HANDICAP & IN HEELS 👠
LIVING STYLISHLY WITH CHRONIC PAIN
So here’s the thing… apparently I’m officially certified as handicapped now. Yep, the kind with the actual paperwork. Turns out when you can’t stand for more than 10 to 15 minutes without your spine feeling like it’s under attack and walking more than a few steps feels like a whole mission, some countries will finally acknowledge what you’ve been battling for years.
Between Cervical Dystonia (also known as spasmodic torticollis), rheumatoid and fibromyalgia, my body has turned into a full-time project. Fibromyalgia is no joke, random flare-ups, nerve pain, blood pooling, rashes, itching / stinging like a hive of bees (sometimes an ant nest) just attacked you, fatigue that hits like a wave out of nowhere, joint pains that move across the body, migraine, cluster headaches and let’s not even get into how unpredictable it all is. Add spinal issues on top of that, and suddenly standing up straight becomes an Olympic event.
So now I use a walking stick about 80% of the time, (and other aids another 50% of the time, but we’ll talk about those later). But not just any walking stick. Please. This is me we’re talking about. I wasn’t about to limp through life with something boring and grey. I’ve curated a whole collection of blinged-out walking sticks, think silver glitter, rhinestones, rose gold, matte black with gold accents. Yes, I now have a walking stick to go with every outfit, from casual to formal.
Because if I have to hurt, I’m going to hurt in style.
But here’s the part that really hit home. I’ve had to (with many dramatic sighs) say goodbye to my beloved 6-inch heels. Yes, the fabulous stilettos that used to make every outfit pop. My back said “Not today, not ever again.” And as much as my inner diva protested, chronic pain always wins that argument.
So what’s a style-loving, pain-fighting queen to do?
Rebuild the wardrobe. Rethink the walk. Retain the slay.
Now I’m all about:
Wedges and low heels that protect the spine and preserve the vibe
Yes, it’s an adjustment. As highlighted by the Harvard Business Review, resilience isn’t about simply pushing through; it’s about adapting and recovering with intention, something women living with chronic illness know all too well. I know people wonder when they see me glowing one day and gripping my walking stick the next. That’s the part people don’t see, the invisible, fluctuating nature of chronic illness. One day I might look like I’m on top of the world. The next, I’m navigating a pain storm just to make it through the day. I (like I’m sure many others like me are) am quite relived and comforted when the World Health Organization, characterizes fibromyalgia as a chronic condition causing by widespread pain, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties, symptoms that often remain invisible to others but shape every decision we make.
That’s fibromyalgia. That’s cervical dystonia. That’s chronic pain.
And that’s my new normal.
But here’s what hasn’t changed:
I’m still me.
Still stylish.
Still fierce.
Still showing up even when my body tries to sit me down.
So yes, I’m handicapped and in heels.
Or sometimes in sneakers.
Or sometimes not standing at all.
But always, always fabulous.
Because pain may slow me down, but it will never dull my shine.
Want to keep glowing no matter your diagnosis?
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