May 30, 2025 • 26 mins
Welcome to Chronically The Sickest - the sickest podcast you know.
On today’s episode I’m joined by university student, Saskia.
We get into surviving out of spite, CBD and the importance of rest.
Follow Saskia on Instagram @chronically_sask
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Hello folks, and welcome to Chronically the Sickest, the
podcast where we talk about all things that make us chronically
the sickest people we know. I'm Clark, your host.
It's nice to chat with you this week.
Join us as we dive into the episode, sit back, relax, and
enjoy the show. Welcome Saskia to Chronically
(00:34):
the Sickest podcast. How are you doing this morning?
I'm good, thank you. I'm realizing now that it's just
morning for me. So afternoon, I guess.
How's your afternoon going? It's good.
I woke up like three hours ago so it's still morning to me.
Perfect. Oh my gosh, we are on the same
wavelength. We love it.
(00:54):
So tell me a little bit about yourself.
I I don't know a lot about you except for all the fun things
that you post on Instagram. Yes cuz there's not really
anything. I am a second year uni student
doing history and creative writing.
Honestly that's why I don't haveany free time to do anything
(01:15):
else. Oh.
That's fair. That's fair.
School is a lot of energy. Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, it's a lot. Well, I can imagine.
Well, you had mentioned you havelike your Kitty cats.
Do you have any other pets? No, I would love like a little
(01:37):
frog that would I would die veryhard if I had a frog.
But unfortunately not just I mean.
No, that's cute as a compliment.I think that you look like
someone who would have a frog asa pet.
Thank you. Thank you.
No, I I love that. OK, great.
(01:58):
So you just have two Kitty cats right now.
You're in school. You want to own a frog as a
dream. This is great.
This is great. I'm learning lots about you.
So, OK, we know a little bit about you.
And I wanted to ask you the the question of the hour, which is
what do you think makes you chronically the sickest person
you know? My diagnosis?
(02:19):
One of them. I'm also ginger, so I think that
tops everything. To be honest, I think that makes
me the sickest. You're like, you know, I have a
lot of rare diagnosis, but like my hair for sure the sickest
part about me and I love that for you.
Thank you. I couldn't even tell honestly.
The lighting your hair looks. Honestly, your hair looks
(02:41):
blonder than mine. I mean, it's a lot lighter at
the moment just because of the sun and everything, but.
See, I'm jealous it's raining right now.
No, it's beautiful. OK, that's so fun.
Did people make fun of you growing up for having ginger
hair? No, my hair was a lot, a lot
(03:03):
lighter when I was younger. Like that's so interesting.
Yeah. It's usually the other way
around, where it's like your hair gets lighter as you get
older. Wow, yeah.
That was platinum blonde. Oh, wow, love that.
I was when you answered no, I was going to be like, wow, maybe
kids in the states are just mean.
(03:25):
Damn, sorry. You were like, oh, I'm, I'm
like, you know, like I, I'm ginger.
And I was like, oh, I'm so sorry.
Sweet. Like, and it's not even like
you're beautiful. I just for some reason I was
like, oh God, people are probably the worst, weren't
they? But never mind.
Sounds like you're living the dream.
(03:46):
OK wait so you mentioned that you were going to school,
History and creative writing. What?
What do you plan to do after school?
Like do you want to be a teacheror like what's your idea?
Yeah, so I'm wanting to be a teacher.
Well, maybe, maybe not like a teacher, but teaching.
Does that make sense? Yeah.
(04:09):
I get you. There's lots of like offshoots
from like being an actual teacher.
Yeah, you could be like after school, you could run a program.
You could just be, you could be a tutor, but like make a lot of
money. Good for you dude.
Yeah, honestly, I haven't reallythought it through all that
much. It just happened and I'm here
you're. Like a couple years in and I
(04:31):
still don't know what's happening.
Yeah, literally. Really real.
I get that. OK.
Well, so I mean you mentioned ita little bit, but you have a
couple diagnosis, but I know what we wanted to focus on today
was your diagnosis of rheumatoidarthritis.
So would you mind telling me maybe a little bit about that
(04:53):
diagnosis process? I mean, you're very young, so
I'm sure you kind of had a little bit of.
Yeah, I used to dance as a child.
So from the age of like 3 up to 18, I was doing competitive
balance contemporary. So everyone just brushed it off
(05:15):
as just growing pains or you know, like, oh, you're athletic,
it's fine. I started physio when I was 15
and they were like, Oh yeah, you've got Oscar Schlatz
disease. It's like, OK, let me let me
Google that. It has something to do with like
(05:35):
the tendon. And then there's like cartilage
that sticks something. All of the pictures didn't look
like my knee at all. It just it, it wasn't.
I like did so much research and everything and I was just like,
this isn't what you're saying that it is anyway, it was very
(05:59):
like back and forth. It wasn't until I was 20 at the
doctor was like, OK, let me lookinto this, let me get you like a
rheumatologist, and it just wentfrom there.
