Grieving the Old Me, Embracing the New: A Chronic Illness Journey with Humor, Heart, and Sarcoidosis

Chronic illness can feel like a grief rollercoaster — denial, anger, and all the feelings in between. As someone living with sarcoidosis, heart failure, and a whole list of “don’ts,” I’ve stumbled my way through the stages of grief and found acceptance in the most unexpected places, like garden pots I can’t lift and reversible pulmonary hypertension. Here’s my real talk on surviving, adapting, and laughing through it all — with a side of stubborn positivity and sarcasm.

Why My Chronic Illness Blog Isn’t a Medical Advice Hotline (Even If It Looks Like One)

Living with sarcoidosis already feels like starring in a medical drama I never auditioned for, so imagine my confusion when I got invited to join a “health care bloggers code of ethics” because someone mistook my personal chronic-illness ramblings for professional medical advice. This is what happens when a chef with a faulty immune system uses a heart-and-lung header graphic and the internet panics.