Tag: POTS syndrome

Inktober 2: Discover

Inktober 2: Discover

I was so resistant at first to using a wheelchair when out and about to help my POTS and RA symptoms. It felt awkward, it felt conspicuous, it felt like giving in and giving up. And I couldn’t even use it for very long without help, because wheeling myself around caused my arthritis to flare. Shaun was the one who finally helped me over the last mental hurdle when he told me, “I don’t care if I have to help push you, I just want to do things with you!”

So I stopped resisting. And I discovered that using a wheelchair when I need it opens up so many opportunities that would be out of my reach otherwise. I can sit through a concert in comfort, tour museums, go on “walks” (or rolls) in the park. I bought a wheelchair specifically made for going over rough surfaces, so Shaun and I can explore more gravel and dirt walking trails together. It basically has bike tires for wheels, and Shaun is always game to see what it can handle.

Adventure is out there!

Inktober 21:Chains

Inktober 21: Chains

October is not only Inktober, it’s also Dysautonomia Awareness Month! I have POTS, a blood circulation disorder and a form of dysautonomia (dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system), and this prompt made me think of the way I describe the fatigue related to POTS–like I have weights attached to all of my limbs. Standing up=imaginary weight lifting.

It’s also kind of how I’m feeling at this point in Inktober. We’re 2/3 of the way through! Only 10 more days to go!

If you would like to know more about POTS, the video “What is POTS?” by Dysautonomia International is a good introduction!

Inktober 11: Wander

Inktober 11: Wander

Alas, brain fog.

When I saw the prompt list, I knew exactly what to draw for “wander.” I wish I could say that any part of this comic is exaggerated, but it is pretty much a documentary. For further proof of the reliability of my brain, the sketch for this comic is accidentally mislabeled as “wonder.” Which, to be fair, also works.

Like last year’s “Forget” comic, this one is inspired by my experiences with “brain fog,” one of the many symptoms of POTS (a blood circulation disorder). It’s one of the symptoms that, while frustrating and occasionally embarrassing, is easiest for me to laugh at. Look for a future comic in which I forget how to use a microwave.

October

October starts tomorrow, which means that it is also the beginning of:

1) Inktober

2) Dysautonomia Awareness Month

I’ve wanted to participate in Inktober with Lab Mice for years, and finally decided to go for it. I have a goal to complete all 31 prompts, one each day. Doing this on the heels of finishing Q is for Quarantine probably means that I will be very tired by November 1 (so, probably not doing NaNoWriMo this year).

I will be posting photos of each day’s drawings on Lab Mice’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and will do a weekly post here on the blog.

It’s also Dysautonomia Awareness Month, which will be inspiring a few of my cartoons for the Inktober prompts (like #17, “salty”). I was diagnosed with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome–a form of dysautonomia) a year-and-a-half ago, and cartooning has helped me keep my spirits up and see the funny side of things while I learn to manage it.

It’s going to be a very busy month!