I was diagnosed December 2022. OK.
Honestly, that's a lot quicker. Yeah.
Than I expected. I mean, it's an inflammatory
(06:21):
disease. So obviously it wasn't like you
just, you know, the symptoms magically appeared out of
nowhere and then you're like, oh, something's wrong.
It was, I'm sure, like building and then being like, hey, wait,
my knees. Do not work.
Yeah. So did you stop dancing kind of
once you started having that pain?
(06:41):
The pain really started when I was like 15.
I mean, like, I've always had pain, but it got a lot worse
when I was 15 and I just danced for it and it made it so much
worse. And I ended up having to use
like a walking stick. And yeah, then COVID hit when I
(07:08):
was 17 and I couldn't dance. So I was like, OK, perfect,
great. And it did start getting
somewhat better. Bet it's not the right.
It stopped hurting as much. So I just stopped when I was 18.
I was like, I've had enough, like I can't do this.
(07:31):
But obviously that didn't fix much.
And yeah, now I struggled to even walk up the stairs without
being in pain. That's like the worst.
Yeah. I have to say, it is a little
bit funny when you're saying you're like, yeah, Covad hit.
And I was like, oh, thank goodness.
Like, I don't have to dance anymore.
I could take a break my legs. Hurt.
It should have spending like thewhole time in back like I don't
(07:54):
have to stretch anymore. This is great.
All these other dancers are like, Oh my gosh, what am I
going to do when you're sitting here and you're like, Oh my
gosh, I have missed my bed. Yeah.
OK, So COVID came at an opportune time for you to
realize that your body needed a break, which honestly, that's
great. I'm glad that there was a
positive for you. OK, so you're able to get
(08:19):
diagnosed pretty quickly, you know, after that other doctor
was kind of like, oh, it's this other random thing that's
definitely not what you have. Talk to me a little bit about
like getting a good doctor, likehow in the UK you guys have the
(08:39):
NHS right? Yeah.
So was that process fairly easy to see a rheumatologist?
Well, yes and no, because my specific doctor's surgery had
like one just there. He was there like all the time.
(09:03):
Well, I mean, there was probablylike one or two that was there
like all the time. So after that initial
appointment, I saw him at the doctor's surgery.
Right. So it's like, OK, I get what
you're saying. So you're not necessarily going
to someone who specializes in rheumatology necessarily.
It's not like the clinic you said.
You're just kind of going to like, oh, this is my buddy.
(09:27):
He is a rheumatologist. He happens to also work here.
So you might as well just go to him.
Yeah, it's like, I guess the only way I can describe it is
like an emergency rheumatologist.
Oh, I see. Even then it takes like to get
up with him so. Yeah, I, I always think it's so
funny to hear about. I don't know if funny is the
(09:50):
right word. You're going to get what I mean,
but I always think it's so funnyto hear about people's
experience with healthcare in the US versus like maybe the UK
or Canada even you just saying that it took a while to even see
the emergency doctor. I'm sitting here and I'm like,
OK, first of all, that sucks because that's so silly.
(10:12):
But then also I'm like, at the end of it, at least your guys's
stuff is free after the six months, six months.
And then they're like, now coughup your life savings and you're
like. Yeah, at some point I've been
putting off going to the dentistbecause the dentist you still
have to pay for in the UK and I've got like a wisdom tooth
that's like embedded into my cheek at the moment.
(10:33):
And I've just put it off. Don't, don't give them my
kidney. Don't do it.
Also the dentist is freaking scary girl like I don't know why
but I think it's it's worse thanlike like I've had abdominal
surgery I would gladly do that again then have some man put in
his hands in my mouth. And stab him.
Yeah, it's like, I'm not scared of the dentist, but I'm also
(10:56):
autistic. And if you are like hovered over
me with like drills and that mirror that scrapes your teeth,
no, a worse sensory. Experience.
Yeah. Yeah, Well, I'm sorry that your
(11:17):
teeth are working against your financial agenda.
What isn't at this point though,Let's be real.
Real but I I do get that one, I am also autistic and two, I only
just got my wisdom teeth out like 6 months ago and mine were
also fully coming in like I fully had a tooth in the back of
my mouth that was ruining the rest of my teeth.
(11:39):
And I was like that's just my friend it's fine.
And then at some point I was like I think it's infected I
have to go in. But you could just rinse with
what is that the numbing mouthwash?
Then my tongue would get numb. I can't deal with that.
(12:00):
We're different people. I was like, Nah.
I was just like, I can't feel mymouth.
It's fine. They're like, there's an extra
toothpick there. And I'm like, again, I said it's
fine. OK.
OK. So still waited, you know, six
months or so for the emergency doctor, but you saw them and
they were able to diagnose you with rheumatoid arthritis.
OK. So since you got that diagnosis,
(12:23):
what have you been doing to manage those symptoms?
