Midsummer Checkup
Here's the latest tl;dr from Alive and (un)Well.
The Front Desk
July was Disability Pride Month, and as folks who live with chronic physical and mental health conditions, we’re very used to existing in a world not made for us. In fact, if you were to spend a mere moment examining our society’s physical structures, support programs, and public transportation systems, you’d quickly realize they were intentionally built and designed for able-bodied people. Take, for instance, the civil engineering of it all: Accessibility is a complete afterthought in public spaces and new homes. (Translation: Disabled people, by association, are an afterthought as well.) And it’s only thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was sadly not introduced until 1990, that there are any kind of legal parameters and requirements around accessibility at all.
Let’s take Substack as another example. The platform itself is organized by popular umbrella topics: Business & Finance, Politics & News, Faith & Spirituality, Food & Drink, and Health & Wellness — the latter of which leans heavily into wellness niches like diet and functional nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being. And while our own newsletter does indeed fall squarely in the Health & Wellness category, it’s never felt quite right — and we’re far from alone in that feeling.
This is where Sage Garrettson and Mariana Garrettson of Illness and Insight come in. They’ve thoughtfully compiled a directory spotlighting hundreds of like-minded newsletters (including ours) in the disability and chronic illness space. So if you’re in search of a new read or two, we enthusiastically encourage you to check it out. It’s a great way to celebrate disability pride all year round.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming!
The Waiting Room
☀️ what made us feel alive
In early July, I made the four-hour drive up to the Hudson Valley in New York to attend a fairytale-themed photography retreat with around 15 other people. I was cast as Maleficent and besides almost getting murdered by a pheasant on the drive to the AirBnB, it was a super relaxing weekend full of community, creation, and laughter. — Ash
First Bites, the baby food tracking app I work for, hit a couple of big milestones this month. I’m really proud of what we’re creating for families — particularly around allergen exposure and tracking — and am grateful to be building a product that equally scratches my passions for health, advocacy, UX/UI copywriting, and marketing. — Kat
I finally shaved my head! I’ve been rocking a buzzcut for almost a month now, and overall, I’m a huge fan. Showering takes fewer spoons than it used to (although it’s often still a nightmare because #POTS) and the freezing powers of my Headache Hats feel all the more potent. Rubbing my fuzzy head has become a new go-to for self-soothing. Plus, I feel more feminine and confident than I have in quite some time. While I’m still figuring out all of my feelings regarding this change in my outward identity, I’ll mark shaving my head as a win for this month. — Skye
🫠 what made us feel (un)well
As I continue the struggle to find work that better supports me financially, I slipped into another depressive episode after spiraling about money and the feeling that I’m not doing enough. I know I’m hustling as hard as my body will allow with my freelance work plus my part-time job, but the numbers just don’t add up how I need them to. I was able to break out of the episode after a very good weekend which included a winery with alpacas and Great Pyrenees; a trip to a combination
Pizza Hut/Taco Bellflea, farmers, and antique market; and a faerie-themed picnic. However, I know that until I can change my financial situation, the risk of it popping up again is ever-present. — AshI missed several family functions this month, and while it was ultimately my choice not commit to them because of my health, I don’t think I’ll ever fully accept that, more often than not, my default response to invites is usually, “Probably not, but I wish I could.” Forever sick and tired of being sick and tired. — Kat
I love our family’s dog, Pip, more than most things in this world. I would do anything for that sweet baby. (OK, she recently turned 17, but she’s still a baby to me!) So, it’s been heartbreaking — to say the least — to watch her deal with a couple of new health issues. Even though she seems unbothered by most of her medical goings-on, it sucks she has to deal with them at all. Taking her to frequent vet appointments and administering eye drops is also taking a toll on my body; I have to schedule at least two days after each appointment to recover. In happier news, she received a stroller for her birthday, so please enjoy the following photo of her enjoying the summer sunshine. — Skye
Pip in all her glory
📺 what we’re watching
“Shadow and Bone” on Netflix: My partner and I were between series, and I suggested we watch the Netflix adaptation of the book series “Shadow and Bone,”which also pulls from another series in the same universe, “Six of Crows.” This was actually a rewatch for me, but I was so impressed with the costuming the first time around I wanted to give it another spin after knowing the narrative so I could admire the clothing a bit more. It also doesn’t hurt that I find the villain in the show very nice to look at. 😉 — Ash
