Q&A with Lauren Watt: “I’ve had to learn to find contentment in my difficult circumstances.”

I’m thrilled I get to introduce you to Lauren Watt, an artist and blogger who is going to share some of her story and how she finds contentment in chronic illness.

Lauren is the youngest interviewee I’ve featured on the blog so far, and she writes with wisdom and clarity about her chronic illness journey, which began when she was just 14.

I’ve really enjoyed reading her blog after we connected online, and I hope you’ll check out her artwork and blog on her website, Lauren’s Easel.

I hope you’re encouraged by this conversation with Lauren on chronic illness, faith, and perseverance.

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Interview with Lauren Watt from the Greater Pittsburgh area, Pennsylvania, age 20
On life with health conditions including Babesia and Bartonella infections, adrenal insufficency, MCAS and POTS

Cassie: What is something you love or something God has given you a passion for?

Lauren: My biggest passions are writing and creating art. I write regularly on my blog and also enjoy writing letters and emails to friends of all ages. Ultimately, my goal in writing is to share the love of Jesus and point others to the hope I have in Him.

I also love arts and crafts and dabble with many, including crocheting, scrapbooking, card making, drawing, and painting. Last October, I launched an online store called Lauren’s Easel so that I can share my art with others. My store’s vision is perfectly summarized in this L. M. Montgomery quote from Anne of Avonlea, “‘I’d like to add some beauty to life,’ said Anne dreamily. … ‘I’d love to make them have a pleasanter time because of me. . .to have some little joy or happy thought that would never have existed if I hadn’t been born.’”

Cassie: Please briefly share the names of your chronic illnesses along with a brief description.

Lauren: I have chronic Babesia and Bartonella infections, which are common Lyme disease co-infections. Both can be contracted from tick bites and Bartonella from cat scratches also. 

These infections can manifest with a myriad of symptoms, but currently, my main ones are severe fatigue, brain fog, fevers, nausea, headaches, and muscle and joint aches. As a result of my infections, I also have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), Postural Orthostatic Syndrome (POTS), Adrenal Insufficiency, and other hormonal problems.

Fortunately, my MCAS and POTS have greatly improved and don’t cause me much trouble anymore. But for years, I had to carry an EpiPen because of my severe MCAS. Everyday foods, smells, and chemicals caused me to flush, break out in hives, become nauseous and fatigued, have tachycardia, and in more serious episodes, to experience throat tightness and lightheadedness. I’m still bothered by some things like perfume, but my reactions are significantly milder now.

Currently, my POTS symptoms come and go, but when I’m experiencing them, I have to stand up slowly to avoid tachycardia and feeling light-headed from changing positions.

Finally, my Adrenal Insufficiency means my body hardly makes any cortisol, so I have to take Hydrocortisone as a replacement several times each day.

Cassie: What is one of the most difficult challenges you’ve experienced due to your illnesses? How has that challenge shaped you? 

Lauren: One of the hardest things about my illness is the physical and mental abilities it has taken from me. I used to sing in a choir, compete in public speaking, volunteer at a nursing home, and spend hours reading every day. I used to bake bread and spend my mornings outside taking care of my chickens and rabbits. I can’t do any of that anymore. I haven’t since I was thirteen, and I’ll soon be twenty-one. Currently, I’m having a “good day” if I have a few hours where I can be out of bed, go on a short walk, and think clearly enough to write or paint.

I’ve had to learn to find contentment in my difficult circumstances, and I’ve realized that true contentment only comes from knowing God and delighting in Him. If I can’t be happy in a sick body, I’ll never be happy in a healthy one either. Ultimately, my struggles have shaped me into a much more joyful person because I’m finally looking for contentment in the right place!

Cassie: What is something you would like people to better understand about your illnesses?

Lauren: I wish people better understood the payback I experience with mental and physical exertion. People especially have a hard time understanding my mental fatigue when I can talk and write intelligently. But the truth is that if I’m going to read, write, listen to a sermon, have a conversation, etc., I have to budget my limited mental energy, rest beforehand, and will often feel more fogged over and have a harder time thinking and concentrating after the mental activity. So I might seem okay in the moment, but I’ll pay for it later! Payback also goes for physical activity. I might be able to go on a short outing, but I’ll often feel more fatigued and flu-like as a result.