Like kind of what what tips and tricks have you learned?
Are you just kind of like coasting, I guess, and living
with it? Like what?
Tell me about it. I'm just like doing the best I
can with like limited resources that I've got, like knee braces
(12:45):
because mine's in my knees. Knee braces codeine like
mobility aids. Honestly, like that's the best
we can do. Yeah.
Like you said, you do have arthritis in your knees
specifically. I mean, obviously it can kind of
(13:06):
affect a lot of different things, but you said that's kind
of what you're dealing with. What mobility aid do you think
works best for you like in that scenario?
It depends how bad the day is. Mostly.
I have a walking stick, I have crutches, and then I have a
(13:27):
wheelchair. The wheelchair is good.
It's very helpful. But then I've also got like
piping mobility and my shoulders, just like sublogs all
the time. They're just like, no, we're not
having this. So it really depends.
I know that's gotta be like the most frustrating part of using a
(13:49):
mobility aid is you're like, I don't just have one thing.
So this is gonna flare on different things.
It's like if I use my crutches, my wrist or like my thumb, I
can't win. That's horrible.
I'm just imagining someone's like, how's your day going?
You're like, not well, my thumb hurts.
All right. Yeah, solid.
(14:11):
OK. But you said the wheelchair is
probably maybe the most helpful one.
Just overall, I think I was justasking the question in the
framework of if someone were to be like, I also have arthritis
in my knees and I'm trying to figure out what mobility aid I
should use. Kind of like what you could tell
(14:33):
them and like what advice you could offer them.
The only thing that I can reallysuggest is just REST.
Like I know that's so much easier said than done, but like
putting pressure on my knees, whether that's walking or even
sitting sometimes. Like if I'm sitting on my knees,
it's just so painful. Like sometimes I just need to be
(14:55):
laying down with some like some sort CBD cream on my knees or in
the bath just. OK, rather always a good option.
I didn't think about CBD salve. I feel like I hear about that
every once in a while. Do you feel like it?
It helps a lot with the joint pain.
It helps. OK, but not a lot.
(15:17):
Yeah. OK.
It helps if I if I put CBD creamon my knees and then I put like
a brace on my knee. Seems to help.
CBD cream on its own? Not really.
OK. I like that.
A little combo treatment you could just you could add in, you
(15:38):
take a nice relaxing Epsom salt bath and then you get out, you
put on the CBD salt, you put on your little brace, you lay down.
Sounds like a good time. Yeah.
OK, OK. I really like that.
Thank you for answering that question.
I'm just trying to think like ifthere's someone listening to
this who's like, I also have rheumatoid arthritis or, you
(15:59):
know, maybe I think I do. What do I do?
Like it's always good to hear from someone like I don't have
arthritis, my body hurts, but I don't have arthritis.
So it's like, I love hearing from people like you to get kind
of the, the, the inside scoop. As yeah, I think that's, this is
completely not really off topic,but off of that question.
(16:24):
I think that's the thing as well.
People are like, yeah, well, I, I get it.
My joints are, it's like, yeah, but it's different.
Like we might be able to manage it in somewhat the same way, but
it's different. I don't know how to describe how
it's different, but it's different.
Yeah, of course. I mean, anyone who has chronic
(16:46):
pain can relate to other people with chronic pain.
But like you said, it's on a completely different level.
It's. Your joints are quite literally
inflamed, like they are not happy campers versus someone
who's just like, you know, it was leg day at the gym.
So my leggies hurt and you're like, that's sucks.
Yep, that sucks. And they're like, see, so we're
(17:08):
the same. You're like, so I I get what
you're saying and I think that's, that's an important
distinction. Like obviously pain is pain, but
it's oh, I actually see. I completely agree with what
you're saying But honestly I feel like you almost have to toe
the line of being like your painis valid and that's fair.
(17:29):
Like all pain is valid. It's like the whole thing where
it's like 11 arrow might take down someone else but 10 arrows
might take down a different person.
You know? Like it's like pain is
subjective but also having a literal inflammatory disease
that affects your joints is different.
(17:49):
Like having a diagnosis and having a specific disease is
different than just being, yeah,sorry, my brain was like, am I
gonna get cancelled for being Like, pain is in fact different
and it's not that different. Pain is like, more valid.
But that's almost kind of what I'm saying.
(18:10):
Just like, not in the way that that sounds.
Yeah, yeah. No, I get you.
I I completely get you. I like, I'm like explaining
myself to you when you're like, yeah, I again just said that.
And I'm like, I don't know why. I'm like, I'm gonna get
cancelled. Who cares?
Sorry. I recently got some hate
comments on a post. And so my senses are way more
heightened right now for stuff that doesn't matter, which it's
(18:35):
fine, but OK, OK, OK, OK. I like all these options that
you're giving. Like, I know that they're kind
of just little things, but it's very helpful.
