Oh, man… I feel like I’ve been running on fumes. Usually I try to strike a balance between my responsibilities and my self-care but I’ve been missing the mark these past few weeks, and I’m mentally and physically exhausted. No good!
Some of you know that I’m a full-time student, having recently returned to finish my degree; I also freelance on the side, but since that’s not consistent work I’m currently looking for a more regular job. This makes the blog very much a labor of love right now, something I work on when I can—usually in those quiet hours when everyone else is asleep—although the goal is to one day be able to focus on the blog completely. (For those of you burning the midnight oil working hard so you can fully follow your passions someday—I’m with you. We can do this!! The key is lots of twenty-minute naps.)
Being stretched so thin means I don’t get to carve out as much time as I’d like to for writing, but there’s another (very exciting) reason I’ve been busy recently: I’ve been preparing for this year’s Lymphedema Lobby Days, taking place in Washington DC on April 18th through the 20th! With help from the amazing Lymphedema Advocacy Group, my state team and I have been calling and emailing congressional offices to schedule meetings in which we’ll discuss the Lymphedema Treatment Act and its importance.
Next week I’m going to Capitol Hill to lobby with the Lymphedema Advocacy Group; lymphedema patients and advocates from across the country will be coming together to meet with as many congressional offices as possible in the span of two days. Last year’s Lymphedema Lobby Days saw 85 patient advocates from 24 states meeting with 150 individual offices, so this is pretty big!
I’m a little nervous because this is my first time doing anything like this, but I’m also super excited for the same reason. It’s going to be such a great experience, and I can’t wait to finally meet the people I’ve been talking to within the online lymphedema community in real life! :) I will also be posting about my experiences while I’m there, so be sure to check back.
Want to learn more about the Lymphedema Treatment Act?
- Get some background information about the bill and why this legislation is needed here.
- Take action by emailing your member of Congress about the bill or by calling your Senators.
- More resources for spreading awareness about the Lymphedema Treatment Act can be found here!
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