When you’re more than
just tired


You won't find fads or woo-woo here.
And you won’t get answers or absolutes.

Instead, you can meet a friend who gets it and feel a sense of community.

stressed.sick exists as a resource to help patients and caregivers navigate chronic pain, illness, and the profound frustration of healthcare systems that don't always work for us. Because the stress of it all can leave you feeling stressed sick.

🔗 You may have landed here because of my friendship with Luigi Mangione.

This site is here to share personal stories and lessons learned to help keep you going as you advocate for your best health.

There's no magic, one-size-fits-all solution when you live with chronic conditions — what works for one person might not for another, and that's just how it goes. So, if you find something here that resonates, something you can take on your own journey or pass on to someone you care about, well — that could be one step toward maybe feeling a just little bit better.

About Maggie

Hey. Hi.

I'm Maggie, the feisty heart and “big sis energy” behind the stressed.sick project.

For over 20 years, I've lived with chronic conditions that have shaped my daily reality. Multiple diagnoses and three surgeries later, what started as confusion and frustration with the healthcare system has changed into quiet determination — a drive to help others navigate this path with less fumbling than I did. I’ve been fortunate to have some amazing doctors and healthcare providers along the way and promise to share all that I’ve learned from them, too.

My approach is candid and realistic, reflecting the daily challenges of managing chronic illness. I'm not here to sugarcoat the experience, but rather to help you find more ease—even on the hardest days—as we learn together.

What do I do for work?

I work as a freelance writer with a specialization in healthcare, often ghostwriting for physicians and health companies (I know, right?!). Since I was a kid, I’ve always loved science, so I like to think this adds a layer of geek to the work I do in translating complex medical “stuff.”

I call it being creatively analytical.

What do I do for fun?

I'm a certified meditation and mindfulness teacher, and I apply my training to adapt practices for patients and caregivers (and generally stressed-out people, too). After being “prescribed” meditation by an ER doc about 15 years ago, quite literally on an Rx pad, I began the journey of learning how to calm the fuck down.

Layer on geeky Maggie and you get a teacher who loves to explain the science of well-being and the art of finding calm in chaos.

@stressedsick Spontaneous crying and the need to keep moving forward? Find people who “just get it” — even the deep dark bits. For me, it was chats with #Luigi about back pain. Twenty years of navigating the healthcare system while in debilitating pain? It’s the big sis wisdom you wish to never have to give. Pls be patient with me, I hate social media and would rather be writing 🙃 Your new friend, Maggie 💖 #chronicillness #chronicpain #patientadvocate #healthcare #luigimangione #backpain #autoimmunedisease #endometriosis #sadness ♬ original sound - stressedsick

Post-clinic visit car chat with Maggie.

Keep on reading

  • journal

    Maggie’s latest articles and perspectives on how to fight your way through the healthcare system.

  • What is endometriosis?

    Learn more about living with the chronic disease of endometriosis.

  • What are fibroids?

    Learn more about uterine fibroids and what it’s like to live with an evil spawn.

  • What is adenomyosis?

    Learn more about adenomyosis and what the heck a boggy uterus means.

What drives me?

Saving you the time and stress
I fumbled with over the past 20-odd years.