Going off of the fact that you're kind of saying like
having actual arthritis is different.
What would you maybe tell someone or what advice would you
(18:56):
give to someone who is fairly certain that they have
arthritis, but maybe they haven't, Maybe they're still
waiting for their appointment orthey haven't found a doctor that
will listen to them. Do you have any advice?
Just. Please do your research.
Self psychosis is, but I think you have to be certain, like
(19:19):
100% certain that you have this thing.
Otherwise you might damage your body more.
If you have, I don't even know what example to use Ellis Downer
syndrome. You know when you're hypermobile
and you're having pains because of that, you might not know that
you have dislocated your knee. Your knee socket might be out of
(19:40):
place. That might be the reason why
you're in pain, not because you have so I just you need the
whole stuff before you start doing treatment options that
might damage you even more because you can, you can do all
the physio that you want at hometo manage this arthritis, but if
(20:05):
you're doing the wrong ones, you're just going to damage
yourself, right? OK, that's honestly tough but
very good advice. It's it's rough, but I think
it's. Completely true though OK so now
that we kind of know who you are, your diagnosis and maybe
(20:27):
some some tips and tricks that you have for the other arthritis
girlies out there. Tell me about your Instagram
page. So you right now, like you're on
social media and you kind of spread awareness and share your
experience with chronic illness.How did that come about?
(20:48):
Back in 2021, I started having seizures, Yeah.
Because of that, I wasn't working for six, six months and
I had a lot of people that knew me personally that was going,
you're just faking this to get out, getting like you're just
(21:09):
lazy. Honestly, I had enough of it.
I had enough of people thinking that they knew me and my
situation. And then I went online one day
and so many people had the same experience, not necessarily with
the seizure aspect, but just with chronic pain and chronic
illness. Just period.
(21:31):
I switched to so many people andthey were all saying the same
thing and I was like why is thisa thing?
Why are people not educated and why are we beating our self
stuff over it? I am I beating myself up to not
working when I've got a letter from my doctor saying that I
should not be working. Why am I listening to all these
(21:53):
people that haven't even gone toschool?
Well so that's kind of how it started.
I was just sick inside of everyone.
And I just. Wanted to not only educate
people that haven't gone throughanything like that, but also I
guess kind of inspire people that have gone through it and
(22:15):
you don't have to listen to these people.
Hell yeah, I. Love that you essentially
started an entire social media page out of spite.
Yeah, and. I would do it again that is an.
Amazing answer. I don't think I've ever had
anyone answer like that when it's like, oh, like, you know, I
(22:35):
wanted to raise awareness where I was feeling lonely.
And yes, of course, those you know underlying the spite is
always you. Know true.
Positive, genuine emotions of like, yeah, I'm feeling alone
and feeling like people aren't understanding my situation.
Yeah, but 100? Percent it's.
Not to swear, but like, it's a huge, like, fuck you.
(22:57):
This is exactly how I feel. Like, are you kidding me?
Yes, it's real. What is wrong with you people?
Yeah. Screw you.
Yeah, it's like what? Oh my gosh.
Well, I like, love your page. Like it's always so colorful and
like, it's it's always so fun toget to chat with people that I'm
like, I know you from online. Like we don't talk that much,
(23:20):
but I'm like you, you know, you come across my for you page, my
feed and I'm like, oh, of courseSaskia's here.
This is great. Thank you SO.
It's like a pleasure meeting you, not like in person legally,
but like virtually. So this is really great to get
to chat and hear your story. Yeah, I'm enjoying this.
(23:42):
Yay. Well, thank you first of all for
doing this and also for kind of explaining your reasoning behind
your page. For people who maybe enjoyed
hanging out and listening to this episode today, where where
can they find you? Like what social media page can
they go follow go shoot you a message on?
(24:05):
I have Instagram and Tiktok. They are both under the same
username as Chronically under score, Sask SASK.
And I also have a blog page www.godspices.com OK.
(24:26):
I. Think that's all I am, Yeah, OK.
Perfect, perfect. We will put those links down in
the description for the episode and that way people can be like,
oh, immediate follow. Thank you so much for being on
the podcast. I like really appreciate it.
(24:49):
I love chatting with you. Is there anything else that you
want to say before we wrap up this episode?
I think so. Nothing other than thank you for
having me. Aw, that was.
Cute. Well, listener, this has been an
episode, I'm Clark, this is Saskia, and this has been
(25:09):
chronically the sickest podcast you know.
That's all folks. Thank you so much for listening.
If you liked this episode, clickthat follow up button on your
podcast app of choice to get notified every other week.
You can find the podcast on Instagram and TikTok at
(25:30):
Chronically the Sickest Podcast.Let me know if you have any
questions or just want to chat. I love hearing from y'all.
Until next time, I'm Clark, and this has been Chronically the
Sickest podcast you know. Disclaimer, this is a
conversational podcast and whilewe may share a diagnosis
(25:52):
journey, symptoms, and treatmentplan, this is not medical
advice. If you have any questions
regarding your health, please reach out to your doctor and
have a great day.
