Content Note: Chronic illness, disability, medical events (including severe headaches), emotional overwhelm, survival language. Gentle grounding included.
Welcome to The Den
Welcome to The Crippled Cryptid.
Disability. Chronic illness. Service dogs. Survival without the performance.
If you’re new here, hi. I’m Sky.
Professional cryptid. Unwilling amateur cyborg.
Writer. Advocate. Human being with a medical chart that reads like a horror anthology.
Most days are lived in a haunted meat suit with a questionable warranty and a long-standing feud with my nervous system.
I cope with sarcasm, snacks, and building something honest in a world that really prefers things to be tidy and inspirational.
This week?
We’re running on electrolytes, coffee, and nervous energy.
The coffee’s gone lukewarm again, because of course it has.
But Thursdays…
Thursdays are quieter.
What This Space Is (And Isn’t)
This isn’t a rant.
This isn’t a report.
This is a check-in.
With me.
With you.
With the Den.
Because this space was never meant to be one-sided.
It’s a place to exist together. To talk. To be seen without performing wellness. Without pretending things are okay when they aren’t.
No inspiration porn.
No forced positivity.
No gold stars for suffering silently.
Just honesty.
Even when it’s messy.
Even when it’s a little feral around the edges.
And let’s face it guys, ghouls, and all of us spooks in between… feral energy is kind of our vibe here.
The Creatures Who Keep Me Here
I spend a lot of time in Bed Jail™, but I’m rarely alone.
There’s Luna.
My medical alert service dog.
Guardian. Enforcer. Service Dingo™. Best Girl™.
Lately… she’s been hovering.
Not the usual “I would like a snack” hovering.
The kind that feels intentional. Focused. Persistent.
Watching me closer than usual.
Sticking to me like she’s personally offended by the idea of me being unsupervised.
The kind of presence that says:
“Something’s not right, and I’m not letting you ignore it.”
(Luna Note: Attempted to escort Mama to bed. Mumther resisted. This is a recurring issue.)
She’s been right before.
(Annoyingly often.)
Then there’s M&M.
My Player 2. My soft place to land.
Currently in their “please sit down and stop being stubborn” era.
They keep reminding me the house doesn’t need to be perfect.
I, unfortunately, remain deeply committed to pretending it does.
That instinct… the “I’ll just push through it” reflex?
It kept me alive once.
It is not what keeps me safe now.
So let me say this clearly, for you and for me:
Don’t take that survival habit from me.
Even if I’m still learning how to put it down.
Even old Cryptids can learn new tricks.
I promise.
The Actual Check-In
Alright.
No dodging.
No “I’m fine, but—” escape hatches.
If it doesn’t work for me, it’s not going to work for you either.
So, tell me-
How are you doing… really?
You’re allowed to be honest here.
You are not a burden for having feelings.
You are not “too much” for existing in a hard body or a hard life.
Take a breath with me.
In for four.
Hold.
Out for six.
Again.
Unclench your jaw.
Drop your shoulders.
Get some water.
(Luna Note: Breathing exercise acceptable. Would prefer snacks to accompany it.)
I’ll wait.
Luna says we both will.
Where I’m At
The Fox River is currently doing its best impression of a disaster movie.
Flooding across parts of Illinois, especially around Fox Lake and McHenry, where we live. People sandbagging, watching the water creep closer, trying to hold the line.
We’re lucky. We’re up on a hill.
But we’re watching.
We’re thinking about them.
We’re hoping their homes, their pets, their lives stay intact.
And we’re keeping an eye out for the animals running from rising water.
At the same time, my body is doing its usual weather-related rebellion.
The pressure shifts.
The headaches.
The constant thrum in the background.
And then… there’s this weekend.
If you missed Tuesday’s post, I found my father through Ancestry DNA.
This weekend, he’s coming to see me.
For real.
Not “maybe.”
Not “someone my mom used to know.”
Real.
I’m meeting his wife.
We’re spending time together.
And suddenly, the house matters in a way it didn’t before.
Not because it should.
But because… I want it to.
I want things to feel nice.
Welcoming.
Put together.
So yes, I’ve been cleaning.
Kitchen? Done.
Dining room? Done.
Upstairs? Done.
Deck furniture? Done.
Coffee station? Fully upgraded.
Christmas tablecloth? Retired with honors.
Valentine’s roses? Sent to the afterlife where they belong.
Easter decorations get a temporary stay of execution. They’re cute. They’ve earned it.
Halloween decor?
Please. Be serious.
That stays.
(Luna Note: Supervised cleaning efforts. Morale questionable. Floor crumbs improving.)
I’m not handling any of this perfectly.
But I’m still here.
And right now-
That counts.
For You, Wherever You’re At
If this week is kicking your ass, I see you.
If you’re barely holding it together…
That still counts as holding it together.
If things feel heavy, you don’t have to carry it alone here.
And if things are good?
You’re allowed to say that too.
Without guilt. Without apology.
There is room for all of it.
Even if you don’t have the words today.
You still showed up.
And that matters more than people give it credit for.
The Door Is Open
If you want to talk, my DMs are open.
No pressure. No expectations.
Just… open.
If all you’ve got is a couple pawprint emojis because you need some extra Luna love?
I’ve got you.
I am fully stocked on soft, sleepy, absolutely devastatingly cute Luna photos this week.
No words required.
The Den’s still here.
So am I.
So are you.
I hope the rest of your week is kinder to you than the beginning was.
I’m really glad you’re here.
I mean that.
Love you.
Yeah, I said it first.
Your turn.
-Sky
🐾 Luna’s Official Assessment
Stayed on high alert.
Increased supervision protocols enacted.
Strongly recommended “sit down before you make it worse” at least 47 times.
Did not approve of the stubbornness.
Did approve of eventual resting.
Rating: 12/10. Excellent guardian. Would hover again.
© The Crippled Cryptid
Disability. Honesty. A little chaos.
(But softer today.)
🔗 https://linktr.ee/skylanarissa
There’s never pressure to donate. Reading, sharing, or simply being here is more than enough.
If you’d like to support the long, slow work of staying alive, stable, and building this space:
💜 https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-skys-journey-to-health-and-mobility
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