• CARRIE MARSHALL
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My Several Worlds

Supporting chronically ill and disabled communities since 2006

  • FEATURES
  • MSW SHOP
  • ART FOR PAIN
    • MSW ART THERAPY INTERVIEWS
  • AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE
    • APS
    • Raynaud’s Disease 101
  • AxSpA & PsA – ARTHRITIS
    • My articles on Ankylosing Spondylitis
    • My Articles about AxSpA & AS
  • ME/CFS
    • My Articles on ME
  • FIBROMYALGIA
    • My Articles about Fibromyalgia
    • Fibromyalgia in Taiwan
  • CHRONIC ILLNESS
    • My articles about CHRONIC ILLNESS
  • CHRONIC PAIN
    • My Articles About Chronic Pain
    • MIGRAINE INFORMATION
  • DISABILITY
    • My articles about DISABILITY
    • Taiwan Disability Inclusion
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
  • TRUTH DAYS
  • FEATURES
  • MSW SHOP
  • ART FOR PAIN
    • MSW ART THERAPY INTERVIEWS
  • AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE
    • APS
    • Raynaud’s Disease 101
  • AxSpA & PsA – ARTHRITIS
    • My articles on Ankylosing Spondylitis
    • My Articles about AxSpA & AS
  • ME/CFS
    • My Articles on ME
  • FIBROMYALGIA
    • My Articles about Fibromyalgia
    • Fibromyalgia in Taiwan
  • CHRONIC ILLNESS
    • My articles about CHRONIC ILLNESS
  • CHRONIC PAIN
    • My Articles About Chronic Pain
    • MIGRAINE INFORMATION
  • DISABILITY
    • My articles about DISABILITY
    • Taiwan Disability Inclusion
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
  • TRUTH DAYS
  • CARRIE MARSHALL
  • MSW SHOP
    • ART THERAPY
  • ABOUT MY HEALTH ADVOCACY
  • Privacy Policy
MySeveralWorlds.com logo features a hummingbird in flight over the words My Several Worlds.

MSW Newsletter

 Welcome To My Several Worlds! This site supports people living with chronic illness, chronic pain, & disability. I write so you can better understand life with disability related to Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Spondyloarthritis, MECFS, & more.

Brevo Newsletters: View Brevo's Privacy Policy & MSW Privacy Policy.

My Several Worlds is a Fibromyalgia Legacy Award winner for 2022. Fibromyalgia Legacy Award Winners are community leaders that have given over a decade of substantial contributions to the fibromyalgia community. They demonstrate integrity, bravery, compassion, and respect for all patients living with fibromyalgia. ~Melissa Talwar, Support Fibromyalgia Network
2022 Fibromyalgia Legacy Award Winner - Support Fibromyalgia Network

This award recognizes patient leaders who have been advocating for fibromyalgia awareness and leading fibromyalgia communities for 10 years or more.

Spondylitis Plus – SAA Fall Issue 2018

My AS story is featured in the Spondylitis Association of America's 2018 Fall Issue of Spondylitis PlusYour Stories Each individual affected by spondylitis has their own unique story. We at SAA believe that each and every story can be a source of inspiration and empowerment. We’d love your story as well! ~Spondylitis Assocation of America
WEGO Health Awards 2020 FINALIST - Lifetime Achievement Award - Carrie Kellenberger, My Several Worlds
WEGO Health FINALIST for Lifetime Achievement Award
My Several Worlds Best of Fibromyalgia Blogs 2020 with Healthline
Best Blog in Fibromyalgia by Healthline in 2018, 2019, and 2020
  • My Several Worlds: A Writing, Art, & Gratitude Journal is designed to remind you that there is joy to be found with the little things in life. Use this journal to learn about yourself. Track your health, pain, symptoms and moods; and use it for art therapy. I’ve taken care to include all the things I enjoy in journaling to ensure you have fun with this book! Welcome to a tiny corner of My Several Worlds!
    ART THERAPY,  MSW SHOP,  WORLD OF BOOKS

    MSW Publications: A Writing, Art, and Gratitude Journal

    November 27, 2025 /No Comments

    My Several Worlds: A Writing, Art, & Gratitude Journal is designed to remind you that there is joy to be found with the little things in life. Use this journal to learn about yourself. Track your health, pain, symptoms and moods; and use it for art therapy. I’ve taken care to include all the things I enjoy in journaling to ensure you have fun with this book! Welcome to a tiny corner of My Several Worlds!