Cassie: Tell me about a time when someone came through for you when you were going through your health struggles.

Lauren: I love this question, and it reminds me of a Mister Rogers’ quote, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

There are several helpers who come to mind, but I’m going to focus on my parents, my primary caregivers. When I was extremely weak, my mom washed my hair in bed, and she and my dad pushed me in a wheelchair when I went to medical appointments. I am very thankful for the example of love my parents constantly show me. They drive me to my medical appointments, pick-up my prescriptions at the pharmacy, order my supplements, cook meals that meet my dietary requirements… I could go on and on. They also pray and read the Bible with me, listen to me, give me hugs, and frequently find ways to make me laugh.

Cassie: What advice or encouragement would you offer to someone going through chronic illnesses?

Lauren: One of my favorite passages of Scripture is 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

My advice and encouragement is to fix one’s eyes on eternity. Doing so has changed my perspective and has kept me from giving up.

Cassie: What is something God is teaching you recently?

Lauren: Lately, I’ve been realizing just how powerful stories are and to not be afraid to share my own, even though it’s vulnerable. Last December, I read The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, and I saved this quote, “Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark.” When I’m discouraged, I often think of my favorite stories from the Bible, especially the life of Paul. He faced a lot of hardship, but His story is so encouraging because He let Christ’s strength shine through his weakness. Likewise, I’m learning to share my story in hopes that it will encourage others, especially those with chronic illnesses.

Cassie: What is something you are most thankful for right now?

Lauren: Recently, I have begun going outside most evenings and photographing sunsets. I love how diverse they are, even though I watch them from the same place. I’m thankful for God’s creativity and to be able to enjoy it. And I’m thankful for how sunsets remind me that cloudy skies are needed to make beautiful sunsets. It’s the same with life.

Cassie: Are there any resources you can recommend that encourage you through your chronic illnesses?

Lauren: I have been very blessed by the book Hope When It Hurts by Kristen Wetherell and Sarah Walton. I also love music by Andrew Peterson, Laura Story, and Keith and Kristyn Getty. These artists write beautiful songs that don’t shy away from the realities of suffering but that are also full of hope. Additionally, I recommend the Suffering Is Not for Nothing YouTube series by Elisabeth Elliot and anything by Joni Eareckson Tada. 

Cassie: I’m a bookworm and I have to ask: Read any good books lately?

Lauren: Due to my brain fog and low mental energy, I can’t read much, but I love the Anne books by L. M. Montgomery. I frequently reread and quote passages from them. Currently, I am also rereading Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot. It’s a compilation of articles she originally wrote for her church newsletter and is full of wisdom on a variety of topics. Much of my reading is currently short devotional material, but when I can read more, I definitely will!

Cassie: What is something else you would like people to know about you?

Lauren: I try to laugh every day, and I love Strange Planet comics. I enjoy making my own spin-offs based on the originals and wording things in a similar fashion to how the aliens talk. For example, I will frequently say things like, “I need to go into a meeting with my rest slab!” I like to make jokes about my health issues—I can be rather sensitive to treatments, but according to The Princess and the Pea that’s a sign of royalty, right? One of my antibabesials is a yellow liquid that patients call the Yellow Paint Medicine, so I joke that I’m one of the artists who actually knows what yellow paint tastes like! 

I live at home with my parents, and I have three lovebirds and a dog named Pascal. I’m also blessed with two older brothers and a sister-in-law. I enjoy connecting with others; you can read my blog on my website, Lauren’s Easel, and can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Thank you for sharing some of your story Lauren!

We hope you enjoyed this interview and learned something new!

How do you find contentment in chronic illness?
We’d love to hear from you in the comments, so please let us know if you related to Lauren’s story!

Read more Invisible Illness, Visible Worth interviews here.

Interested in being interviewed? I’d love to help share your story! Find the details here.

Opinions and views are those of the interviewee. This blog post is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice.

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