07/22/2026
💜Please Share💜
Happy disability pride month! Sharing in support of the other zebras besides me!
🦓💜 Disability Pride Month 💜🦓
Not every disability comes with a wheelchair.
Not every wheelchair means someone can’t walk.
Not every smile means someone isn’t struggling.
And not every battle is visible.
This month is about more than awareness—it’s about understanding, respect, and recognizing that disability comes in many forms.
I live with over a dozen chronic illnesses and disabilities that affect virtually every part of my life. Some days I’m able to create, laugh, spend time with the people I love, and work on Chronically Crafted Zebra Co. Most days, getting out of bed, walking down the hallway, taking a shower, or making it to a doctor’s appointment feels like climbing my way out of an active volcano.
People often see a moment.
They don’t see the medications, infusions, seizures, heart issues, chronic pain, exhaustion, braces, mobility aids, countless appointments, or the tears that happen behind closed doors.
That’s why Disability Pride Month matters.
It’s not about celebrating being sick.
It’s about celebrating resilience.
It’s about recognizing that disabled people deserve dignity, accessibility, respect, and the freedom to exist without constantly having to prove we’re “disabled enough.”
The graphic below highlights an important truth: disabilities don’t all look the same. Some are visible. Some are invisible. Some are permanent, some are temporary, and some change from day to day. Accommodations and mobility aids aren’t signs of weakness, they’re tools that help people live fuller, more independent lives.
For example, these are my current diagnoses that impact my life every single day:
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (Hypermobile Type)
• Dysautonomia
• Long QT Syndrome
• Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia (IST)
• Neurocardiogenic Syncope
• Iliac Vein Compression Syndrome
• Mitral Valve Prolapse
• Atrial Septal Defect
• Epilepsy (with possible Functional Neurological Disorder)
• Moderate Dysphasia
• Gastroparesis
• Colonic Inertia
• Endometriosis
• Major Depressive Disorder
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
• Raynaud’s Phenomenon
• Grade C Esophagitis
• Agoraphobia
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)
Someone else’s list may be much shorter. Someone else’s may be much longer. Some people may only have one diagnosis that completely changes their life. Others may still be searching for answers and don’t yet have a diagnosis at all.
None of those experiences are more or less valid than another. Disability isn’t measured by the number of diagnoses someone has, how visible their condition is, or how much they can accomplish on any given day. Every person’s journey deserves compassion, respect, and understanding.
The most meaningful thing we can do is replace assumptions with compassion. Believe people when they tell you about their experiences. Offer kindness instead of judgment. Choose curiosity over criticism. Small acts of understanding can make an enormous difference.
To my fellow medical zebras, spoonies, and everyone living with a disability:
I see you.
Your worth isn’t measured by your productivity.
Your mobility aids aren’t something to hide.
Your accommodations aren’t special treatment.
Your story matters.
And you never have to earn your dignity.
I’m proud of the life I’ve built despite the obstacles. I’m proud that I’ve found ways to create beauty through Chronically Crafted Zebra Co. and share my journey through Diary of a Medical Zebra . Even on the hardest days, I continue to choose hope.
God never promised me an easy road, but He has faithfully walked beside me every step of the way. His faithfulness has carried me through every diagnosis, every setback, and every victory.
Happy Disability Pride Month to every person fighting battles the world can’t always see.
You are seen.
You are valued.
You belong. 🦓💜