    Read More
    Carrie

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    Banner image for Carrie Kellenberger's newest publication called My Several Worlds: A Coloring Adventure for Spoonies

    My Several Worlds: A Coloring Adventure for Spoonies

    August 8, 2024
    An Art Therapy Interview with Ria in Taiwan. Ria is chronically ill and disabled and she's a permanent resident of Taiwan. She is featured in the image with some of her artwork.

    Ria in Taiwan: An Art Therapy Interview For Disability Awareness

    December 4, 2025
    Art Therapy Interview with Germaine Hypher - Crafting A Path Through Illness

    Interview With Crafting A Path Through Illness – Germaine Hypher

    May 11, 2026
  • Carrie Kellenberger Ankylosing Spondylitis
    EXPAT LIFE

    My Ankylosing Spondylitis Story by Carrie

    May 24, 2009 /66 Comments

    My Ankylosing Spondylitis Story by Carrie Kellenberger - Over 10 years of pain, fatigue, and symptoms before I got my Ankylosing Spondylitis diagnosis.

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    Photo Essay – Tom Rook’s Hao Haus Gallery Exhibit

    April 9, 2016
    What Would You Tell Your Younger Self?

    Wisdom of Age: What Would You Tell Your Younger Self?

    January 18, 2022

    Photo Essay: Where I Traveled to in 2013

    January 5, 2014
  • Disabled woman carrying groceries in her wheelchair beside the mop featured in The Invisible Weight of a Disabled Wife.
    ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS,  DISABILITY,  FEATURES,  FIBROMYALGIA,  TRUTH DAYS

    The Invisible Weight of a Disabled Wife

    September 10, 2026 /No Comments

    A mop didn't really end my marriage. But it became a symbol of something much bigger. It's about how easily physical disability can be mistaken for dependence, while everything a disabled person contributes becomes invisible.

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    Carrie Kellenberger - ACR21

    ACR21 Convergence: 5 Things I Learned About Spondylitis

    December 18, 2021
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    ACR23 SpA Research for the SAA Spondyloarthritis Community

    November 24, 2023
    Where Does Your Pain Rate on The McGill Pain Index

    Unsolicited Health Advice From Online Pain Specialists is THE WORST

    April 8, 2022
  • The Day I Was Supposed to Return to Taiwan banner featuring four photos of Carrie Marshall leaving Taiwan with her wheelchair, cats and luggage.
    CANADA,  FEATURES,  MILESTONES,  REPATRIATION,  TRUTH DAYS

    The Day I Was Supposed to Return to Taiwan

    August 31, 2026 /No Comments

    Today was the day I was supposed to return to Taiwan. I left with a return ticket and an impossible deadline: eight months to establish medical care, disability support, pension protection and a secure future in Canada. Within a few days of arriving in Canada, I knew I could never go back.

    Read More
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    Carrie Marshall, author of MySeveralWorlds.com and Alex Rusalovsky, co-owner and primary daily pharmacist of Carleton Place Pharmacy in April 2026

    Carleton Place Pharmacy – How Your Friendly Neighborhood Pharmacist Can Be Your Best Healthcare Ally

    May 4, 2026
    Starting Over Isn’t Starting From Nothing - An essay by Carrie Marshall on the will that it took to leave 23 years of life in Asia behind to start again.

    Starting Over Isn’t Starting From Nothing

    April 8, 2026
    Carrie Marshall in her writing space after repatriating to Canada, reflecting on rebuilding healthcare, work, and life after returning from Taiwan.

    Signs of Life: The Quiet Work of Rebuilding After Repatriation

    June 30, 2026
  • Carrie Marshall wearing a face mask and sitting in a wheelchair during a period of severe chronic illness and disability.
    CHRONIC ILLNESS,  DISABILITY,  FEATURES,  TRUTH DAYS

    Chronic Illness and Disability: How Sick Do You Need To Be For Help?

