Last night I got a text from a friend: "Can I text you a poem we just wrote? Maybe a PANDAS Sucks guest post." The "we" here is Sandra & Matt G. - PANDAS Parents Extraordinaire & now Poets too! I loved the poem, and I'm sure most PANDAS Parents/Caregivers can relate to pretty much every line of this great twist on a classic: Twas The Night Before School.... Twas … [Read more...]
Your Words: PANDAS Sucks Because…. (#24)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PANDAS SUCKS! The PANDAS Sucks Blog is 4 years old today. It was born on 10/9/13...the very first PANDAS/PANS Awareness Day. PANDAS Sucks exists to tell our collective story about PANDAS/PANS. How it affects our children. How it affects our families. How it affects us personally and changes us. How it affects everything. How we ALL can heal and recover. We work … [Read more...]
Your Words: That Boy, Do You See Him?
While every PANDAS/PANS family experiences this medical condition differently, there are many familiar aspects that we all share. One of those things we share is how difficult it seems to be for anybody to actually see what PANDAS/PANS is doing to our kids and to our families. There is a kind of blindness when it comes to others seeing and acknowledging the effects of … [Read more...]
Self-Care for Caregivers (#2): 25 Self-Care Ideas That Take 10 Minutes Or Less
This Self-Care for Caregivers series encourages PANDAS/PANS Caregivers to TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES while they are taking care of others. It's a lot like how when you fly on an airplane that you are told that in the event of an emergency to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting those sitting beside you. When you are frazzled and stressed, it affects everything you do and … [Read more...]
Your Words: Dear Everyone…. (Guest Blog by Gina)
Sometimes I'm scanning Facebook, and I see an awesome post that would make a great PANDAS Sucks Guest Blog. If I'm lucky, the person that wrote the awesome post agrees to run it on the blog. That scenario just happened over the weekend when I saw my friend Gina Jurek's post pop up in my News Feed. I read what she wrote and knew it would really resonate with a lot of folks. I … [Read more...]
When The Doctor Says IT’S NOT PANDAS!
It can be frustrating for parents to KNOW that there is something medically wrong with your child. Many end up researching everything themselves and find PANDAS as a possible answer. But sometimes doctors will not even say that it could be PANDAS. For whatever reason, many doctors might choose ignore PANDAS as a diagnostic option even when faced with what seems like a clear cut … [Read more...]
Your Words: The Blue Door Fiasco (Guest Blog by Julie)
"Do you allow for guest bloggers?" I got the email last night from my new friend, Julie, a possible (probable) PANDAS Mom. I said, "Yas. Less work for me. lol." Then I told her that it really was about the same amount of work minus all the experiences and writing it. I still have to set it and wrestle with WordPress, which can be a process sometimes. Omg. Anyway, something … [Read more...]
Your Words: PANDAS Sucks Because…. (#23)
Yet another installment of Your Words: PANDAS Sucks Because.... In this series, we share the reasons we think PANDAS Sucks. Unfortunately for PANDAS/PANS Families, but fortunately for this series, there will forever be things for us list out as to why PANDAS Sucks so much. PANDAS Sucks exists to tell our collective story about PANDAS/PANS. How it affects our children. How it … [Read more...]
Your Words: Where’s Joy’s Joy? by Vicki
Your Words is a PANDAS Sucks series gives you opportunities to tell your story or give commentary in YOUR WORDS. It's good to see what others are going through so you can know that you are not alone. It can be cathartic to read the guest blogs and to write them. If you want to share your story, just click here. And if you don't want to use your real name for privacy purposes, … [Read more...]
PANDAS Silver Linings #5
With PANDAS Silver Linings, we share life lessons, inspirational quotes or songs, recovery milestones, and smiles that have been brought to our faces. We can also thank others in the PANDAS/PANS Community that help us and lead us while we're figuring all of this stuff out for our kids. Basically, a PANDAS Silver Lining is anything that brings LIGHT to our DARK Days of … [Read more...]