The dilemma of raising awareness, speaking truth, and keeping your privacy safe and protected, while living with disabilities ~

A video I created to raise awareness, speak truth, and find hope:

I created a video that I created about five years ago, when I was really needing to feel productive and raise awareness. (That feeling never really went away, if you couldn’t tell!) After recently posting it on my facebook page, I received this important question. See for yourself…

MEGAN writes:

I see myself in everything you said on this video. I commend you for putting yourself out there with your name, your face, and your testimony for all to see. I too would love to do the same and make videos but I fear that it will only invite more skepticism and chastising and more anger from certain people around me that I still haven't "snapped out of it". I also fear that the social security I fought so hard to get could be jeopardized. God forbid they get the wrong idea by me putting myself out there I could just see them saying, "Oh well, she making videos and spending a lot of time on youtube and facebook and she looks fine other than the "whining" she's doing, she doesn't look like she needs social security, let’s take it away. Franky, do you have any advice for people like me who want so badly to throw up videos and scream from the mountaintops but feel held back for the reasons I've mentioned?

Here is what I have to say ‘bout that:

I definitely understand your thoughts on this. Thank you for your supportive words too!! It means so much to me. I came to a point where I realized that people were too afraid to speak about it, so I just decided to use my own story to raise awareness. 99% of the reactions have been wonderful and positive.

I did receive some very surprising backlash about it in the beginning. I heard that I had no dignity, and that I offended someone because she said 'it wasn't like I had cancer or anything serious like that.' ... Doesn't that just burn your gut to hear that? The backlash is ALWAYS from very fortunate people who have never had to deal with any serious chronic illness like this themselves. It reallyyyy hurt at first. But-- then, it just made me realize that our world really does need more educators to tell stories about these 'invisible' neuro-immune diseases, which ARE very serious and very urgent. I decided to hit it harder, and reach out even more. I could have crumbled and hid in a hole, but that would have been so harmful to my health, and to this community of countless hidden survivors.

Now, I don't get any people saying such horrible things about my health. I do hear some hateful things about being gay though. Lord, where will it end? ;-) Seriously, it just fuels me now! I am a good person, trying to help myself, as well as the millions of others who survive such deep suffering every single day. A few people who have small minds and small hearts will not stop me now!

What I suggest is, if you want to make videos, you can stand/sit/lay behind the camera and use your voice to show your diary, your art, your medicine bottles, the ceiling that you look at all day etc.

Perhaps you can record yourself being interviewed only through audio, and just put a generic photo (may or may not be of yourself) on the video, like a podcast-style video. People use names like "LymieGirlSurvivor" or "Fibroguy" or things like that. There are ways to do it.

Also, one thing that I do, and it is important to do, is to explain how the illness has very extreme fluctuations, and severe repercussions for the energy that we output. Every video I do, everyTHING that I do, has an enormous price to it with my health. Most healthy people can never fully understand that. But if we explain it, then they will understand much more. Therefore, we will receive less judgment and less scrutiny. It is our truth.

I often explain how I am able to push hard to do everything I do, and then I have to be in bed and in pain for days because of it. It is worth it, if it means that we are one step closer to more people understanding what we go through. We need research to find treatment. But we need people to care first in order to do that!! It all starts with us being brave, and telling our true stories of suffering, struggling, and daily triumph!

I sincerely do hope that this helps! Please keep your chin up, and always know that we are in this one together!

Sending Love,

Dr Franky Dolan 

Mr Thomas Hennessy, we will miss you. Thank you, dear friend. Here's to you, Tom!

Goodbye, dear Tom. ...Anxiety swells and tears fall as I write yet another goodbye note to one of the incredible unsung heroes of our time. 

Our friend and advocate, Thomas Hennessy, started the famous day of May 12th, awareness day for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). He himself lived with ailments beyond words and beyond what people could see. His efforts to bridge communities and open hearts will be forever felt in every step that we continue to make. 

Be strong my suffering friends. Hold your heads high and know that you are a community of HEROES. To have an "Invisible Disease" is to live everyday with what most people fear. Don't let people's misunderstandings bury you. --Educate them instead! Stand for those who are sicker than you are! Give your life a purpose from this suffering.

I have learned so many great things from being gay, but one of the most powerful things I have learned is that being in hiding hurts your soul. So help yourself,  help your fellow humanity, and tell your stories! Make videos, write books, make blogs, post on your profiles, compose letters, create art ... Do anything that you can to tell your story. Be unafraid, and be unashamed! --Just because people do not understand you, does not make it okay for them to hurt you. Please love each other abundantly, and please above all, find purpose in your struggles. Make this experience mean something GREAT! Because you, my friends who are walking through the fires of hell-- YOU ARE MY HEROES!!! 

Sincerely, I love you all!!! Please stay hopeful, and please, stay alive --in every possible way. 

I am forever proud of my fellow survivors. 

Love to you all,

Dr Franky Dolan 

We love you, Tom.... Thank you, for your legacy.

Dr Franky Dolan replied to another blogger, a brave mom who wrote about the controversial topic of gender stereotyping.

