Kristin Houlihan, Writer

Oof. I can’t sort out what the threshold is for calling or not calling.

😆

Spouse is taking the other three to see their sister’s meet today, bc it’s a home meet on a Friday and bc PEM. I will probably take my second nap if the day bc I feel it coming.

My kids call them “r2d2 birds” bc of how they sound

Exclusive | FDA’s Controversial Vaccines Chief Will Leave the Agency FDA’s Controversial Vaccines Chief Will Leave the Agency

BIG, but also fool me once, you know...

"Vinay Prasad will depart in April, after a year leading the FDA division that approves vaccines and biotech drugs"

📝: Liz Essley Whyte / WSJ www.wsj.com/health/healt...

A lot of follow on to-dos from today’s longcovid dr appointment. I’m overwhelmed, but I’m in PEM so I need to let it all be for a day or two at least.

Apparently my child was hit with a water bottle by another child today. He’s uninjured. But I have asked for more information bc as my spouse said… seems like something we should’ve heard from the school rather than from our kid at pickup?

CHICKEN BANANA YouTube video by Crazy Music Channel

I had to hear it, so I’m graciously giving you the opportunity to as well— Chicken Banana:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=ig7E...

Between #100SmallPress ARCs and @stanchion.bsky.social book club I got four new books in the mail over the past week.

Spouse (in jest, to our child), shaking his head: “too many books! What are we going to do with her?”

Child: “mommy can own a bookstore and work there!”

😁😁😁😁

My arms are propped up, one 14inch squishmallow under each elbow. 🤪

Yeees sore throat too tho this go around that’s only showing up if I talk. Ear pain was bad enough to wake me in the night tho… both ears and throat were some of my early symptoms, I always felt like I was getting a cold but it never hit. Have some sore swollen glands in my throat today too

Introducing Voices of Disabled People A letter from the editor of HuffPost Voices about how excited we are to launch a new section that takes a novel approach to disability justice.

#DisabilityRepresentation in media matters!

HuffPost has launched “Voices Of Disabled People,” the first national news section dedicated exclusively to #disability coverage. #BlindNewWorld

(Story via @huffpost.com ⬇️)

PEM is manifesting as widespread body pain (significantly reduced by three ibuprofen,thank goodness), ear pain (not much touched by ibuprofen but oh well), and shaking — don’t shake much lying down but sitting up, ohhh boy.

Hopefully 🤞 this is as bad as it gets bc I need more imaging next wk 👎

Today! Come learn about ways to fix breathing in sleep so the chronic stress response lowers.

New panelists:
Bela Chheda, MD, Inf. disease & internist
Anil Rama, MD, neurology and sleep medicine
Kishan Tarpara, DO, neurologist & sleep medicine at Vanderbilt Autonomic Dysfunction Center

Online Summer Arabic Translation Workshop Open for Applications The British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT) Arabic Summer Workshop is now open for applications.

(Free) Online Summer Arabic Translation Workshop Open for Applications

arablit.org/2026/03/06/o...

Black text on a pale blue background that says: March is the awareness month for Long Covid, Endometriosis, and Brain Tumours. So to support those with these conditions, I've made my poetry book about chronic illness free this month. Get your FREE copy at https://Books2Read.Com/U/3RAgOY. There is an image of an ereader with the book The Inadequacy of Words on it, which has a pale cream front cover with a light blue splash and a line drawing of a face with eyes closed.

I'm delighted to announce that my poetry book is available for FREE for the rest of March. It will also be in the Indie Visible Charity Event 30th & 31st March.

I know how hard it can be to explain what life is like with chronic illness. Hopefully my book will help you feel less alone.

Book of the Year - Graphic Novel Shortlist | The British Book Awards Check out the 2026 shortlist for the Graphic Novel Book of the Year category at The British Book Awards (aka ’The Nibbies)

www.thebookseller.com/british-book...

PHAN & ASP Present: Living with Long COVID YouTube video by Public Health Action Network

Many thanks to @publichealthaction.bsky.social & @airsupportproject.bsky.social for hosting today's Zoom on living with long COVID with @ancirabecky.bsky.social and me. It's been a long six years, but I'm grateful you've been by my side, Becky.

Watch here:

www.youtube.com/live/NK3-hQN...

“Mom, you should watch them. It’s interesting.” (After watching 2 previous @thephysicsgirl.bsky.social videos)

I just cried. Bc Dianna has positively influenced my child’s life - FROM HER BED. Us people in bed, we matter. My spouse says “of course you do” but it’s not so well recognized. #LongCovid

I very much dislike having to say no when my kids ask if I can read to them. I expected it today bc if my mammogram but I still don’t like it. #LongCovid #MECFS

It’s SO awesome that Physics Girl put out a new video — I didn’t watch it but my spouse did, bc he was as excited for her as we all are and interested in how she’s doing.

my 12yo wandered in while it was on and found it so interesting! She just asked spouse if he’ll watch more videos with her!

There have been articles in SFGate recently talking about a nasty not covid not flu respiratory virus going around in the area, and popping up on various social media, so I’m guessing it’s that.

In a plus,I’d say more than half the people I saw at the health imaging center I was at this morning were wearing masks. Including my mammogram tech.

Spouse (who has been there twice recently with kids) says this is not typical.

#LongCovid #LongCovidAwarenessMonth

Can anyone point me to a resource on how sign "Long COVID" in American Sign Language? I've seen various ways from spelling it out, to using the sign for "Coronavirus" or "COVID-19" followed by "Long" or "Stay". I'm curious if there is any official guidance/recommendations. Many thanks 🙏

There are a BUNCH of #EpistemicLitFamily in here!

@melissafitz.bsky.social
@pleomorphic2.bsky.social
@carriganak.bsky.social
@kathrynreese.bsky.social
@kristinwrites.bsky.social

It’s a party!

Just emailed this to my daughter. My kids are gonna FLIP

A little snippet from the Lovehurts Audiobook, currently 80% off across multiple platforms, all of which pay authors a far higher royalty rate than Audibl3. As always, thank you for supporting indie authors!!

UBL: books2read.com/u/bpL80l

Time For Toddlers

My composition "a small piece of sky" is being performed as part of the Saskatoon Symphony Chamber Players Time for Toddlers: Teddy Bear Picnic concerts at the Wonderhub in Saskatoon on April 24-25, 2026.

saskatoonsymphony.org/event/teddy-...

Oh how exciting! Congrats!

Now I remember why the last mammogram messed me up so much — the neck movements! I’m hoping this time will be better bc now we know about manual traction — did it as soon as I got home and reset my alignment #CCI 🤞