As we planned our trip to Curaçao last year we discovered the delightful idea of an excursion to the nearby island of Klein Curaçao. While we were concerned about taking six month old Baby Meena on a day long boat trip, we decided to go for it anyway. And I’m so glad that we did – we all had a great time! Klein Curaçao, or Little Curaçao, is nearly seven miles from the southern coast of Curaçao. It’s a small […]
Visiting Shete Boka National Park is hopefully near the top of your list of things to do in Curaçao. Young or old, adventurous or reserved – the stunning sights at Shete Boka National Park shouldn’t be missed by anyone. The park is on the western part of the island, about 45 minutes from Willemstad by car. We were staying at the Blue View Apartments in Westpunt at this point on our trip and were less than 10 minutes away by […]
Our trip to Curaçao turned out to be the dreamiest vacation we’ve ever taken. I suppose a colorful, tropical island with hints of Europe is easy to fall in love with. I spent so much time putting together this 10 day Curaçao itinerary because I did not want to miss out on a single thing Curaçao had to offer. However, having lupus and a six month old baby did limit the trip in some ways. Before all this we would create overflowing itineraries, […]
Today marks five years since a doctor confirmed my lupus diagnosis. In early January of 2017, he told me he suspected lupus and when I returned three weeks later the blood work confirmed it. Technically, he called it “pre-lupus”, but I later developed more symptoms and he dropped the “pre” part of the diagnosis. So, happy diagnosiversary to me! Every January I am acutely aware that another year had passed, and this five year marker is hitting a little differently. […]
Having kicked off the new year with a fresh health crisis (is there any other way to do it?), here I am with my better-late-than-never 2021 digest. Looking back over the past year can be bittersweet when you live with chronic illnesses. This year was even tougher as I struggled emotionally and physically with what my children went through medically. However, it helps me remember what I’ve overcome so far as I face a new year. I spent much of […]
Trying to get better with a chronic illness is a long road filled with massive roadblocks. The symptoms of being sick are standing in the way of trying to recover. If you have a chronic illness or an autoimmune disease then you’ve likely wondered how on earth you’ll overcome the daunting obstacle of trying to get better when you feel miserable. And while we may be filled with hope and perseverance at the beginning of our journey, the years wear […]
This is my fifth yearly digest since my blog began in July 2015, and I really love writing them. I enjoy going through my files, documents, statistics, and photos to relive the last year – it’s amazing how quickly I’ll forget what happened just six or seven months ago. When I started writing the digests I figured they would mostly be for my benefit, but over 200 people read my 2018 digest. That’s not a huge number, but I’m impressed […]
Ah, Barbados. The place where we learned how to drive on the left side of the road, saw wild monkeys, and drank the best rum cocktails we’ve ever had. It’s a relaxing, beautiful island filled with happy people. There are so many exciting things to do that it can be challenging to figure out what to include in your Barbados itinerary – hopefully, this post can help you decide. I’m sharing what we did with our seven days in Barbados […]
There is a lot to love about Barbados. While the island is 21 miles long and, as some like to say, a smile 14 miles wide, that space feels so much bigger when you experience the fun, friendliness, and beauty throughout. Visiting Barbados was my second foray into the Caribbean and the trip furthered my obsession with wanting to visit each and every gorgeous island in the region. What I loved the most about Barbados was the extremely friendly people! I […]
At the end of 2017, I wrote in my yearly digest that I never expected that year to be so full of struggles and new beginnings. I had no idea what was coming. Pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum. Being unable to travel, taking small trips, and then a dream vacation. Lupus flares, pleurisy, immobility, pain. A new bird, and almost losing my old one. A newborn, a teething baby, a baby who’s starting to crawl… it’s been hard and tough and wonderful […]