Anyone following me over the past year or longer probably noticed something changed. Like a fireball out of no where dropping tons of art, writing, chatting on media etc to becoming more and more quiet. Yes some of it was due to life events, and exhaustion. As you probably know, I was diagnosed over ten years ago with Sjogrens, and what you may not know is how severe the version I have is. But one of the main things people always hear about this disease is dry eyes. Focusing on eyes in particular, pun intended. This comes with a lot of problems, it isn’t just dry eyes.

Using severe dry eye gels and even moisture goggles at night just doesn’t quite preserve the moisture well enough anymore. For months now my vision has gone in and out of blurry states. Its done it years ago too and was shrugged off as just dry or my vision is 20/20 don’t worry about it. Well that advice from supposed professionals had me telling myself that over and over. Not realizing how badly I had actually lost my vision. While its not prescription levels yet, a slow progressive disease just means eventually it will be.

Oh its normal you say? Yeah. If its normal why are eye glasses even reading glasses so expensive? Classified as cosmetic, just like teeth. When quality of life goes down hill is you lose your vision or your teeth. That isn’t cosmetic folks and should really be covered in medical care way more so and treated as a vital health care thing to be available, easily and way friendlier costs. Sure fancy glasses and cosmetic things done to teeth should remain as cosmetic in my opinion. But basic reading or prescription glasses and decent frames that don’t look too bad should be available for considerably cheaper. Every dollar matters these days and there is a lot of higher up out of touch with reality greed going on.

Heck I’d offer my merch cheaper but I can’t even do that. If I lower my percentage of profits I get hidden fees behind the scenes when ya all purchase stuff. These companies are making out like bandits on both our expense.

I am super grateful that my parents are still alive and helping me while they are here because otherwise I would be homeless and going blind, or not even here anymore. Let’s take a step back from those morbid thoughts and just recognize that losing even some vision had a dramatic change in my quality of life and how I was functioning physically and mentally. I knew something was wrong, I just didn’t realize it was my vision until I tried on some glasses the other day and could see again.

I apologize for the slow cleanup and adjustments of my website, I really am doing the best I can.

So moral of the story, if you’re losing interest in things. Feeling tired, lots of headaches and moody. Go get your eyes and health checked out. Those might just be your body warning you something is actually wrong not just exhausted or a flare or depression or whatever.

Like the poppy, life can be beautiful even in a blur.

BUT to have clear vision and health can reduce some pain and confusion.

(No California poppy is not the type typically used for pain relief, its just the picture of one I had on hand.)