Lots of you right here signed up for Authorized Nomads in its early days, again when it was a weblog about my round-the-world adventures. Lengthy earlier than it morphed right into a enterprise, and definitely nicely earlier than my life modified dramatically eight years in the past. After I first stop my job to journey, the panic of the not-knowing would sometimes creep in. I went from a lock-step profession of authorized work, the place annually wage was introduced and measured, to an unintended entrepreneurship the place I genuinely didn’t know the place my path was heading.
However what a experience it was.
For near a decade, I construct my enterprise round what you, my readers, instructed me you wanted or wished. Initially, the positioning was simply the misadventures of my travels and the marvel of what I used to be seeing or experiencing. As my readership grew, and I began having reader meetups or doing meals excursions, you requested me for particular issues.
Legal professionals requested me how I knew when it was proper to stop my job, or how I managed that uncertainty. My various careers for legal professionals collection and assets web page was born. Celiac readers requested me to write down extra about how I discovered meals safely as I traveled. My celiac guides and translation playing cards then grew to become a part of my work. You requested to satisfy me for soup. I began meals excursions so I may accomplish that, then country-based art work in my store that you can take dwelling after we ate collectively. You wished me to share the articles I learn someplace extra tangible than social media, so I began my Hyperlinks I Beloved e-newsletter, which was Curious About All the pieces after my spinal CSF leak started.
There have been different initiatives you requested for, like a course about tips on how to write tales in a digital world, or posts about how I handle my worry of public talking. These had been in progress by the point that I sustained my leak in 2017, however sadly I needed to put an finish to my hopes of making them as my well being merely doesn’t permit it.
As you all nicely know, my life nowadays is bodily a teeny tiny sliver of the decadent expanse of my journey years. I’m largely caught in mattress, or at minimal in my condo —particularly in winter, when it’s not protected for me to go outdoors as I danger shedding my meagre ‘uptime’ baseline if I slip. As an alternative of measuring my days in billable hours, it’s measured in “standing increments”; as quickly as I hit my restrict, I now not can rise up.
Tips on how to match all that I wish to create, plus feeding myself and caring for primary wants, into the tick-tock of the clock because it runs down towards my limits?
A fellow leak affected person talks about upright time as an hourglass, each as a result of the picture evokes not solely the panic of passing time but in addition the truth that it flows downward, very like the stress exerted on my mind and backbone. I’ve adjusted, after these lengthy eight years, to the rigidity of needing to reside my life on this manner. Satirically, I by no means wished to measure my time in these billable items once more, but right here I’m needing to depend the seconds as quickly as I rise up.
And but, one can accomplish a lot from mattress. Due to know-how, and to group, although my bodily existence is tiny, my life is in any other case infinite. I’ve been capable of replace you all by way of social media, take part in initiatives I care deeply about, and tackle a management function as a volunteer on the Spinal CSF Leak Basis.
Dwelling in ache is so exhausting. It’s laborious to essentially quantify the vastness of the weariness, as a result of even making an attempt to take action takes extra out of you. And like many issues in life, this degree of what I usually discuss with as ‘granularity’, residing a teeny life, isn’t one thing one can comprehend except you’re smack dab inside it. Positive, we’re usually able to relative empathy. But actually considering of the constriction of that have, of the fixed abacus of measuring uptime seconds, of not with the ability to tie your individual sneakers — it’s not one thing it’s important to take into consideration till you’re compelled to.
For me, 2025 began out in despair.
On Christmas Day final 12 months, I slid in my bathe and unspooled my leak baseline to shut to nothing. The subsequent months had been spent largely in mattress, hoping issues would enhance. It felt like time moved slowly, and that I couldn’t dig into the initiatives I wished to work on.
The previous 12 months was one of many hardest I’ve had for causes above and past my leak reopening final December. Each my dad and stepmom had been within the hospital (my dad for a good portion of the 12 months), and serving to handle their care plus my function with the Spinal CSF Leak Basis, plus operating my very own enterprise and coping with my very own important well being points virtually broke me.
