Background/Purpose: What if Carrie Bradshaw, sex advice columnist, fashionsta, and all around icon from Sex and the City were chronically ill? Or disabled? That’s the kind of advice column I wanted and needed when I was diagnosed with Lupus, Fibromyalgia, an immune deficiency and more, all in a mere two months. Where were the advice columns for fabulous young women like me where I could find advice on topics important to me, my age group, and my disabled lived experience? So in the spirit of Carrie Bradshaw I decided to write it, and Chronically Catherine was born.

Intervention: Chronically Catherine is an autobiographical column about my life as a chronically ill young adult. After a two and a half year medical leave of absence, I was back at university with no way to connect with students of similar lived experiences because classes were still remote. I put this column into the world with the hopes students like me would reach out, and they did.

My first aim with this column was for it to be read. I knew that speaking my truth, that you can be chronically ill and chronically fabulous, was the way to reach people and the only way I could write. Also, who doesn’t love reading about the lyrical connection between Kelly Clarkson and chronic pain?

My second aim was self-reflection and self-empowerment. Many of the lessons I learn about myself, the challenges of storytelling, and the importance of story in medicine, come from tenets of Narrative Medicine. Writing this column is cathartic; every time I finish one I experience this beautiful relief and pride that comes from putting words to the hardest or funniest moments of my health journey.

Maintenance: Chronically Catherine has affected my ability to cope with my relentless disease. It has greatly improved my mental health, a vital aspect in chronic health management. When I’m struggling with anxiety or depression, referring back to old columns where I found hope, humor, or resolution reminds me I can get to that place again. Finding my voice in writing translated to empowerment to self-advocacy in the doctor’s office. I clearly and unapologetically state my needs and wants as a patient to my many specialists, which leads to improved physical health and mental health. Maintenance of these skills involves continuing to write and share my story.

Quality of Life: Writing Chronically Catherine has changed my outlook on who I am in relation to my disease. My ability to put my experience into words helps me conceptualize my life and illness as interrelated, rather than my illness is my life. These self advocacy skills allow me to be a full time college student involved in extracurriculars. Chronically Catherine also provided a new career trajectory and helped get me involved in nonprofit work. The stories in my column serve as a portfolio of work which help me network professionally, once got me on the news and invited to a movie premiere, and most of all continue to connect me with young people like me. This column has opened so many doors for me and I often return to old columns to remind myself of my strength, resilience, impeccable humor and fabulousness.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/chronically-catherine-a-sex-and-the-city-inspired-autobiographical-column-for-disabled-young-adults-on-subjects-we-really-care-about-like-disabled-dating-and-how-hot-cheetos-saved-my-life/