“Big Brother” on CBS: If you’re part of the “Love Island” to “Big Brother” pipeline like I am, this is a safe, campy space for you, honorary houseguest. No matter the theme, I still continue to tune in summer after summer. My top three fave contestants right now: The Icons (though, admittedly, Jason’s tea-spilling kettle-playing was top-tier TV). — Kat
“House of the Dragon” on HBO Max: While I won’t give any spoilers as I know it’s actively airing, I was able to catch up on all the currently released episodes — which, at time of writing, is season three, episode six. I do think this season is very strong, whereas season two felt a little lacking, and I’m really enjoying seeing the different dynamics, relationships, and control of the dragons by their riders. I’m excited to see what these last few episodes have in store! — Ash
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” on HBO Max: Now I know I’m way behind on this series, but after we caught up with “House of the Dragon,” we decided to give this other show in the “Game of Thrones” universe a watch. Following the extremely serious and dire tone of “House of the Dragon,” this was such a wild, charming, and fairly lighthearted watch. I understand why people loved this so much, but I will say I was a bit saddened by the episode length being so short as it was so nice to live in the more down-to-earth perspective of this world, instead of just following around nobility. — Ash
“Project Hail Mary” on Amazon Prime: As a big fan of space and the cosmos, I do love a good space-themed movie, however most of them tend to be fairly stressful. This movie on the other hand was so much more lighthearted than I expected, and the characters very lovable — especially Rocky. It felt like the movie didn’t take itself too seriously all the while sticking to a strong narrative with great storytelling beats and moments. The pacing and runtime of the movie were perfect and I would highly recommend giving it a watch! — Ash
📚 what we’re reading
It’s no secret that the Alive and (un)Well BFFs are huge fans of Elinor Abbott’s work — just check out this discussion from September between the BFFs and Big Challenges, the incredible sticker and stationery brand owned and operated by Kate Horowitz and Elinor. For this month’s Checkup, I’m excited to sing the praises of Elinor’s newsletter “Sad & Famous” (which is available right here on Substack). Each month, Elinor writes an essay-style review about something sad and something famous. As a bonus, she often includes a thoughtful product recommendation or roundup; I especially love the Bottom Shelf feature. Elinor’s essays are not only entertaining and helpful for someone like me who struggles to keep up with pop culture, but they are also masterclasses in media studies, applying a sociological lens to art in all its forms, and humanity’s relationship with storytelling, creativity, politics, culture, and materiality. To close out my recommendation for everyone to read “Sad & Famous,” I want to take a moment to highlight last month’s edition: “In the End Cassie Dies.” Like Elinor, I am fascinated by the character of Cassandra in Greek mythology and think of her often. In July’s “Sad & Famous,” Elinor shares Cassandra’s story, examines why her legacy resonates with women to this day, and discusses the stories of two other tragic Cassies in modern media: “Euphoria” and “Promising Young Woman,” both of which I haven’t seen, but that fact didn’t make me love this newsletter any less. — Skye
Two imperfect love stories with friendship at the center: My deep-seated fondness for love stories is not exclusive to romance. I love love in all its forms, and I think a friendship origin story can be just as moving when done right. So, by complete happenstance, my two favorite books this month explored the same hyperspecific trope: Friends to lovers, featuring a golden-retriever male main character who goes scorched earth for the unrequited love of his life (primarily through acts of service). Bonus points? Both female main characters also happen to live with health conditions. — Kat
“This Story Might Save Your Life” by Tiffany Crum: This romantic mystery was an absolute smash. I don’t want to reveal too much about some of the book’s central themes as they are very integral to the mystery (DM me for triggers, if you’d like), but the main storyline centers around two friends who host a survival podcast. One night, the female host goes missing, and the story unfolds over a series of days. The novel is dual POV: his perspective is in the present and covers the search to find her, and hers is woven in through a series of excerpts from a jointly written, unpublished memoir. It also does a fantastic job of incorporating a character with narcolepsy without making it the full focus of the story (though it is an important plot point).
“The Night We Met” by Abby Jimenez: The “boyfriend’s best friend” trope is extremely hard to nail, but I think this novel did it beautifully. It’s an interconnected standalone and the second in a series, though I truly think you can crack it open without reading the first book. The story, at its core, explores what happens when we make a choice, and how different our lives could’ve been had we chosen differently. (P.S. I do want to note that alcoholism is very front and center in the storyline, and the female main character lives with celiac disease.)