But trying again on 2025, I in some way managed to do rather a lot whereas supine.
As a result of I publish and share so sometimes, and since this 12 months was so very dense in methods I didn’t assume I may deal with for much longer, I wished to record out a number of the issues I’m happy with this 12 months. It’s for me, too, as a result of I not often cease to consider what I’ve executed earlier than transferring onto the following process that wants me.
So for each of us, here’s what I did from mattress this 12 months:
I printed my Curious About All the pieces E-newsletter every month
CAE’s first iteration was an e-mail record referred to as “Linkies of the Day”, a compilation of hyperlinks I learn once I was nonetheless lawyering. After I stop my job in 2008, I began running a blog right here on Authorized Nomads, and stopped sending out compilations of different studying. I didn’t have as a lot time to learn with a whirlwind of journey every day, and Web entry wasn’t as widespread. I keep in mind nonetheless having my Blackberry for the primary 12 months or two of journey, and studying the information to bunkmates in a hostel from it; these days appear quaint in comparison with the firehose of what we are able to do from our telephones now.
Both manner, a couple of years into my unintended enterprise, I began Hyperlinks I Beloved as a result of readers requested me to compile the attention-grabbing items I shared by way of Twitter. I stored that e-newsletter till I sustained my leak.
Just a few years into my leak when it grew to become clear my life wasn’t going to ever return to what it was prior, I had a superb cry and actually re-thought the way in which I constructed my enterprise and what I liked most concerning the life I managed to create. It was curiosity, amongst something, that stored me going, searching for, all the time in awe. I redesigned Authorized Nomads, as you all know, and Hyperlinks I Beloved grew to become Curious About All the pieces, a e-newsletter that embodies the factor that’s stored me going all these leaky years later.
CAE #1 went out November 15, 2020. 5 years later, I’m at CAE 57, which went out in December. Every month, I compile the very best issues I learn with a “begin right here” part, in addition to a “the very best of all the pieces else”. On the backside, a “fast hyperlinks” bullet level record of shorter posts that also caught my eye. And it’s been a pleasure to function one artist every month whose work captured my consideration.
As a result of my Patreon is a paid membership, I’ve stored CAE free. As long as my enterprise continues to earn cash by way of celiac playing cards and the Patreon, I hope to proceed doing so.
It takes loads of work every month to place this article collectively, however it is part of me that has all the time been entrance and centre: the voracious must study after which ship items to individuals I believe would take pleasure in them.
I offered my 25,000th celiac translation card, and supplied 3 new languages
My celiac translation playing cards, which I began after a 2015 journey to Japan when it grew to become clear {that a} shorter card I used was nonetheless getting me sick, are nonetheless serving to others journey safely even when I’m not capable of go any longer. They’ve been an unbelievable a part of my enterprise to look at evolve.
What started with a ache level for me and a reader who agreed to check a Japanese beta card I created to unravel it has was 21 languages, and whitelisted playing cards for journey brokers, physicians, and hospitals.
In an period of much less respect for mental property, it’s additionally been irritating to see individuals purchase the cardboard after which promote it themselves after downloading their buy. Nonetheless, the playing cards assist celiacs around the globe eat safely and it feels unbelievable to have the ability to accomplish that from mattress.
This 12 months, I offered my 25,000th card, began providing 3 new languages (Croatian, Korean, and Khmer), and have a number of playing cards within the works for 2026.
I printed 2 new “important gluten free guides” this 12 months.
I can solely spend a small share of uptime on this a part of my work, and have collaborated with readers to assist me make sure that my guides are correct and updated.
This 12 months, I used to be capable of publish my celiac guides to Cambodia, and to South Korea. Every information is free, round 3000-5000 phrases and consists of what meals are protected and unsafe, eating places and retailers which might be appropriate for celiacs, and the related translation card in that nation’s language(s). My journey guides had been amongst first on the net to record out the protected/unsafe meals on this manner; once I began writing them over a decade in the past individuals typically listed the eating places and retailers, and a phrase or two. For me, the largest assist to feeling anxious as a celiac was to study the precise meals within the nation I used to be visiting, and know what to flag on menus or at road stalls each for gluten free objects and dishes that had been undoubtedly going to be unsafe. Seemingly as a result of loads of the meals I liked to eat was road meals, I wasn’t going into locations that catered to travellers. This meant I wanted to really feel and be ready to grasp the meals within the place I used to be visiting.