Hello folks, and welcome to Chronically the Sickest, the
podcast where we talk about all things that make us chronically
the sickest people we know. I'm Clark, your host.
It's nice to chat with you this week.
Join us as we dive into the episode, sit back, relax, and
enjoy the show. Welcome Saskia to Chronically
(00:34):
the Sickest podcast. How are you doing this morning?
I'm good, thank you. I'm realizing now that it's just
morning for me. So afternoon, I guess.
How's your afternoon going? It's good.
I woke up like three hours ago so it's still morning to me.
Perfect. Oh my gosh, we are on the same
wavelength. We love it.
(00:54):
So tell me a little bit about yourself.
I I don't know a lot about you except for all the fun things
that you post on Instagram. Yes cuz there's not really
anything. I am a second year uni student
doing history and creative writing.
Honestly that's why I don't haveany free time to do anything
(01:15):
else. Oh.
That's fair. That's fair.
School is a lot of energy. Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, it's a lot. Well, I can imagine.
Well, you had mentioned you havelike your Kitty cats.
Do you have any other pets? No, I would love like a little
(01:37):
frog that would I would die veryhard if I had a frog.
But unfortunately not just I mean.
No, that's cute as a compliment.I think that you look like
someone who would have a frog asa pet.
Thank you. Thank you.
No, I I love that. OK, great.
(01:58):
So you just have two Kitty cats right now.
You're in school. You want to own a frog as a
dream. This is great.
This is great. I'm learning lots about you.
So, OK, we know a little bit about you.
And I wanted to ask you the the question of the hour, which is
what do you think makes you chronically the sickest person
you know? My diagnosis?
(02:19):
One of them. I'm also ginger, so I think that
tops everything. To be honest, I think that makes
me the sickest. You're like, you know, I have a
lot of rare diagnosis, but like my hair for sure the sickest
part about me and I love that for you.
Thank you. I couldn't even tell honestly.
The lighting your hair looks. Honestly, your hair looks
(02:41):
blonder than mine. I mean, it's a lot lighter at
the moment just because of the sun and everything, but.
See, I'm jealous it's raining right now.
No, it's beautiful. OK, that's so fun.
Did people make fun of you growing up for having ginger
hair? No, my hair was a lot, a lot
(03:03):
lighter when I was younger. Like that's so interesting.
Yeah. It's usually the other way
around, where it's like your hair gets lighter as you get
older. Wow, yeah.
That was platinum blonde. Oh, wow, love that.
I was when you answered no, I was going to be like, wow, maybe
kids in the states are just mean.
(03:25):
Damn, sorry. You were like, oh, I'm, I'm
like, you know, like I, I'm ginger.
And I was like, oh, I'm so sorry.
Sweet. Like, and it's not even like
you're beautiful. I just for some reason I was
like, oh God, people are probably the worst, weren't
they? But never mind.
Sounds like you're living the dream.
(03:46):
OK wait so you mentioned that you were going to school,
History and creative writing. What?
What do you plan to do after school?
Like do you want to be a teacheror like what's your idea?
Yeah, so I'm wanting to be a teacher.
Well, maybe, maybe not like a teacher, but teaching.
Does that make sense? Yeah.
(04:09):
I get you. There's lots of like offshoots
from like being an actual teacher.
Yeah, you could be like after school, you could run a program.
You could just be, you could be a tutor, but like make a lot of
money. Good for you dude.
Yeah, honestly, I haven't reallythought it through all that
much. It just happened and I'm here
you're. Like a couple years in and I
(04:31):
still don't know what's happening.
Yeah, literally. Really real.
I get that. OK.
Well, so I mean you mentioned ita little bit, but you have a
couple diagnosis, but I know what we wanted to focus on today
was your diagnosis of rheumatoidarthritis.
So would you mind telling me maybe a little bit about that
(04:53):
diagnosis process? I mean, you're very young, so
I'm sure you kind of had a little bit of.
Yeah, I used to dance as a child.
So from the age of like 3 up to 18, I was doing competitive
balance contemporary. So everyone just brushed it off
(05:15):
as just growing pains or you know, like, oh, you're athletic,
it's fine. I started physio when I was 15
and they were like, Oh yeah, you've got Oscar Schlatz
disease. It's like, OK, let me let me
Google that. It has something to do with like
(05:35):
the tendon. And then there's like cartilage
that sticks something. All of the pictures didn't look
like my knee at all. It just it, it wasn't.
I like did so much research and everything and I was just like,
this isn't what you're saying that it is anyway, it was very
(05:59):
like back and forth. It wasn't until I was 20 at the
doctor was like, OK, let me lookinto this, let me get you like a
rheumatologist, and it just wentfrom there.
I was diagnosed December 2022. OK.
Honestly, that's a lot quicker. Yeah.
