The Urban Chaos Cottage

The past week has been nothing short of a beautiful mess—and not in the charming, cottagecore way I usually romanticize. 

I’ve been completely knocked down by a combination of a brutal sore throat (think swallowing lava and sandpaper at the same time) and a flare-up of my not-so-favorite chronic illness, POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). For those unfamiliar, it’s the kind of condition that turns “standing up” into an Olympic sport and “walking outside in the heat” into a full-body betrayal. My heart races, my blood pressure drops, and the world spins like a chaotic carousel. 

So I’ve been parked on the couch (with my handy-dandy Service Dog Bandit), barely able to move without dizziness or discomfort. The dishes? Stacked sky-high. The dogs? Running a free-range Lord of the Flies reenactment with their dad. The garden? Parched and praying for rain, much like me. 

I’ve survived on hot tea, ‘Keez Beez’ honey, medicine, and the occasional attempt at forcing down some oatmeal. It hasn’t been glamorous—but it’s been real. 

Today, I’m finally on the mend. I’m not back to 100%, but I’m somewhere north of “complete gremlin” and inching toward “functioning human.” With a short week ahead (thank you, 4^th of July), I’m working on clearing the content backlog and trying not to push myself too hard. 

Life with a chronic illness is unpredictable. It doesn’t always fit neatly into a blog calendar or an aesthetic morning routine. But here at Urban Chaos Cottage, we make room for the mess, the rest, and the restart. 

If you’ve been feeling knocked down by life— whether it’s health, the heat, or just general chaos—know that you’re not alone. We’ll pick ourselves up when we can, Until then, the dishes can wait. 

Happy Disability Awareness Month!