Wildflower Wisdoms™ Living ME *wisdom*laughter*beauty*community for the resilient you
About
Wildflower Wisdoms™ Living ME magazine - a lifestyle magazine for people living with chronic illness
So you've been diagnosed with a chronic illness. Now what? Sure there are medical websites, advocacy groups, and all sorts of treatment options and concoctions.
But what you really need is a cheat-sheet on how to keep living in a way that makes you feel like "you", despite the day-to-challenges that come with this physical reality.
- How do you live within your energy limits?
- What life hacks are our there that help you take part in the things you love with the people you love, while still respecting your need for rest & radical self care?
- How do you deal with physical isolation?
- Are there groups that meet for video chats? And can you show up in your pajamas with a pillow tucked under your head and be taken seriously (or not so seriously if that's your mood)?
- Does anyone else get that you are more than your symptoms, but that your symptoms matter and they inform just about every aspect of your life?
- Who's out there who has figured out some deep wisdoms about how you can continue to not just live, but blossom in areas of your life that matter most to you?
- And, for heaven's sake, is anybody out there laughing, joking, reading, romancing, caught up in a Netflix series or gazing at birds & writing funny poems about forgetting how words work & being dizzy 🥴 at your own wedding?
This is what Wildflower Wisdoms ™ Living ME magazine, website, and social media is all about--life, living--from your kid's birthday party to that horrible experience at the doctor's office; from falling in love to not being able to fall asleep; from crying in a darkened room in pain & distress to winning an award for best photography for close-up subjects. Yes, these are from real experiences and upcoming articles.
And yet, we cover so much more.
There's a dedicated space for our loved ones and caregivers and fun contests open to all who share in our lives. This includes our fur babies--often our most comforting companions. So, of course, they too are featured in our memes, quotes, and video reels. We even have a special treat for you through our "Cute Criminals Court" where humans accuse their fur babies of various crimes and we layout the case for the defense.
In all that we feature in Living ME magazine, our most important feature is you. So, from the very first edition we include your stories, photos, and answer question through our unique advice column "Ask the WOWs" where you get more than one opinion.
Wildflower Wisdoms™ Living ME is our magazine and those of us on the editorial side encourage your requests and input through hosted theme chats & open submission calls for your photos of wildflowers, arts/craft hobbies, napping fur babies and other events (lighthearted and more serious) throughout the year.
We exist because you deserve a place that encourages and supports you in being all that you are at any point in your chronic journey. We are as E.W. Lucas says: "Like a wildflower, you must grow in all the places people never thought you could."
About M.E., me and us
Mine is one story of many in the world of chronic illness. So this About ME is about us. We are myself, Monique Susanna Simon, The Founding Editor of Wildflower Wisdoms™ Living ME magazine and the WOWs--(Wise Ones of the Wildflower) Advisory Team. The WOWs are a team of men and women from around the globe who have had ME/CFS for anywhere from three (3) to thirty plus (30+ years). Together, we inform the Wildflower Wisdoms™ brand with lived wisdoms from the chronic illness community.
We do this not as your teachers, but as your volunteer community leaders--here to collaborate with you as we discover how to live the fullest lives possible, despite the challenges of living with chronic illness.
We are a Global Community with Loved Ones and Loves
This ABOUT US is truly about all of us--the estimated 17 - 24 million people worldwide who live with ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis)--a well-documented illness (International Disease Code: or ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code G93.32 ). With the prevalence of Long COVID, fibromyalgia and other chronic illnesses that share many of these symptoms, we at Wildflower Wisdoms™ know that there are millions more of you who will find a virtual home and community center here with us. And, we welcome you.
For more detailed information and fact sheets, please visit the CDC website link at:
https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/about/fast-facts-about-me-cfs.html
OR the Mayo Clinic website link at:
And take a look at this video from WebMD to learn more about the many misconceptions about ME/CFS. https://www.webmd.com/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/video/me-cfs-survey
Wildflower Wisdoms™ Living ME Magazine: The Gossip Edition
Have some fun with us as we release a FREE preview issue, The Gossip Edition on August 24th, 2024.
Meet Nikki Nightshade from the cover photo--our resident ME/CFS Gossip Queen and host of the web-radio show "After Dark"--a lively series of rants, interviews, and advice all from the perspective of a chronically ill wild child.
Join us on Facebook & Instagram for sample content, leaked pages, and a link to the free download when available.