Welcome to AIPooja!
My name is Pooja, and I am trying to keep my head above water while balancing disease, wellness, and graduate school. Continually learning and growing, with no end in sight. I hope you find something you can relate to here!
Author Archives: Pooja Parikh
Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles
Oh, don’t worry. There is no shame here. It is okay to start drooling after reading the title of this one. I know I am, at least. These are just amazing, and my formal taste testers (also known as my … Continue reading
Posted in Paleo, Recipes
Tagged chocolate chips, cookie dough, dessert, food, paleo diet, recipes
5 Comments
58 Inches*
These past six months have changed me forever. Six months ago, I would sit with my mom and cry until I was out of tears and gasping for breath. I cried for many reasons, but one of them–a major one–was … Continue reading
Kiwi Blueberry Honey Lime Sorbet (with Paleo-friendly option)
I spent a lot of time in the kitchen yesterday in preparation for the Paleo Diet. I made a few nut butters (which I will post about another time), some snack items, and, of course, all of my meals. Who knew … Continue reading
The Paleo Diet
Tomorrow, I’ll be starting the Paleo Diet. Here’s a basic breakdown of what the diet entails: The only difference is that I will also be giving up the Nightshades as well, which includes potatoes, tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant, tomatillos, paprika, cayenne, … Continue reading
How to Thank Someone
What is the perfect way to express gratitude, really? A thank-you card, a bouquet of flowers, a gift card, chocolate? A picture frame, a poem, a nice watch, a Ferrari, your first-born? What do you do when nothing seems like … Continue reading
Outrageous Diagnosis #1
As I’ve mentioned in “My Story,” I was handed some pretty intense diagnoses before I was finally given the correct one. They were…stressful, to say the very least. And each one put me through its own layer of hell before … Continue reading
Posted in Anecdotes, Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Tagged diagnoses, sickness, story, tombstone, tuberculosis
1 Comment
I Used to be Modest
A significant aspect of my culture and upbringing has been the stress on modesty. This resulted in an extremely modest person who never wore short shorts and never bore any cleavage whatsoever. In fact, the only time I’d ever gone … Continue reading
What HS Means to Me
Isolation. Wishing I could just be like everyone else. Alienating myself because I’m different. Feeling lost and not in control. Misunderstood and judged. Many, many tears. Digging around to find myself in this mess my life has become. No, I’m … Continue reading
That Time I Thought I was Dying
(Spoiler Alert: I survived.) Let me start by painting a picture for you: The morning of Friday, July 24th, 2009 (and by “morning” I mean 3:30am–the one time we were grateful that my dad regularly went to work so early), … Continue reading
Sick People are Gross
Warning: Some of this post is gross. When I was younger, I was legitimately afraid of people with orthopedic casts. I was convinced that they were going to use the plaster on their arms to hurt me, so I just … Continue reading
Posted in Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Misc
Tagged being sick, compassion, gross, love, story
2 Comments
AIPooja: Seeking Wellness through Disease 