“Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage…” - We Bought a Zoo
And thank goodness Madison took her 20 seconds and posted a TikTok, or we wouldn’t have her voice to advocate for the chronic illness community!
Madison @MedicallyMadison is all over TikTok showing her real life living with POTS. She’s an amazing advocate, person, and is in grad school to be a THERAPIST (more therapists who have lived it YES PLEASE!)
We asked Madison to share how she got here, what a good day looks like, and something she wishes everyone knew about POTS.
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Dirty Bourbon: Why do you advocate?
Madison: One random day I decided to post a Tiktok about my condition, POTS, due to feeling lonely and at a loss. Somehow, that one video turned into the platform I have today. Now, I advocate for Dysautonomia, POTS, and EDS in the hopes of reducing the diagnosis wait time- for it statistically takes 3-4 years to be diagnosed with POTS. This is very important to me due to being in that exact situation, with no answers, and left in the dark at a young age.
DB: What's one thing you wish people would understand about your invisible disability?
M: One thing I wish others understood about invisible illness is the Spoon Theory, which is a theory that describes energy use between the chronically ill and those that are not.
DB: How does spoon theory apply to you?
M: The Spoon Theory applies to me in SO many aspects, for it helps me express how much energy I have and can use daily. So when I saw Dirty Bourbon's spoon designs I was instantly drawn in. (DB note: You can check out the whole collection here!)
DB: What's the hardest thing you've overcome in life?
M: The hardest thing I am currently overcoming in life is watching my younger sibling struggle with similar conditions (EDS). I personally see my condition as this, we all have shit in our lives and this just so happens to be mine. Because of that, I am able to keep a positive mindset but when you see the same conditions begin to affect family members, it's so much harder to keep that positive mindset.
DB: What's a good day look like for you?
M: For me, a good day looks like almost fainting 2-15 times a day but regardless, I push through and make the day as great as it can be.
DB: What's one thing you love about yourself?
M:I love that I am able to keep a positive outlook on life.
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Thank you Madison for chatting with us, and for sharing your story! Follow Madison on TikTok for POTS, EDS and Dysautonomia advocacy, and her amazingly witty videos.
To check out our No Spoons collection, click here!
