.
Even before summer hits, my body—and soul—longs for sunlight and salt air. For those living with chronic illness, like sarcoidosis, the dream of a beach getaway isn’t just about fun—it’s about healing, freedom, and survival.
Tate Basildon 