Than I expected. I mean, it's an inflammatory
(06:21):
disease. So obviously it wasn't like you
just, you know, the symptoms magically appeared out of
nowhere and then you're like, oh, something's wrong.
It was, I'm sure, like building and then being like, hey, wait,
my knees. Do not work.
Yeah. So did you stop dancing kind of
once you started having that pain?
(06:41):
The pain really started when I was like 15.
I mean, like, I've always had pain, but it got a lot worse
when I was 15 and I just danced for it and it made it so much
worse. And I ended up having to use
like a walking stick. And yeah, then COVID hit when I
(07:08):
was 17 and I couldn't dance. So I was like, OK, perfect,
great. And it did start getting
somewhat better. Bet it's not the right.
It stopped hurting as much. So I just stopped when I was 18.
I was like, I've had enough, like I can't do this.
(07:31):
But obviously that didn't fix much.
And yeah, now I struggled to even walk up the stairs without
being in pain. That's like the worst.
Yeah. I have to say, it is a little
bit funny when you're saying you're like, yeah, Covad hit.
And I was like, oh, thank goodness.
Like, I don't have to dance anymore.
I could take a break my legs. Hurt.
It should have spending like thewhole time in back like I don't
(07:54):
have to stretch anymore. This is great.
All these other dancers are like, Oh my gosh, what am I
going to do when you're sitting here and you're like, Oh my
gosh, I have missed my bed. Yeah.
OK, So COVID came at an opportune time for you to
realize that your body needed a break, which honestly, that's
great. I'm glad that there was a
positive for you. OK, so you're able to get
(08:19):
diagnosed pretty quickly, you know, after that other doctor
was kind of like, oh, it's this other random thing that's
definitely not what you have. Talk to me a little bit about
like getting a good doctor, likehow in the UK you guys have the
(08:39):
NHS right? Yeah.
So was that process fairly easy to see a rheumatologist?
Well, yes and no, because my specific doctor's surgery had
like one just there. He was there like all the time.
(09:03):
Well, I mean, there was probablylike one or two that was there
like all the time. So after that initial
appointment, I saw him at the doctor's surgery.
Right. So it's like, OK, I get what
you're saying. So you're not necessarily going
to someone who specializes in rheumatology necessarily.
It's not like the clinic you said.
You're just kind of going to like, oh, this is my buddy.
(09:27):
He is a rheumatologist. He happens to also work here.
So you might as well just go to him.
Yeah, it's like, I guess the only way I can describe it is
like an emergency rheumatologist.
Oh, I see. Even then it takes like to get
up with him so. Yeah, I, I always think it's so
funny to hear about. I don't know if funny is the
(09:50):
right word. You're going to get what I mean,
but I always think it's so funnyto hear about people's
experience with healthcare in the US versus like maybe the UK
or Canada even you just saying that it took a while to even see
the emergency doctor. I'm sitting here and I'm like,
OK, first of all, that sucks because that's so silly.
(10:12):
But then also I'm like, at the end of it, at least your guys's
stuff is free after the six months, six months.
And then they're like, now coughup your life savings and you're
like. Yeah, at some point I've been
putting off going to the dentistbecause the dentist you still
have to pay for in the UK and I've got like a wisdom tooth
that's like embedded into my cheek at the moment.
(10:33):
And I've just put it off. Don't, don't give them my
kidney. Don't do it.
Also the dentist is freaking scary girl like I don't know why
but I think it's it's worse thanlike like I've had abdominal
surgery I would gladly do that again then have some man put in
his hands in my mouth. And stab him.
Yeah, it's like, I'm not scared of the dentist, but I'm also
(10:56):
autistic. And if you are like hovered over
me with like drills and that mirror that scrapes your teeth,
no, a worse sensory. Experience.
Yeah. Yeah, Well, I'm sorry that your
(11:17):
teeth are working against your financial agenda.
What isn't at this point though,Let's be real.
Real but I I do get that one, I am also autistic and two, I only
just got my wisdom teeth out like 6 months ago and mine were
also fully coming in like I fully had a tooth in the back of
my mouth that was ruining the rest of my teeth.
(11:39):
And I was like that's just my friend it's fine.
And then at some point I was like I think it's infected I
have to go in. But you could just rinse with
what is that the numbing mouthwash?
Then my tongue would get numb. I can't deal with that.
(12:00):
We're different people. I was like, Nah.
I was just like, I can't feel mymouth.
It's fine. They're like, there's an extra
toothpick there. And I'm like, again, I said it's
fine. OK.
OK. So still waited, you know, six
months or so for the emergency doctor, but you saw them and
they were able to diagnose you with rheumatoid arthritis.
OK. So since you got that diagnosis,
(12:23):
what have you been doing to manage those symptoms?
Like kind of what what tips and tricks have you learned?
Are you just kind of like coasting, I guess, and living
with it? Like what?
