Seven years ago, my life took a 360-degree turn. One morning, I woke up with a stiff back. Although I had a sedentary lifestyle and often experienced back and arm pain, that morning was different—I couldn’t get out of bed.
It took me more than an hour to get my body moving. What followed were countless tests, visits to doctors, and diagnoses. Alongside the main one—ankylosing spondylitis—came a slew of other autoimmune conditions like Sjögren’s, colitis, and Raynaud’s.
Life led me through various therapies, from alternative approaches to those that truly seemed to help—until they stopped working.
For the past seven years, I’ve been trying to find balance between my diagnoses, everyday life, and the undeniable reality that my life is no longer fully under my control.
However, these diagnoses also brought change. One of those changes, after rediscovering hiking, was moving to the island of Hvar.
Although love brought me to the island, the island solidified that love, weaving it into a new life together.
I will never be completely healthy. After a full day of work in our organic garden or in the kitchen, I will always be too exhausted to start fresh the next day.
But my mind will be clear.
My connection to nature, healthier food, the organic ingredients we produce ourselves, and the sustainability we’ve been “forced” to embrace has undoubtedly become my strength.
I can honestly say that I’ve never been healthier than since I’ve been sick.
Living on the island has instilled resilience in me, as I manage the difficulties of chronic illness while welcoming the restorative power of nature and sustainable living.
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