    August 25, 2026 /No Comments

    How sick does a disabled person have to become before needing help is enough? I spent years working, paying enormous medical costs, managing complex illness, and asking directly for help while my capacity disappeared. Looking back, the hardest truth is that I was already there. I had been there all along.

    Read More
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    MSW Author Interview with Melissa Reynolds, author of Mindfully Yours, Ella

    Author Interview with Melissa Reynolds, Mindfully Yours, Ella

    April 23, 2025
    Sarcoidosis Awareness Month

    April is Sarcoidosis Awareness Month – Dedicated to My Brother

    April 13, 2021
    Banner image for MySeveralWorlds annual Chronic Illness Bloggers To Follow. Featuring Arthritis Life, My Rockin' Disabled Life, Princess in the Tower, Chronic Filipina, Turning Pain Into Strength, Kate the Almost Great

    Chronic Illness Bloggers To Follow in 2024

    March 8, 2024
  • FEATURES,  MILESTONES,  TRUTH DAYS

    Ownership, Labour, and Erasure at Reach To Teach Recruiting

    July 31, 2026 /No Comments

    For 16+ years, I helped build Reach To Teach Recruiting through ownership, writing, systems, teacher support, public-facing work, and years of invisible labour. This is a record of what I built, what I carried, and what I refuse to let disappear.

    Read More
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    Art Therapy Interview with Germaine Hypher - Crafting A Path Through Illness

    Interview With Crafting A Path Through Illness – Germaine Hypher

    May 11, 2026
    Starting Over Isn’t Starting From Nothing - An essay by Carrie Marshall on the will that it took to leave 23 years of life in Asia behind to start again.

    Starting Over Isn’t Starting From Nothing

    April 8, 2026
    Banner image for Carrie Kellenberger's newest publication called My Several Worlds: A Coloring Adventure for Spoonies

    My Several Worlds: A Coloring Adventure for Spoonies

    August 8, 2024
  • The Fear of Being Abandoned When You Are Sick
    CHRONIC ILLNESS,  DISABILITY,  FEATURES,  TRUTH DAYS

    The Fear of Being Abandoned When You Are Sick

    July 18, 2026 /No Comments

    The fear of abandonment when you are sick is a personal essay about what happens when the person who promised to stand beside you remains physically present but withdraws care, safety, and support. During Disability Pride Month, I write about chronic illness, medical neglect, emotional abandonment, and the moment fear became recognition.

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    Tips for the Holiday Season with Chronic Illness

    Surviving the Holidays with Chronic Illness – Tips and Tricks

    December 2, 2018
    Images of a patient living with ME

    MECFS I Am One of the Millions Missing

    April 28, 2018
    Art Therapy Interview with Germaine Hypher - Crafting A Path Through Illness

    Interview With Crafting A Path Through Illness – Germaine Hypher

    May 11, 2026
  • Carrie Marshall in her writing space after repatriating to Canada, reflecting on rebuilding healthcare, work, and life after returning from Taiwan.
    CANADA,  EXPAT LIFE,  FEATURES,  MILESTONES,  PERSONAL STORIES,  REPATRIATION,  THE CM EFFECT

    Signs of Life: The Quiet Work of Rebuilding After Repatriation

    June 30, 2026 /No Comments

    This is Part 4 in my Repatriation Series. Rebuilding after repatriation doesn’t happen all at once. It reveals itself in quiet moments: a growing healthcare team, new clients, a graduate school application, an accessible vehicle, a basement writing space, and the first real signs that hope, home, and a new future are beginning to take shape.

    Read More
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    Carrie Marshall, author of MySeveralWorlds.com and Alex Rusalovsky, co-owner and primary daily pharmacist of Carleton Place Pharmacy in April 2026

    Carleton Place Pharmacy – How Your Friendly Neighborhood Pharmacist Can Be Your Best Healthcare Ally

    May 4, 2026
    The Day I Was Supposed to Return to Taiwan banner featuring four photos of Carrie Marshall leaving Taiwan with her wheelchair, cats and luggage.

    The Day I Was Supposed to Return to Taiwan

    August 31, 2026
    Starting Over Isn’t Starting From Nothing - An essay by Carrie Marshall on the will that it took to leave 23 years of life in Asia behind to start again.