Tell me about it. I'm just like doing the best I
can with like limited resources that I've got, like knee braces
(12:45):
because mine's in my knees. Knee braces codeine like
mobility aids. Honestly, like that's the best
we can do. Yeah.
Like you said, you do have arthritis in your knees
specifically. I mean, obviously it can kind of
(13:06):
affect a lot of different things, but you said that's kind
of what you're dealing with. What mobility aid do you think
works best for you like in that scenario?
It depends how bad the day is. Mostly.
I have a walking stick, I have crutches, and then I have a
(13:27):
wheelchair. The wheelchair is good.
It's very helpful. But then I've also got like
piping mobility and my shoulders, just like sublogs all
the time. They're just like, no, we're not
having this. So it really depends.
I know that's gotta be like the most frustrating part of using a
(13:49):
mobility aid is you're like, I don't just have one thing.
So this is gonna flare on different things.
It's like if I use my crutches, my wrist or like my thumb, I
can't win. That's horrible.
I'm just imagining someone's like, how's your day going?
You're like, not well, my thumb hurts.
All right. Yeah, solid.
(14:11):
OK. But you said the wheelchair is
probably maybe the most helpful one.
Just overall, I think I was justasking the question in the
framework of if someone were to be like, I also have arthritis
in my knees and I'm trying to figure out what mobility aid I
should use. Kind of like what you could tell
(14:33):
them and like what advice you could offer them.
The only thing that I can reallysuggest is just REST.
Like I know that's so much easier said than done, but like
putting pressure on my knees, whether that's walking or even
sitting sometimes. Like if I'm sitting on my knees,
it's just so painful. Like sometimes I just need to be
(14:55):
laying down with some like some sort CBD cream on my knees or in
the bath just. OK, rather always a good option.
I didn't think about CBD salve. I feel like I hear about that
every once in a while. Do you feel like it?
It helps a lot with the joint pain.
It helps. OK, but not a lot.
(15:17):
Yeah. OK.
It helps if I if I put CBD creamon my knees and then I put like
a brace on my knee. Seems to help.
CBD cream on its own? Not really.
OK. I like that.
A little combo treatment you could just you could add in, you
(15:38):
take a nice relaxing Epsom salt bath and then you get out, you
put on the CBD salt, you put on your little brace, you lay down.
Sounds like a good time. Yeah.
OK, OK. I really like that.
Thank you for answering that question.
I'm just trying to think like ifthere's someone listening to
this who's like, I also have rheumatoid arthritis or, you
(15:59):
know, maybe I think I do. What do I do?
Like it's always good to hear from someone like I don't have
arthritis, my body hurts, but I don't have arthritis.
So it's like, I love hearing from people like you to get kind
of the, the, the inside scoop. As yeah, I think that's, this is
completely not really off topic,but off of that question.
(16:24):
I think that's the thing as well.
People are like, yeah, well, I, I get it.
My joints are, it's like, yeah, but it's different.
Like we might be able to manage it in somewhat the same way, but
it's different. I don't know how to describe how
it's different, but it's different.
Yeah, of course. I mean, anyone who has chronic
(16:46):
pain can relate to other people with chronic pain.
But like you said, it's on a completely different level.
It's. Your joints are quite literally
inflamed, like they are not happy campers versus someone
who's just like, you know, it was leg day at the gym.
So my leggies hurt and you're like, that's sucks.
Yep, that sucks. And they're like, see, so we're
(17:08):
the same. You're like, so I I get what
you're saying and I think that's, that's an important
distinction. Like obviously pain is pain, but
it's oh, I actually see. I completely agree with what
you're saying But honestly I feel like you almost have to toe
the line of being like your painis valid and that's fair.
(17:29):
Like all pain is valid. It's like the whole thing where
it's like 11 arrow might take down someone else but 10 arrows
might take down a different person.
You know? Like it's like pain is
subjective but also having a literal inflammatory disease
that affects your joints is different.
(17:49):
Like having a diagnosis and having a specific disease is
different than just being, yeah,sorry, my brain was like, am I
gonna get cancelled for being Like, pain is in fact different
and it's not that different. Pain is like, more valid.
But that's almost kind of what I'm saying.
(18:10):
Just like, not in the way that that sounds.
Yeah, yeah. No, I get you.
I I completely get you. I like, I'm like explaining
myself to you when you're like, yeah, I again just said that.
And I'm like, I don't know why. I'm like, I'm gonna get
cancelled. Who cares?
Sorry. I recently got some hate
comments on a post. And so my senses are way more
heightened right now for stuff that doesn't matter, which it's
(18:35):
fine, but OK, OK, OK, OK. I like all these options that
you're giving. Like, I know that they're kind
of just little things, but it's very helpful.
Going off of the fact that you're kind of saying like
having actual arthritis is different.
