What Calls People With NarcolepsyI haven't been sleeping well. Just because my body tells me I am exhausted, doesn't mean I will fall asleep well or even quickly. Things often roll around in my...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Long-Term Benefits of Treating NarcolepsyUntreated narcolepsy places a huge burden on the lives of people living with the condition. Problems at school and work are common, leading to poor education and unemployment. Relationships suffer...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Dear StrangerDear Stranger, I see you eyeing me from across the room. Your table is in the other corner of the restaurant and you won’t stop looking at me. I know...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Finally...My Sleep StudyIt may sound weird, but once I had everything approved through insurance and had my sleep study booked, I was oddly excited. I mean, who really wants to sleep in...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Narcolepsy Coaxed Me Out of the Closet“I just really like boobs,” I cried to my college roommates once. “You know, sometimes we really wonder about you!” they giggled, the attractive sporty blonde duo that they were...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Same Conversation, Different DayHave you ever found out important information and it was something you had to explain to basically everyone anytime you meet someone? My experience with narcolepsy so far is just...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Narcolepsy?Disease burden is a term doctors use to talk about how much an illness impacts a person’s life. It will come as no surprise to anyone with it that narcolepsy...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Caring for Pets as a Person with NarcolepsyI am in bed, my sheets tangled around my limbs. My hair is sticking out in sections of tangled curls. I’ve taken my medication an hour earlier, but my body...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Managing Guilt and Privilege as a Narcolepsy AdvocateFor anyone who has read my work in the past, you may be aware that I’ve been taking a new medication for about 3.5 years. Xyrem has allowed me to...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
What Not to Say to a Narcoleptic“You must have needed it.” This is the phrase I have heard for most of my life when I have awakened from a nap. I never really paid attention to...Reactions0reactionsComments12 comments
Narcolepsy - Vocations and Occupations“What do you do?” If I were granted control of conversational dialogue, I would remove this question from the vernacular. No longer would the first question asked during introductions center...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Mom Life and Narcolepsy: Elementary SchoolWelcome to part 4 of my series on "Mom Life and Narcolepsy." As we discuss the elementary years, I want to share a little about myself. My oldest was in...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
The Queen of FidgetingHave you ever had someone think you were being rude because you couldn't sit still or because you were constantly fidgeting? I know that feeling all too well! For years...Reactions0reactionsComments12 comments
Narcolepsy Forced Me to Address My Mental HealthI have been living with depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember. Old journals written by my 8-year-old self reveal everything from suicide ideation to frequent panic...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
What Narcolepsy StoleMy world is different from yours. When I wake up in the morning, my first thoughts are never about what I’ll be doing that day, or rehashing some likely dramas...Reactions0reactionsComments12 comments
Vaccines and Narcolepsy: What We Learned Since the H1N1 VaccineWe first started to understand the connection between narcolepsy and our immune system after the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Doctors saw a surge of new narcolepsy cases after people recovered from...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
If My Diagnosis Journey Would Have Gone DifferentlyMy diagnosis journey was a long 20 years full of misdiagnoses and misunderstandings. When I was young and until I was diagnosed, I always felt like something was off but...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Anti-Binge OatsAs a person with type 1 narcolepsy, I often struggle to feel gratified from the food that I eat. A 2016 study found that it is common for people with...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
The Choices We Make: Not Everything Is a ChoiceI made one of the most difficult and heartbreaking decisions in my life: I euthanized my cat of almost 17 years. She had a fairly serious infection in her eye...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Sleepy DayMatt and the terrible, horrible, no good, very sleepy day. If you live with narcolepsy, chances are you have experienced one of these days. These days are more a matter...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments