Flare ups & f-bombs, episode 1. The introduction
Hi, I’m Flick.
Short for Felicity when I’m in trouble—or filling out medical paperwork.
I’m a wife. A mum. A Nanny Babe. (That’s grandmother, but cuter. Obviously.)
And for years, I’ve been living with invisible illness and disability. Not that anyone would know. Most of the time, I’ve been forced to mask it, explain it, or be gaslit out of it entirely.
The Long Road to Answers
Before I had any diagnoses, I thought everyone was this tired. This dizzy. This wiped out from just existing. But when I started asking questions, I got hit with all the classics:
“Drink more water.”
“Loose Weight.”
“Maybe it’s just anxiety.”
“You are just tired.”
Spoiler alert: it wasn’t, ANY of these.
It took years of being dismissed, ignored, misdiagnosed, and straight-up gaslit before I started getting real answers.
Here’s the diagnosis list (so far):
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
Hypermobile Spectrum Disorder (HSD)
Chronic Fatigue
Medical OCD (yep, that’s a thing)
Anxiety
Complex Migraines
Vestibular Migraines (aka “The Whooo-Whooo’s”)
Chronic Headaches
Autism
ADHD
Honestly, I should have a punch card.
Ten diagnoses and you get a free heat pack and a sarcastic badge that says, “Congratulations, it’s not all in your head.”
A Turning Point in New Zealand
This week, I’ve been in New Zealand. And something shifted. Slowing down. Being in nature. Actually having space to breathe for the first time in ages. No appointments. No pressure. No one expecting me to “push through.” Just me, my nervous system, and a whole lot of rain and waterfalls. I wasn’t performing. I wasn’t explaining myself. I was just existing… And that felt kind of revolutionary.
I even ran down a mountain road in hiking boots and a fluffy dress, and I swear… something clicked.
I remembered who I was before the chronic chaos took over everything. It reminded me I’m not broken. I’m just tired. Really bloody tired. And that’s not the same thing. That was my turning point. And that’s why I’m here now.
Why I Created
Flare Ups & F-Bombs
I didn’t start this podcast, blog and vlog because I had time. I started it because I had to. Because I was sick of being quiet. Sick of pretending I was okay. Sick of watching people like me fall through the cracks.
This platform isn’t about sugar-coating it.
It’s not about being positive all the time.
It’s about being real.
I’m not a doctor. I’m not a medical professional.
I’m just a chronically ill woman who got tired of being dismissed like her life didn’t matter.
What You Can Expect From the Show
Every week, I’ll be diving into a different part of life with invisible illness and disability:
Parenting through fatigue and flare-ups
Navigating friendships and boundaries
Medical gaslighting
ADHD chaos, brain fog, and why I can never find my coffee
Guest interviews with others living this life too
Some episodes will be me solo.
Others will feature incredible humans with stories that deserve to be heard.
And yes, very soon, I’ll introduce you to POTSy, my not-so-friendly alter ego and nervous system villain.
This Is for You If…
You’ve ever felt unseen.
You’ve ever had to “perform” your pain just to be believed.
You’re exhausted from explaining yourself to people who don’t get it.
You’ve been gaslit by a doctor and left questioning your own reality.
This space is for you.
We’re tired. We’re fierce. And we’re done being ignored.
Listen to Episode 1 Now
👉 Click here to listen to Episode 1 Coming soon to other platforms
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