My Story
I’m a 38 year old single woman who lives in a mobile home in a nice suburb of Denver with my two dogs, Apollo and Sadie, and my cat, Poppy. I've lived in Colorado since I was 5 years old, and like most Coloradoans, I love the outdoors.
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I’ve been dealing with a mysterious chronic illness for about 4 years now; it turned pretty severe this last fall when I ended up in the ER with very little blood and literally 0 iron in my body and no clear source of blood loss.
I deal with a lot of symptoms that make everyday life rather difficult: severe and debilitating fatigue, muscle and joint pain, shortness of breath and dizziness with minimal physical activity. In the last year, I’ve seen no less than 15 different providers in a wide variety of specialties, though this has slowed down drastically as a lot has been ruled out.
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Now, you may be thinking, “This girl is nuts, wanting to take on RV life while also dealing with all this! Does she have any idea how hard it will be?” Here’s the thing… my life is hard now… and I’m deeply unhappy with it.
Full Disclosure
I want readers to always come away with a realistic perspective. As I’ve researched this lifestyle over the last decade or so, I’ve noticed a strong inclination for creators to make obtaining this lifestyle seem economically simple. Yes, I believe it can save money, I believe it can lead to a less expensive and more fulfilling life, but I also think it’s important to acknowledge that it will likely be incredibly expensive getting started.
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That said, I want readers to understand that I was gifted a decent inheritance when my grandmother passed a few years ago, I will be using that to buy my RV and tow vehicle, as well as fund the transition. Especially with my health, this would not be possible without that blessing. I believe if one can work very hard at creating remote income streams, they can make it a reality. However, I would be remiss if I did not let the audience know, I do have a large head start in getting started.
Wanderlust
I’ve chosen to be single and child free, I prefer being on my own, so the solitude of this life doesn't concern me. I’ve lived in Colorado my whole life, but I’ve never wanted to be a homeowner, I only bought my current home because it was the most affordable possibility.
I have always had a desire to explore the world, but traveling is expensive, and moving to another place terrifies me. What if I move and hate where I end up? What if I lose my job? My support system is here. My friends and family need me. I want to watch my friend’s kids grow. So many excuses to not chase my dreams.​
Decision Time
Now, here I am, I can’t really afford the high cost of living in Colorado, I hate my house and all the responsibilities that come with it. Worst of all, I’ve found myself leaning into being sick, accepting that I “can’t” do things, that I’m lesser than I used to be. While it’s important that I be realistic and listen to my body, I do not have to stop living because I can’t move as well or fast as I used to.
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“Your circumstances are not the reason you can’t succeed, they are the reality in which you must succeed,” quote from the 2017 book No Ego: How Leaders Can Cut the Cost of Workplace Drama, End Entitlement, and Drive Big Results by Cy Wakeman. I read the book when I was in the corporate world, and it has changed my perspective drastically in many areas of my life. But this quote specifically, is what comes to mind every time I find myself thinking I can’t do something.
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So, I’m doing it. I’m making this jump. I know it will be hard, but I truly believe it won’t be harder, just a different hard, a hard that comes with a whole lot more fulfillment than what I have right now. Because I refuse to accept that I cannot do it because I am sick, I will find ways to thrive at doing it while having health challenges. I am an innovative, creative problem solver, I am confident I can find ways to adapt to any challenges that arise. And when all else fails, I’m not afraid to ask for help.
Why the Blog?
As I mentioned before, there’s not a lot of content out there around managing chronic illness while on the road and even less about overcoming normal challenges made more complicated by that illness. My goal with this blog is to document my journey in getting started, shopping for a rig, modifying the rig, downsizing, and health care, all through the lens of someone with chronic illness. I’ll share ideas, what works, what doesn’t work, different products and apps available to make things easier; and I’ll go back and compare, did my original idea hold up a year later? I’ll build a community of other disabled RVers, a place where we can collaborate and share, crowdsource ingenuity, and find and provide much-needed support and camaraderie to keep us chasing this dream.
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Join me, please! I’m so excited to start this journey and to share it with the world!
