If you have found yourself on this page, then I am absolutely thrilled. It happened. Someone found my blog. Something I wasn’t sure would even occur.
I’m Meg. Chronic disease lifer. Mama Extraordinaire. Book obsessed. Coffee idolizer. Firm believer that when life gets tough, moms get tougher.
I have had Type 1 diabetes for 19 years this September. Asthma since I was 6. Inappropriate sinus tachycardia for almost 4 years. Anxiety as a constant companion through all of it, with depression making a few guest visits.
I became a mommy almost 6 years ago. It was the most wonderful and terrifying day of my life. My pregnancy was difficult to say the least. I was so worried about the damage my blood sugars would inflict upon my innocent baby growing within me. I incorrectly thought that once he was out, once I knew he had all functioning organs, my worries would be gone. How very wrong I was.
A few weeks after my precious son was born, I realized with dawning horror that my battle had truly just begun. Life as a mother with chronic disease. Fast forward 6 years and here I am. Still trying to survive what life has unjustly thrust upon me, but now I have the addition of two other littles. I’ve made it, not without some significant roadblocks, but I’m here.
After my 3rd child was born, I felt like I was drowning. I couldn’t seem to manage my little darlings and all my chronic illnesses without one of them suffering, usually me. Desperately I scoured the internet, looking for other mothers and parents that have been going through what I have.
You know what I found? Not much. A handful of articles. A few somewhat relevant blogs. Nothing that provided emotional reassurance or a detailed plan on how in the world I was supposed to manage all of this.
Which is baffling. According to recent research 60% of U.S. adults have a chronic (Hoffman, D. 2022). The most recent research that I could find stated that 38% of women have a chronic disease, and that was from almost 8 years ago (Goodwin, 2015)! Where are my people at? You would think that some of them would have to be moms, right?
A year into being a mother to three, and I’m starting to figure it out. What works and what DEFINITELY doesn’t. I have to imagine that if it’s a challenge to me, it has to be a challenge to other moms out there. Even if it’s not chronic disease per say. The difficulties we face these days feel insurmountable at times. Anxiety. Depression. Long Covid. Family challenges. Financial trouble. The world we live in feels like a darker place than it used to.
So. Here I am. Heart-in-hand, hoping that I can provide even a glimmer of support, a dash of encouragement, and maybe even a smile or two for any and all moms out there to which the above may apply.
You may wonder why I named my blog, The Gritty Mama. It’s simple. Motherhood takes grit. Chronic disease takes grit. Life today, takes grit.
If you’ve made it this far, from the bottom of my heart, welcome. If you have questions. Stories. Struggles you are looking for advice or a listening ear for, reach out. You are NOT alone.
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Always a pleasure,
*Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional by ANY stretch of the imagination. Any content posted is simply from personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice.
Sources:
Goodwin, K. (2015). Improving Women’s Health: State Policy Options. National Conference of State Legislators. https://• https://www.ncsl.org/Portals/1/Documents/Health/WHchecklist12-15.pdf
Hoffman, D. (2022). Commentary on Chronic Disease Prevention in 2022. chronicdisease.org. https://• https://chronicdisease.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FS_ChronicDiseaseCommentary2022FINAL.pdf