write about still's

[Guest guest]

forgot to forward this from a lady who runs a website devoted to being an

advocate for the disabled with invisible illneses like ours. If anyone

wants to write about still's they can, here is here requirements:

in case any of your members want to contribute something, the theme is

Invisible Illnesses. It has been in the works for a while, but was put on

hold due to a member's health, so I've taken over the finishing of it now,

and am taking some extra submissions. I'd like to include stuff by women

with a bigger variety of illnesses than what we have so far. So if anyone

with Still's Disease wanted to write something, here is the information,

they don't even have to join my list, you can pass this along if you want

Submissions are to be on any topic related to invisible illnesses, and by

women who have invisible illnesses (including a wide variety of illnesses).

You can write poetry, prose, or send artwork, but artwork must be black and

white. We have no money to print color.

We will hopefully make this into an e-zine too, but first it will be a print

zine.

Submissions should be on letter sized paper or sent via email. (8 1/2 X 11 "

paper). It needs to be plain white paper, but if you have to write on the

back of something, that's fine).

Please *do not worry about your grammar or spelling* these things are not

important. What you have to say is what counts. You can use handwriting if

you cannot type.

The deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 6th. Please include your name that you would

like us to print with your submission, or state that you wish to be

anonymous if you do not want to give your name.

Here are some ideas for things to write about - or you can think of your

own:

>

> *a day in my life

> *an hour in my life

> *being stuck in bed

> *funny things about being sick/disabled

> *the stupid things people say (such as: " you don't look sick " )

> *why i'm proud of myself this minute

> *why i'm proud of myself this hour

> *why i'm proud of myself this day

> *how i survive my illness and thrive

> *how disabled women are beautiful

> *THIS IS WHAT AN INVISIBLE ILLNESS LOOKS LIKE

> *imagine you had to do (blank) in order to do (blank)

> for example: imagine going to the grocery store, involved needing

> an

> escort to take you there and not having anyone around so you have

> to take

> a bus which involves nearly fainting on the way, because you can't

> stand

> in the line, a wheelchair to get through the store, a very brief

> trip

> because you have no energy to stay long, a lengthy list because

> you

> remember nothing, an embarrassing encounter with the cashier

> counting

> your food stamps in front of a line of customers, etc........(this

> would

> be from my life, but i mean for you all to add your own stuff,

> whatever

> it may be)

> *psychiatric illness discrimination

> *hysteria myths - the rest cure is dead; we are REALLY sick, take

> us

> seriously

> *where's the money for research in women's health?

> *this is what my life was like before I was sick, this is what it

> is now

> *this is what i have to offer the world DESPITE being

> sick/disabled

> *this is the work i do every single day that isn't considered a

> job, and

> isn't paid for

> *this is the activism i do every day that isn't protesting in the

> streets

> but is still activism (example: taking care of myself and having

> self

> respect)

> *this is how i get treated by psychiatrists

> *this is how i've been treated by doctors

> *this is how i lost my job

> *this is what happened to me at college as a disabled/sick woman

> *this is how i lost my future plans to my illness

> *this is the new awareness my illness has given me about the

> inequality

> in the world

> *these are the changes i want to create

> *these are the things i love about the women with invisible

> illnesses i

> know

> *this is what i do to make myself more visible

> *this is how to make yourself visible

> *this is why we need to be visible

Please email me at jenkrobinson2@... if you would like to submit

something via email.

To send by postal mail:

Jen / SCATS

6135 Edsall Rd. #E

andria, VA USA

Visit the International Still's Disease Foundation Website

http://www.stillsdisease.org