    Starting Over Isn’t Starting From Nothing

    April 8, 2026
  • Repatriation Series Rebuilding Trust In Systems by Carrie Marshall This is Part 3 in my Repatriation Series. After returning to Canada from Taiwan, I had to rebuild more than healthcare. I had to learn how Canadian systems worked, who could help, and what support looked like when I was no longer carrying everything alone. My Several Worlds Blog Banner
    DISABILITY,  FEATURES,  HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF,  MILESTONES,  PERSONAL STORIES,  REPATRIATION,  THE CM EFFECT

    Rebuilding Trust in Systems

    June 25, 2026 /No Comments

    This is Part 3 in my Repatriation Series. After returning to Canada from Taiwan, I had to rebuild more than healthcare. I had to learn how Canadian systems worked, who could help, and what support looked like when I was no longer carrying everything alone.

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    October 17, 2021
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    Is Taiwan Inclusive Of Its Disabled Population? No. Here’s Why

    June 7, 2024
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    The Invisible Weight of a Disabled Wife

    September 10, 2026
  • Banner image for Why Patients Become Historians (aka Why I Arrive with a Binder) The image features the author, Carrie Marshall, holding a giant blue binder that is color coded and stuffed with medical records, diagnoses, test results, and failed treatments. When people imagine a patient, they often picture someone sitting quietly in an exam room answering questions. I have never been that patient. I have learned that if I didn't carry my own history, nobody else will. Patients with complex chronic illnesses often become historians. We are archivists, researchers, project managers, and more.
    CHRONIC ILLNESS,  DISABILITY,  FEATURES,  HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF,  REPATRIATION,  THE CM EFFECT

    Why Patients Become Historians (or Why I Arrive With a Binder)

    June 13, 2026 /No Comments

    This is the second in a three-part series called the Repatriation Series. You can read Part 1 here: Repatriation: Healthcare and Disability Do Not Cross Borders. When people imagine a patient, they often picture someone sitting quietly in an exam room answering questions. I have never been that patient. I have learned that if I didn't carry my own history, nobody else will. Patients with complex chronic illnesses often become historians. We are archivists, researchers, project managers, and more.

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    Surviving the Holidays with Chronic Illness – Tips and Tricks

    December 2, 2018
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    May 11, 2026
    Life with Chronic Pain is Hard to Understand

    Chronic Illness: Never Did I Ever Think…

    September 24, 2017
123
Carrie Marshall (formerly Carrie Kellenberger) has been a staunch advocate for the Spondyloarthritis community since 2009. She has published over a thousand articles on life with illness and about life abroad.

One cold night in February 2009, I went to bed. The next morning I woke up and I couldn't walk. I was 34 years old. I didn't even know that something like this was possible until it happened to me. This is my story...

MySeveralWorlds.com logo features a hummingbird in flight over the words My Several Worlds.

Welcome to My Several Worlds!

My Several Worlds is about the worlds I live in and the boundaries that blur between my worlds as I move through them. I aim for My Several Worlds to be seen as an original AND credible source of information. I'm a former world traveler and global citizen of the world. Being chronically complex is my super power!

Carrie Kellenberger: My Ankylosing Spondylitis Story - Life with AxSpA and PsA.

ABOUT ME AND MSW

I'm Carrie! I left Canada in 2003 to see the world at age 27. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with Asia AND became chronically ill. I’ve lived with chronic illness for over 20 years. I lived in Asia for 23 yeas before having to repatriate suddenly to Canada on December 28, 2025.

As a published author and artist with more than 30 years of art shows and publications behind me and many years of advocacy work with several global non profit organizations, I have a lot of knowledge to offer readers.

Disabled and living with: Two kinds of Spondyloarthritis (AxSpA aka Ankylosing Spondylitis & Psoriatic Arthritis), plus APS, Fibromyalgia, MECFS, IBS, chronic migraine, and more! (Yup, when you get one autoimmune disease, many more come to the party. That's The Chronic Life, unfortunately.)

This is why I like to remind people I'm Chronically Iconic!

