The Chronic Haven Dispatch
August Newsletter
Dear Havenites,
Welcome to our new members — hello and we’re so glad you’re here. And to our longtime friends, thank you for continuing to be the heartbeat of this community.
What makes The Chronic Haven so special isn’t the support, the resources, or the shared struggles — it’s you! The way you show up for one another with compassion, humor, and empathy is unmatched. You make this place feel like family — not just in name, but in the way we are here for each other, every day. For so many of us, family extends to those who are not just blood, but chosen.
Thank you all for being there.
One of our own is in crisis — and you can help save her life. If you can donate, please do. If you can’t, share the link. Say a kind word. Every dollar, every click, every act of care — it counts. Please.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Many of us found The Chronic Haven in a moment of desperation at 2 a.m. Or after Google searches. A late-night scroll through pain. Or finally saying hello on Discord after silently watching for weeks. It doesn’t matter how you got here — we’re so glad you did. We’re sorry you’re suffering, but grateful you’re no longer doing it alone.
COMMON CONDITIONS:
We may not share the same diagnosis, but we share the same struggles, fears, and hopes. And through that, we learn from each other. (Though, let’s be honest — many of us end up having the same diagnosis. The Universe has a sense of humor.)
We’ve created a growing list of common conditions on our website. https://www.thechronichaven.com/common-conditions
On Discord you’ll find fact sheets and helpful info on many of them. We would love to add your condition if we have not listed it yet. Drop a message in the Lobby in Discord or DM or email Elle directly at elle@thechronichaven.com.
CREATIVE CORNER:
We have a ton of creative people in our flock — artists, poets, musicians, storytellers, and daydreamers who turn pain into poetry and brain fog into beautiful things.
Every Sunday, our own Elle Becker, writer, author, speaker, and instructor, teaches a Writing Class for All Levels on Zoom — whether you’re brand new to writing or you’ve been journaling since the Bush administration. We meet at 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern / 7pm UK and we cover everything from storytelling and dialogue to structure and voice. It’s low-pressure, high-creativity, and we laugh a lot. Like… a lot.
We’re also thrilled to have Jim Mercurio — screenwriter, author, TCH member, and editor extraordinaire — joining us as our regular guest teacher. He brings big film-school energy, brilliant craft tips, and humor that makes plot structure weirdly fun.
If you’ve ever thought about writing your story, or you’ve got a piece in progress, or you just want to play with words in a supportive space, come join us. You’re already more creative than you think.
Speaking of beautiful things, Haven member Jeanette drew and painted this beautiful “broken” bird. Here at The Chronic Haven, we’re a flock. Some of us are Rare Birds with rare disease. Some are physically broken. All of us are strong and we have each other.
This bird keeps going, just like we do. It’s beautiful, and we love it. Thanks to Jeanette for letting us display it. (She’s also really awesome, and we’re glad to be getting to know her!)
Show us your creations so we can feature your art in our newsletter. Send by Discord DM or email to Elle: elle@thechronichaven.com
DIAGNOSIS SPOTLIGHT
Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS)
Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is a connective tissue disorder where the collagen doesn’t work as it should. That means joints that bend too far (and sometimes pop right out), severe chronic pain (often in every joint), soft or fragile skin, and a grab bag of other symptoms that affects the whole body. It’s broken down like this:
Hypermobile joints — they bend further than normal, which causes pain, instability, frequent sprains, and dislocations or subluxations (partial dislocations).
Faulty collagen — collagen is the body’s “scaffolding,” so when it’s weak, it can affect joints, skin, blood vessels, digestion, and more.
Whole-body impact — beyond joints, hEDS causes skin that’s soft or fragile, easy bruising, digestive problems, dizziness, and heart-related issues.
Common companions — often overlaps with conditions like POTS, MCAS, chronic pain syndromes, and severe fatigue, making daily life unpredictable.
A lot of our Chronic Haven crew live with hEDS — often along with other chronic illnesses — so we know it’s no small thing. It’s invisible, unpredictable, and exhausting, but you’re not alone. We see you, we get it, and we’re here for every hypermobile, bendy, tired, hurting body in this flock.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Jim M.
What can we say about Jim? There’s so much we want to tell you. He’s an acclaimed author, a screenwriter, and a gifted writing instructor who breaks down the craft in ways that make you fall in love with it all over again. He’s crazy smart, he’s funny, and he’s talented AF — he is the writer who makes you want to write better just by being around him.
Jim’s also facing something huge: he needs a kidney. And while he rarely makes it about himself, we want him to know that we care. The Chronic Haven isn’t just a community for sharing symptoms and survival tips — it’s a place where we show up for each other. If you know someone who might be a match, or if you simply want to reach out with encouragement, we know Jim would appreciate it. Because here, talent matters, friendship matters, and people matter most of all.
More info in this article: 17 People Die a Day. Help Jim Not Be One of Them
MEETING SCHEDULE:
As always, we have meetings on Mondays at 9 am Pacific/12 pm Eastern every other week, and Wednesdays at 5 pm Pacific/ 8 pm Eastern the alternating week. Our upcoming meetings:
Monday, August 4
Wednesday, August 13
Monday, August 18
Wednesday, August 27
COMING SOON:
Topic-focused meetings like dating & relationships with chronic illness, medical trauma, and more. We’re open to suggestions for topic-based meetings. Let us know! Drop Elle a DM on Discord. As always, we’ll see you on Discord, where we have giveaways and contests coming up. Plus, it’s fun! Come find us https://discord.gg/Fqm4YADQeY and hang out for a while.
SEE YOU ON DISCORD!
TCH is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which means your donations are tax deductible. We’re running in the red, so anything helps. Please visit our Buy Me a Coffee page, and donate if you’re able. The link: https://buymeacoffee.com/thechronichaven
My lab partner in high school biology had EDS. I'd already torn up a knee, so sitting next to each other and nattering about science fiction was fun for both of us. My mom drove us to/from a Star Trek convention once. I still have the tribble.