Magical Mermaids and Dolphins Oracle Cards

6.9k shares SHARE TWEET SMS SEND EMAIL University of Cincinnati student  is walking to class this semester. For most undergrads, this wouldn’t even elicit a second thought. For Whitestone though, it is a personal surprise, a minor medical miracle and a cause for celebration. Sara Whitestone (right) and sister Hope. (Photo courtesy Sara Whitestone) Whitestone has myalgic encephalomyelitis. The neurological disease has an 11-syllable name so cumbersome that  she felt compelled to both spell it and sound it out before explaining what it is and how it has affected her. At the time, Whitestone was in a wheelchair during most of her waking hours, carefully navigating UC’s famously hilly and cobblestone-strewn campus. Now, by comparison, as she tells me, “I only use my wheelchair when I have a flare. I am walking to class for the first time in four years! It’s truly hard to consider where I was even this time last year. I never thought I would ever be as healthy as I am now, and I am onlycontinuing to get better.” In the Q&A below, Whitestone provides a more comprehensive update on her progress, the lessons she’s learned about life and societal perceptions of immobility and her continued work with her namesake organization . The org’s motto: “Where there’s a wheel, there’s a way!” Q: First, how are you doing? Specifically, how are things compared to our last chat in 2013? A: I am doing so much better. I’ve been privileged enough to completely change my lifestyle to support my healing. I am able to do something to relieve pain and stress every day, which has helped to alleviate most of my symptoms. … Not only am I doing better physically, but I have completely found even more gratitude and excitement for life. … The first time I walked on campus was so exciting. The first time I walked to class was even cooler. But I also couldn’t help noticing that people immediately treated me differently. Our perceptions of immobility are still really stigmatized, and being able topass as non-disabled makes my daily interactions much different than when I’m using my wheelchair. I also don’t think walking has been the most significant “step” forward. To me, the pain relief is the most miraculous blessing. For the first time in years I’ve begun to feel my body — not just pain. I found significant pain relief while doing biofeedback treatment for the first time. The pain relief was so significant, especially with my headaches and light sensitivity, that I actually saw a change through my vision. I have a total new appreciation and awareness of my body. While I still have symptoms and have to do the treatment daily, I no longer feel like my body is “wrong.” I think most people might imagine that my ultimate goal is to be totally cured and free of all pain or disability. But my ultimate goal is actually simply to find peace in my body even without meeting ableist standards of health. I no longer feel ashamed about my body or illness. Q: In layman’s terms, what isbiofeedback treatment? A: Biofeedback is basically meditation. It’s like hitting a reset button for my central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is responsible for everything our body does naturally like breathing or digesting food. For whatever reason, my CNS was constantly triggered to stay in its “flight-or-flight” response. I had to learn how to actively relax so that it learned to perceive stress differently. When we hear the word stress, we might think about our to-do list or homework. But stress is also the physical and mental exertions on our body. My body was receiving all input as life threatening, which consequently came with symptoms like light or sound sensitivity. It made schoolwork and mental exertions hard and I had what’s called “brain-fog” because my CNS constantly felt overloaded. While the phrase “it’s all in your head” was used by some skeptical doctors to invalidate my symptoms and illness, I now am beginning to understand just how connected our mind and bodies really