🎧 what we’re listening to
Back in 1983, They Might Be Giants (TMBG) launched Dial-A-Song, an answering machine service that would allow people to call John Flansburgh’s apartment and listen to a song rather than the traditional outgoing message. What started as a creative way to retain fans while the band had to take a break from live performances turned into a crucial part of TMBG’s legacy and — dare I say — the history of alt-rock as a whole. Nowadays, you can still literally Dial-A-Song by calling (844) 387-6962, but I prefer using the app each morning, which displays that day’s song title over cute felt artwork depicting a cassette. After the song of the day plays, the app continues to play tracks from TMBG’s vast discography. Over the past month, opening the TMBG app to discover that day’s song has served as the perfect motivation to get out of bed each morning. So you have something to listen to right now, here’s the music video for “The Mesopotamians,” one of my all-time TMBG faves. — Skye
🎮 what we’re playing
If you love Wordle and solving medical mysteries (or you happen to be one yourself — I’ve been there!), then allow me to introduce you to Doctordle. Created by a team of medical students, Doctordle asks you to figure out the diagnosis of that day’s case in six guesses, based on one-sentence descriptions that reveal more about the case with each guess. As a layperson, I find the game difficult but fun. As a bonus, if you’re pursuing medical education or need a pathology refresher, Doctordle has an Anki integration. If you end up enjoying the game, you can check out the website’s archive, which has a year’s worth of previous puzzles to explore! — Skye
I needed a cozy comfort game so I picked back up Minecraft on my Nintendo Switch. So far I’ve created a warm, witchy cottage and a tall wizard tower. I asked my partner how many floors to make it, and he said 13. My face was the epitome of this emoji: 😅. However, as requested, it is 13 stories tall and thus far has a plant floor, a fish floor, a weapons and armor floor, a library floor, an open-air balcony floor, and plans for a kitchen and two bedrooms. It’s been a nice way to either wind up or down for the day and keep me off social media. — Ash
🐇 what rabbit holes we’ve explored
I live in Michigan, which just so happens to be the epicenter of the diarrhea lettuce… er, cyclosporiasis outbreak. I have never craved a big-ass salad this much in my life, and the amount of produce-related rabbit holes I have fallen down because of this pesky parasite is laughable. I’ll leave you with this gem: “Who knew that Taco Bell would be the new CDC?” No further comment, your honor. — Kat
In case you couldn’t tell from my writing, I am the biggest jock™ you will ever meet (I’m being sarcastic), so I am thrilled to share either for the first time or remind everyone that the inaugural season of the Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL) opened August 1! Earlier this month, the names of the first four teams to join the WPBL were announced, along with the stories of the trailblazing women who inspired the names. Of course I had to do an internet deep dive on Dr. Harriot Hunt, Lizzie “Queen of the Diamond” Murphy, Dorothy Height, Lillie “Firebelle Lil” Hitchcock Coit, and all things WPBL, and I suggest you do the same. I’m so excited to cheer on the Boston Hunters! — Skye
This month I’ve been trying to create for the sake of creating. Be that working on a self-portrait idea I’ve had rattling around for awhile, a YouTube video, or shit-posting on social media, I’m just trying to lean into the joy of making as much as I can. — Ash
The Exam Room
Missed something from us this month? Here are a few of our faves!
Whether we like it or not, AI is here to stay. And while it’s a volatile topic to say the least, we tried to corral and ArtIculate (see what we did there? ChatGPT could never) our thoughts about its practical and inevitable application in health care.
We (finally) launched our new column, What We Wish We Knew Before (WWWWKB). First up? Anxiety and panic attacks, with a hearty side of spiraling.
BFF Ash had the lovely idea to bring some lightness to your inboxes, so please enjoy this happy list of 98 little things that bring us joy — no toxic positivity in sight.
Same time next month?
There are two topics we’re stoked to explore in August, courtesy of our brand-new series. First up: WWWWKB working a full-time job while living with chronic health conditions. Then, WWWWKB we disclosed our diagnoses for the very first time. As always, take care of yourselves, friends. This community is undoubtedly the eighth wonder of the modern world! 💖
Fans of Elinor and Project Hail Mary should read Elinor's Project Hail Mary essay! I don't know if links work here, but: https://apocryphaa.substack.com/p/hurtling-through-the-void
Thanks Skye!💛💛💛