What would you maybe tell someone or what advice would you
(18:56):
give to someone who is fairly certain that they have
arthritis, but maybe they haven't, Maybe they're still
waiting for their appointment orthey haven't found a doctor that
will listen to them. Do you have any advice?
Just. Please do your research.
Self psychosis is, but I think you have to be certain, like
(19:19):
100% certain that you have this thing.
Otherwise you might damage your body more.
If you have, I don't even know what example to use Ellis Downer
syndrome. You know when you're hypermobile
and you're having pains because of that, you might not know that
you have dislocated your knee. Your knee socket might be out of
(19:40):
place. That might be the reason why
you're in pain, not because you have so I just you need the
whole stuff before you start doing treatment options that
might damage you even more because you can, you can do all
the physio that you want at hometo manage this arthritis, but if
(20:05):
you're doing the wrong ones, you're just going to damage
yourself, right? OK, that's honestly tough but
very good advice. It's it's rough, but I think
it's. Completely true though OK so now
that we kind of know who you are, your diagnosis and maybe
(20:27):
some some tips and tricks that you have for the other arthritis
girlies out there. Tell me about your Instagram
page. So you right now, like you're on
social media and you kind of spread awareness and share your
experience with chronic illness.How did that come about?
(20:48):
Back in 2021, I started having seizures, Yeah.
Because of that, I wasn't working for six, six months and
I had a lot of people that knew me personally that was going,
you're just faking this to get out, getting like you're just
(21:09):
lazy. Honestly, I had enough of it.
I had enough of people thinking that they knew me and my
situation. And then I went online one day
and so many people had the same experience, not necessarily with
the seizure aspect, but just with chronic pain and chronic
illness. Just period.
(21:31):
I switched to so many people andthey were all saying the same
thing and I was like why is thisa thing?
Why are people not educated and why are we beating our self
stuff over it? I am I beating myself up to not
working when I've got a letter from my doctor saying that I
should not be working. Why am I listening to all these
(21:53):
people that haven't even gone toschool?
Well so that's kind of how it started.
I was just sick inside of everyone.
And I just. Wanted to not only educate
people that haven't gone throughanything like that, but also I
guess kind of inspire people that have gone through it and
(22:15):
you don't have to listen to these people.
Hell yeah, I. Love that you essentially
started an entire social media page out of spite.
Yeah, and. I would do it again that is an.
Amazing answer. I don't think I've ever had
anyone answer like that when it's like, oh, like, you know, I
(22:35):
wanted to raise awareness where I was feeling lonely.
And yes, of course, those you know underlying the spite is
always you. Know true.
Positive, genuine emotions of like, yeah, I'm feeling alone
and feeling like people aren't understanding my situation.
Yeah, but 100? Percent it's.
Not to swear, but like, it's a huge, like, fuck you.
(22:57):
This is exactly how I feel. Like, are you kidding me?
Yes, it's real. What is wrong with you people?
Yeah. Screw you.
Yeah, it's like what? Oh my gosh.
Well, I like, love your page. Like it's always so colorful and
like, it's it's always so fun toget to chat with people that I'm
like, I know you from online. Like we don't talk that much,
(23:20):
but I'm like you, you know, you come across my for you page, my
feed and I'm like, oh, of courseSaskia's here.
This is great. Thank you SO.
It's like a pleasure meeting you, not like in person legally,
but like virtually. So this is really great to get
to chat and hear your story. Yeah, I'm enjoying this.
(23:42):
Yay. Well, thank you first of all for
doing this and also for kind of explaining your reasoning behind
your page. For people who maybe enjoyed
hanging out and listening to this episode today, where where
can they find you? Like what social media page can
they go follow go shoot you a message on?
(24:05):
I have Instagram and Tiktok. They are both under the same
username as Chronically under score, Sask SASK.
And I also have a blog page www.godspices.com OK.
(24:26):
I. Think that's all I am, Yeah, OK.
Perfect, perfect. We will put those links down in
the description for the episode and that way people can be like,
oh, immediate follow. Thank you so much for being on
the podcast. I like really appreciate it.
(24:49):
I love chatting with you. Is there anything else that you
want to say before we wrap up this episode?
I think so. Nothing other than thank you for
having me. Aw, that was.
Cute. Well, listener, this has been an
episode, I'm Clark, this is Saskia, and this has been
(25:09):
chronically the sickest podcast you know.
That's all folks. Thank you so much for listening.
If you liked this episode, clickthat follow up button on your
podcast app of choice to get notified every other week.
You can find the podcast on Instagram and TikTok at
(25:30):
Chronically the Sickest Podcast.Let me know if you have any
questions or just want to chat. I love hearing from y'all.
Until next time, I'm Clark, and this has been Chronically the
Sickest podcast you know. Disclaimer, this is a
conversational podcast and whilewe may share a diagnosis
(25:52):
journey, symptoms, and treatmentplan, this is not medical
advice. If you have any questions
regarding your health, please reach out to your doctor and
have a great day.
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