My Several Worlds Chronically Iconic collection features t-shirts, phone cases, magnets, pins, and more!
My Several Worlds Chronically Iconic collection. I don't run adverts on my sites, but I do post my own artwork and designs to help pay for hosting fees.
MSW Shop banner features Carrie Kellenberger in her brand colors: raspberry, gold, and pale pink. She's wearing an MSW t-shirt, she's holding MSW boxed postcards, and she's also holding her coloring book.
Welcome to MSW Shop!

My MSW Shop offers something for everyone. Did you know that there are many ways to support a disabled artist like me?

I offer:

  • Handmade paper collage and paper cutting creations
  • Coloring books
  • Spoonie inspired t-shirts and apparel for all
  • Taiwan postcards
  • Journals
  • Pet gear
  • Posters, cards, calendars, stickers, magnets, pins, and other kinds of home decor
  • Digital downloads on Ko-Fi - mostly free and donation based
  • And more!

Visit my LinkTree to view my numerous art offerings which range from paper-cut 3D collages to coloring books, postcards, journals, merch, and more.

I'm thrilled to announce that a year after my clot crisis in July 2023, my first coloring book for Spoonies is in bookstores now! My Several Worlds: A Coloring Adventure for Spoonies offers pages of inky delight to remind you that you are strong, beautiful, and uniquely you. You are NOT broken! This book is made for Spoonies by a full-time Spoonie who has been using art as a coping tool for chronic illness and chronic pain since 2009. MySeveralWorlds.com is about the worlds that I live in and the boundaries that blur between my worlds as I move through them. “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~ Pablo Picasso

My Several Worlds: A Coloring Adventure for Spoonies: I've published the first coloring adventure for Spoonies! This is the result of a medical crisis from the summer of 2023 that I spun into something colorful. From chaos comes beauty! You can get yours here.

Carrie is holding six KaLaya Pain Relief products featuring the KaLaya Pain Relief Massager, KaLaya Foot Cream, KaLaya Pain Relief Sativa Cream Travel Size, KaLaya Pain Relief Spray and other full size and travel size products.
KaLaya Pain Relief products are a 'must-have' product for flare-ups with chronic pain related to axSpA, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. It's the best pain relief product you can get without a prescription.

KaLaya products are safe and natural. They're paraben-free, sulphate-free, and never tested on animals. KaLaya is a medically directed, proudly 100% Canadian, health, wellness, and personal care brand that uses problem-solution based formulations.
  • FEATURES
  • MSW SHOP
  • Art Therapy For Chronic Pain – How I Use Art To Thrive With Illness
  • MSW ART THERAPY INTERVIEWS
  • ART THERAPY

MSW Newsletter

 Welcome To My Several Worlds! This site supports people living with chronic illness, chronic pain, & disability. I write so you can better understand life with disability related to Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Spondyloarthritis, MECFS, & more.

Brevo Newsletters: View Brevo's Privacy Policy & MSW Privacy Policy.

Buy Me A Coffee To Support My Work

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com
  • FEATURES
  • MSW SHOP
  • ART FOR PAIN
    • MSW ART THERAPY INTERVIEWS
  • AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE
    • APS
    • Raynaud’s Disease 101
  • AxSpA & PsA – ARTHRITIS
    • My articles on Ankylosing Spondylitis
    • My Articles about AxSpA & AS
  • ME/CFS
    • My Articles on ME
  • FIBROMYALGIA
    • My Articles about Fibromyalgia
    • Fibromyalgia in Taiwan
  • CHRONIC ILLNESS
    • My articles about CHRONIC ILLNESS
  • CHRONIC PAIN
    • My Articles About Chronic Pain
    • MIGRAINE INFORMATION
  • DISABILITY
    • My articles about DISABILITY
    • Taiwan Disability Inclusion
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
  • TRUTH DAYS
WEGO Health Awards 2020 FINALIST - Lifetime Achievement Award - Carrie Kellenberger, My Several Worlds
WEGO Health FINALIST for Lifetime Achievement Award
2007-2026 My Several Worlds
  • FEATURES
  • MSW SHOP
  • Art Therapy For Chronic Pain – How I Use Art To Thrive With Illness
  • MSW ART THERAPY INTERVIEWS
  • ART THERAPY
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