It’s January now, and we’re officially through the holidays. I’ve decided that the holiday season might be the most chaotic time of year to be chronically ill – and I definitely pushed myself past my limits a few times. Still, it was worth it for the memories. Even with a bit of a symptom hangover, I feel like I actually did a lot, which is something I don’t always get to say.

First: the baking. I love baking – it’s easily one of my favorite pastimes – but standing in a warm kitchen for long stretches isn’t always doable, so Jakob usually helps with the more physical parts. This year, that meant him rolling out gingerbread dough while I supervised… right up until one of our nieces decided that the kitchen counter was an acceptable walking surface. 

Never in my life did I expect to have to say, “Please don’t walk on the counter while food is being prepped,” but somehow that became one of our funniest Christmas memories. And thankfully, she didn’t get close enough to the dough, so it wasn’t contaminated 😂

I also made three kinds of Christmas cookies from scratch using recipes I learned while studying abroad in Prague in 2018, and after New Year’s I tackled a custard pie. That one involved another classic moment: we had the crust perfectly placed (honestly, it looked beautiful) when Jakob froze and said, “Oh no. Guess what we forgot?”

We hadn’t buttered the dish.

The crust had warmed too much to reroll, so back into a ball it went, and into the fridge. It took longer than planned – but in the end, it was still pie, and pie is always a win.

We also made a trip to Hersheypark with five of our nieces and nephews, despite my POTS and EDS flaring up. I absolutely overdid it (my heart rate hit 179 at one point) but it was worth it to watch the kids meet live reindeer, ride rides, and light up in the gift shop afterward. We even managed to get all of them in for free thanks to a few incredibly kind strangers giving away extra tickets they didn’t need, which felt like a small holiday miracle.

The days after the park were… rough to say the least. My joints and muscles have been on fire and I haven’t been able to do much, but I’ve been able to rest with a good book and finally give my body a break. And a special shout-out to my mom, who came over Monday night with a heated massage pad and Panera. She always pulls through for me and I’ll always be thankful for her.

Somewhere in all of this, I also watched the Stranger Things finale. I’ve been following the show since the beginning, so finishing it after about a decade felt exciting and bittersweet all at once. I’m going to miss counting down to new seasons, and I’m crossing my fingers for a spinoff – I know they’re usually hit-or-miss, but I think this universe could actually pull it off. Watching it end also put me in the mood to return to playing D&D, and now my college friend group (plus my teenage nephew) are planning a monthly campaign in the new year, something I’m really looking forward to in 2026. Of course, I’ll be the bard. I’m always the bard.

The last few weeks were busy, messy, and physically demanding, and this is only a snapshot of it all. But I’m starting the year grateful for the memories, for the help, and for slowly learning how to manage symptoms without giving up the things that make life feel full.

So far, I’d say the year is off to a pretty good start!