It’s time to meet our next Guest for Interview October. This is Maria Thomas
photo credit: Amy Boyle Photography
Introduce yourself and tell us a bit about you…
My name is Maria Thomas, and I’m a writer, editor, content creator and book nerd. Seven years ago I launched my blog, My Life as a Puddle, where I’m creating hyperhidrosis hope and awareness one drop at a time.
Chronic illness(es)/disabilities I have…
Hyperhidrosis (excessive uncontrollable sweating), ulcerative colitis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
My symptoms/condition began…
Hyperhidrosis- age 7
UC – age 33
Hashimoto’s – age 36, and I found out by accident after some bloodwork!
My diagnosis process was…
A long time coming for my Hh. I found the term in a Google search but didn’t get a proper diagnosis until age 21.
UC – the perfect storm. I was going through a divorce, selling the first home I ever owned, and moving into a tiny little apartment. It was a trifecta of stressful events and my body decided to respond with blood in my stool and a frequent need to go.
The hardest part of living with my illness/disabilities is…
Hh – Getting people to understand that I am not sweating because I am nervous. I’m nervous BECAUSE I’m sweating. There’s a difference. It’s also hard for people to understand how much my life and choices are affected by my sweating. It’s not “just a little sweat.” I try not to let it rule my life but sometimes it does.
UC – having a chronic autoimmune condition makes me tired sometimes, and more prone to GI pain and distress. I’m not high maintenance, but I’ve really had to overhaul the way I eat, which can make it difficult to eat out sometimes. I now follow a Paleo nutrition plan, which is hard when you live in a state known for its craft beer, which is unfortunately loaded with gluten.
I also have to stab myself every other week with a biologic injectable medication. Try that with sweaty hands!
A typical day for me involves…
Turning my desk fan on and off at least 25 times a day while at work, then coming home and changing my sweaty clothes and socks if necessary. If I’ve worn sandals, I’ll usually wash my feet since they’ve developed a coating from sweating.
UC-wise I never know when I’ll experience symptoms. I’m in remission now, but occasionally I’ll have gurgling sounds and stabbing pains in my lower abdomen.
Hashimoto’s-wise, sometimes I feel so lethargic it’s like i haven’t slept in days. Other days I feel like I could run a marathon.
The one thing I cannot live without is…
My books, my husband, and my Pug named Maya
Being ill/disabled has taught me…
To listen to my body and take care of it. I was hospitalized once because of my ulcerative colitis. It was scary and miserable and terribly isolating. It also taught me to be my own best health advocate. I had nurses trying to feed me grains and gluten and dairy. Not once did my GI doctor at the time say gee, you might want to avoid all that stuff. I had to seek out a Functional Medicine Doctor to learn all of that and switch to a Paleo diet.
What advice would I give someone recently diagnosed…
Do your research! Read the medical literature, read books, and absolutely go see a functional medicine Doctor who treats the whole body as a system and doesn’t just prescribe medications to cover up symptoms.
My support system is…
My husband and my family
If I had one day symptom/disability-free I would…
Go on a public speaking tour and wear high heels without no-show socks or absorbent insoles because I wouldn’t be worried about sweating all over everything ! Then I’d do a meet and greet and shake everyone’s hand.
One positive of having a chronic illness/disability is…
I get to choose how I respond to my life, which is why I choose to make my sweaty mess my message. You can either rise up or stay below. All it takes is one different choice.
My links are:
https://www.facebook.com/mylifeasapuddle/
https://twitter.com/MyLifeAsAPuddle
https://www.instagram.com/mylifeasapuddle/
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