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Katie Songer

Life With My Illness

Showing Up for Racial Justice Amidst Chronic Illness

June 6, 2020

If I can’t show up in person, I can in other ways.

Katie holding her hat and smiling in front of a beautiful alpine lake, snowy slopes rising above it and green trees surrounding it.

Backpacking Part 1: The Dream

May 1, 2020

A year after my hospitalization, I fulfilled a dream and returned to the wilderness.

Katie wearing a nylon net over her thin hair, looking nearly bald, in a wig store--wigs are lined up on a shelf behind her.

When I Lost My Hair, My Invisible Illness Became Visible

February 24, 2020

In a way, I felt more authentic when I was bald.

Katie smiles from a recliner where she's getting an IV, a blue blood-pressure cuff around the other arm. She's wearing a purple hoodie, with a white blanket draped over her legs and her IV arm turned upward on a pillow.

What It’s Like To Be On Remicade

January 8, 2020

This drug, though imperfect, has given me my life back.

A young white woman with pulled back hair leans against a wooden railing outside, her tired face pressed against it as she closes her eyes.

There’s Tired and there’s TIRED—The Two Kinds of Fatigue With Chronic Illness

October 14, 2019

I can push through one…but the other demands rest.

Two bundles of lavender flowers tied with twine, sitting on a wooden pallet or table.

The Surprising Empowerment of Admitting I’m Frail

June 3, 2019

It was a revelation to start paying more attention to my body.

Two young women seated next to each other on a beach, both in white shirts, broad-brimmed hats, and with blond hair falling down their backs. One seems to be looking toward the other inquisitively; both have an introspective posture.

Invisible Illness: A Journal Entry

August 23, 2016

After my health crisis, I wanted to share more of my illness journey with my friends.

A photo of Katie lying sick on a bed in a purple sweater, her pained face pressed into a pillow she's cuddling with her eyes closed. Behind her are maroon throw pillows, and she's covered by a maroon blanket atop a blue comforter.

The Beautiful Surrender of Admitting I Needed Help

June 15, 2016

A health crisis forced me to let go of my independence.

A beautiful image of a sunrise or sunset through bare trees in winter, with golden light glowing over the ground and a blue sky above.

Honoring My Grief Helped It Finally Begin to Heal

February 15, 2015

My shame over my grief had been getting in the way of healing.

The Ridiculous Bureaucracy of Enrolling in New Health Insurance

October 7, 2014

It requires grit, endurance, and possibly a temper tantrum.

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I blog about writing, civil discourse, health, and more. SUBSCRIBE HERE or connect on Facebook.

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How Sauerkraut and Kefir Helped Bring My Ulcerative Colitis Into Remission

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Copyright © 2014 Katie Songer.
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