Patient Contributor

Kirsten Schultz

Kirsten Schultz is a writer from Wisconsin who challenges sexual and gender norms.

Overview

Living With Condition
25 Years
Published
6 Articles
Location
Madison, Wisconsin

Introduction

Through her work as a chronic illness and disability activist, she has a reputation for tearing down barriers while mindfully causing constructive trouble. She recently founded Chronic Sex, which openly discusses how illness and disability affect our relationships with ourselves and others, including — you guessed it — sex! You can learn more about Kirsten and Chronic Sex at chronicsex.org and follow her on Twitter.

 

Brief history with the conditions

 

"My asthma was diagnosed in 1993 when I fell ill with Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (SJIA). It has been mild for most of my life and only becomes a major issue when I'm exposed to certain triggers - especially heavy scents, cigarette smoke, and rapid temperature changes - or if I have an upper respiratory infection. Depression has been a nearly constant battle for me since childhood. I was seven the first time I began to contemplate suicide after struggling to get my SJIA diagnosed. For the bulk of my life, I assumed that death was close by. Because of that, I never really planned out a lot of my life. My husband - who also has depression - and I both struggle with planning, especially now that we're far older than the ages we assumed we'd live to be. Due to a lack of care in childhood, my depression wasn't diagnosed until I was out of college for a few years. 

 

In addition to asthma and depression, I also live with multiple chronic conditions, including: allergies, anterior basement membrane dystrophy, anxiety, chemical sensitivities, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, gluten intolerance, migraines, patellofemoral arthralgia, plaque psoriasis, PTSD, seborrheic keratosis, and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis/Still's Disease. I also struggle with a bulging disc at L5 S1, frozen shoulder, pelvic floor issues, and undiagnosed neurological issues."

Published Articles

Coping with the Fear of Not Having Children after Cancer
5 mins
article
Anna Crollman

Coping with the Fear of Not Having Children after Cancer

5 Conversation Challenges with ADHD — and Tips for Better Communication
4 mins
article
Nerris Nassiri

5 Conversation Challenges with ADHD — and Tips for Better Communication

7 Steps to Keep Asthma in Check for Winter
3 mins
article
Kerri Mackay

7 Steps to Keep Asthma in Check for Winter

8 Tips to Help Adults Manage ADHD Impulsivity
3 mins
article
Terry Matlen

8 Tips to Help Adults Manage ADHD Impulsivity

6 Expressions People with Migraine Are Tired of Hearing
4 mins
article
Jaime Sanders

6 Expressions People with Migraine Are Tired of Hearing

I Can't Start and I Can't Stop: Tips for Managing Projects with ADHD
3 mins
article
Terry Matlen

I Can't Start and I Can't Stop: Tips for Managing Projects with ADHD

7 First Date Tips for People with ADHD
3 mins
article
Nerris Nassiri

7 First Date Tips for People with ADHD

 Is It Seasonal Allergies or Migraine? Here’s Why You Need to Know the Difference
2 mins
article
Sarah Rathsack

Is It Seasonal Allergies or Migraine? Here’s Why You Need to Know the Difference

What Caregiving Taught me About Holiday Magic
3 mins
article
Susanne White

What Caregiving Taught me About Holiday Magic

Migraines at Work: How to Push Through the Pain — and When to Call It Quits
4 mins
article
Danielle Fancher

Migraines at Work: How to Push Through the Pain — and When to Call It Quits

7 Tips for Traveling when Caregiving for a Loved One
6 mins
article
Marc Lawrence

7 Tips for Traveling when Caregiving for a Loved One

How Asthma Set Me Onto the Career Path I Love
3 mins
article
John Bottrell

How Asthma Set Me Onto the Career Path I Love

Why (and How) to Create Your Migraine “Elevator Pitch"
3 mins
article
Danielle Fancher

Why (and How) to Create Your Migraine “Elevator Pitch"

The 5 Steps I Took to Love Myself with Depression
3 mins
article
Jonathan Rottenberg

The 5 Steps I Took to Love Myself with Depression

Can You Learn from Depression?
4 mins
article
Jonathan Rottenberg

Can You Learn from Depression?

Learning to Say No: Setting Boundaries When Living with Migraine
6 mins
article
Danielle Fancher

Learning to Say No: Setting Boundaries When Living with Migraine

Connect with Kirsten Schultz