A wonderful, brave woman named Mara contacted me recently, sharing her blog postings, hoping for a little feedback. This is a snip-bit of one of her entries...

Ungendered

Dear parents,
When you argue over whether or not it is acceptable to paint my son’s nails, or my 3 yo daughter’s for that matter, it kind of breaks my heart.

We’re stuck on nails? This is not make or break a childhood material. It simply is not. It’s a personal choice and pretty inconsequential at that.... Read the rest here.



This is my reply to her:


Mara,

I am crying. This post is the most beautiful and sincere post I have ever read on this subject.

 "I think I am raising a new kind of man." Mara. Beautiful.

I have a fierce fire in me, supporting every single word that you wrote here. What a smart, smart woman you are. Stand proud. Very proud. You are speaking truth and you are 100% correct in your parenting, leading with the love for your child. You don't lead with societal ideology, allowing it to dictate how you interact or care for your brilliantly creative child.

The way you explained your son, I had so many similar thoughts, feelings, inspirations inside of me as a little boy. I was lucky that my mother understood that gender confinement was cruel. My mother allowed me to play with dolls because it was what my instinct was telling me to do. It allowed me to learn very well developed social skills incredibly early. --Which, in turn, helped me to cope with the bullies of childhood, and now in adulthood. Dresses, pants, pink or blue. It is all natural to children. Which, by the way, blue was originally the color for girls, reflective of the sky and total purity. --That is why most traditional wedding dresses used to be blue as well. Almost never white. Pink used to be the color for boys, being that it was a lighter shade of the aggressive red color. ...It is all so ridiculous, and if we just take a step back, we can see that something so silly holds no real humane value. And yet, it often controls otherwise intelligent adults.

I have passionately studied human behavior, and learned a lot about how the human brain actively learns. I will end with this fact:
Babies naturally love those who care for them. They don't care about the color of skin or clothing, they don't care about the gender or the sexual orientation of the person caring for them. They just care that they are embraced and nurtured, allowed to safely explore their instincts and curiosities. That is not wrong. It is human.


Sending Love to you and your entire family,

Dr Franky Dolan

New Greeting / Note Cards, called Poetic Art Cards! By Dr Franky Dolan

They are here! We are now selling sets of cards and envelopes! Here is one example, About to Leap!

Get yours here:https://www.etsy.com/listing/155926369/5-cards-envelopes-set-about-to-leap

About Poetic Art Cards:

Dr Franky Dolan’s touching writing style has been published in numerous magazines, for his unique ability to provoke nostalgia and inspiration. He had a dream of creating these little cards, which can be shared abundantly, all for the purpose of lifting the heavy hearts of the world. He created an entire series of deeply beautiful poetic stories that accompany his original paintings and creations. Now, those powerful images and poetic stories come together in one easily shared package. These are much more than just simple greeting cards, they are true works of literature and visual art.

Each card is printed in a format that can be handled like beautiful little art prints, framed and hung on the wall; or they can be traded or shared like traditional cards. In order to maximize the flexibility of these cards, they come as a single sheet of glossy cardstock paper, like a postcard format. The backside has the accompanying poetic story, with enough open space for you to write your own little sweet notes to someone special. Complimentary crisp white envelopes are included for every card.

The cards measure a standard 5.5" by 4.25". ...What fun to have and to share these little magical works of art!



Dr Dolan's story, printed on this card, About To Leap:

Ever want so badly to believe in yourself, but you just couldn't? This image speaks to that moment just before you take that leap, once you have found the strength to believe in yourself. You can be brave, and you will be alright. We must take risks and believe that we can be great once we do. So take that leap of faith, you may just float.. and then fly...

This painting is for anyone who wants so badly to believe in themselves.... My friends, you can do it!

Sending Love,

Dr Franky Dolan 

Animated Video by Bedridden Artist, Dr Franky Dolan -- The Spirit Dances

I created an animated video, featuring my art piece, The Spirit Dances. 

This was a lot of work, putting together the music and narrating the piece as well. But I do love it! Please enjoy, and spread the love!

Sending Love,

Dr Franky Dolan

Like A Raven ~ Painting, Angels and Emotions

This painting came to me in a flash, his presence was here beside me as I created this. I have felt him in my times of needing a warrior; when I was scared and unable to defend against life's seemingly insurmountable challenges. I created this image using various types of paints and mediums, layer upon layer, upon layer, as complex as our emotions, and as alive as our own spirits. An angel can be many different things, depending on our perspectives and beliefs, they come in all colors and shapes. For me, this is how I experience the angels in my life, and this is how I show the world that they exist. 

Like A Raven 

Like a raven in the night, he is unseen by a simple glance. Cloaked in a robe made of sparkly feathers, he is concealed among the stars. With a twinkling flash of lightning, he appears. An electric surge illuminates his face, from under the feathered hood. He is an angel, among the many, who guard the skies for our protection. His entrancing eyes convey powerful whispers of love and grace. He is with us, he has arrived. Like A Raven.