Author: Mariah Z Leach

Living with a chronic illness or disability often involves a lot of work that other people never see. From doctor’s appointments and bloodwork to medications, infusions, and the time spent traveling to and from medical facilities, managing a chronic condition can feel like a part-time job all on its own. And that’s before accounting for the symptoms themselves—or the demands of work, parenting, and everyday life. In recognition of Invisible Disabilities Awareness Week, I put together this short video to offer a glimpse behind the scenes of my life with rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic health conditions. It’s a reminder…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! Mama Car By Lucy Catchpole Disclaimer if necessary Mama Car by Lucy Catchpole is a joyful picture book that offers something we don’t see nearly enough in children’s literature: everyday family life with a disabled parent. Told entirely from a young child’s perspective, the book introduces us to the narrator’s trickle, Daddy’s big car, and, most importantly,…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! Bodies Are Cool By Tyler Feder Bodies Are Cool by Tyler Feder is a joyful celebration of the many different ways human bodies can look. With colorful, detailed illustrations and simple, affirming text, the book encourages children to notice differences without treating those differences as something strange or negative. The book’s central message is wonderfully straightforward: bodies come…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! Gentle Hugs by Lily Guzman Mariah Z. Leach received a copy of this book as a gift from the author. She was not compensated for this review and all opinions are her own. Gentle Hugs, by Lily Guzman, tells the story of a young boy named Alex and the adventures he has with his mom and his…

When Grace was a young Crohn’s disease patient, she found comfort learning about all things IBD, and research turned into her passion. Today, her independent research project for her degree is an IRB approved study on IBD and women’s health. As Grace looked into existing literature, she found a great deal on the scientific side of Crohn’s and Colitis from pregnancy through childbirth, but discovered there wasn’t very much qualitative research (i.e. data on experiences, behaviors, and meanings—the “why”) on female IBD patients across motherhood, even though IBD is most commonly diagnosed during reproductive years. She also discovered that women…

No. How can two little letters feel so challenging to say? Saying “no” when someone makes a request of you can feel so uncomfortable. Or, depending on who is doing the asking, sometimes it feels downright impossible. Why Saying “No” Is So Challenging As children, most of us spent our formative years learning how to say “yes” to our parents and teachers and other adult expectations. While obviously it’s important for children to listen to the adults in their lives, advocating for yourself is a learned skill that many of us were simply never taught. Society also tends to place…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! Why Does Mommy Hurt? – Helping Children Cope with the Challenges of Having a Caregiver with Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia, or Autoimmune Disease By Elizabeth M. Christy Mamas Facing Forward purchased a copy of this book to review, and then gave it away to a reader in a raffle on Instagram. All opinions in this review belong to…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! The Invisible String by Patrice Karst Mamas Facing Forward purchased a copy of this book to review, and then gave it away in a raffle on Instagram. All opinions in this review belong to Mariah Z. Leach. The twins are sleeping in their bedroom when suddenly there is a loud clap of thunder! Frightened by the storm,…

Breaking out of summer habits and getting back into the routine of school can be stressful for any family – but this period of time can be especially difficult for parents who are dealing with their own health challenges. We asked real mamas living with chronic illnesses to share their best tips and hacks for staying organized and managing back to school stress, while also taking care of their own health. Back to School Shopping “Order everything online! I only let my kids…pick out one new thing (usually a pencil bag or something) as they reuse their bags for several…

I was delighted to be invited back to co-host the AiArthritis Voices 360 podcast with Cheryl Crow of Arthritis Life and Danielle Dass, a regular co-host on the show. This podcast is produced by the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis (IFAA) with the goal of inviting all stakeholders to take a seat “at the table” to discuss the most pressing issues being faced in the arthritis community. One important issues for many individuals living with autoimmune arthritis is motherhood. And there are so many issues to discuss that fall under that umbrella! The path to pregnancy. Managing pregnancy…