My gluten free guides collection has expanded from that preliminary template from Japan to fifteen nations, together with that South Korea information that was a collaboration with a reader who not too long ago visited the nation. There are further guides (hopefully!) within the works for 2026.
My Patreon grew to become a house for writing that slot in nowhere else
The issue with being inquisitive about all the pieces, is that each one your pursuits don’t match right into a neat area of interest someplace that you would be able to market. This by no means deterred me; I shared what I loved and wrote about what fascinated me over and above what readers requested for.
Through the years, individuals gave me pointed recommendation about solely specializing in life after legislation, or on journey as a celiac. They meant nicely, and wished my enterprise to develop. However I wished my enterprise to be me, and whereas I used to be instructed that made me naive (and it might be the case), I’m completely happy that I spent my cell years doing life on my phrases.
The draw back to life now not being on my phrases is that this finite area from which I can write. Sure, I can use my thumbs from mattress on my cellphone (and do!) however when the ache will get so unhealthy it blots out any creating. I can solely lie there at the hours of darkness and watch for issues to enhance.
My Patreon membership is one other factor you readers requested for, and for that I’m grateful. The primary to take action was Justin, and I’ll all the time be glad about his nudge that it was one thing I ought to contemplate. After I set it up, as an alternative of getting completely different tiers with membership deliverables that different, I created a “Help Solely” Patreon, the place anybody from every tier had the identical entry.
This manner, I may ship what my well being and ache allowed, and folks may assist my work in no matter manner they wished. Every tier is a special chook — Bob the bluebird, Fiona the robin, and naturally Arthur mascot of Authorized Nomads and CAE and curiosity itself, a raven:
So as an alternative of writing extra on Authorized Nomads, I took to my Patreon for the items that match nowhere else. This 12 months I’ve written about:
- Thundersnow: what it’s and why it occurs
- A crash course concerning the Canadian electoral system
- Whether or not irritation may cause melancholy in individuals with insomnia? (The preliminary reply is sure)
- Why I haven’t gotten extra remedy for my spinal CSF leak
- All about anteaters (a part of a collection about completely different animals I like, the prior being shoebills) — this can be a public put up, so I linked to it
Every month I additionally share overflow hyperlinks that didn’t make it into CAE as a result of I ran out of room, in addition to brief life updates and photographs.
Thanks to those that had been or are within the Patreon! I preserve a listing of members right here, although there are a couple of names I nonetheless want so as to add who not too long ago signed up. I’ve talked about prior that I’m not eligible for incapacity in Canada (I know). The constant earnings from my Patreon permits me to focus loads of my time on my volunteer work, which advantages a large group of spinal CSF leak sufferers. All of us recognize your assist.
For those who’re curious about changing into a member, I’m providing 15% off till January fifth for all annual signal ups. Simply use code 2025YEAREND.
I used to be a co-author in my first analysis paper
This 12 months, I collaborated with a gaggle of physicians to take part as a affected person writer in a paper proposing a brand new standardized reporting measure for dynamic myelography. A myelogram is a diagnostic imaging take a look at that’s utilized in spinal CSF leak, involving a distinction dye injected intrathecally (contained in the dura), to get detailed output that helps find a leak or dural defect.
Dynamic myelography, and particularly dynamic CT Myelography, is a model of myelography that includes altering affected person positioning and scanning in real-time to visualise the distinction because it ‘escapes’, permitting physicians to find sure forms of leaks that is probably not seen with out the dynamic part.
Our paper’s proposed system, referred to as SIH-RADS, helped enhance understanding of the situation for sufferers, and physicians additionally mentioned they most well-liked it to conventional reporting choices. The paper’s title is a mouthful: “Enhancing Readability in Dynamic Myelography Reporting: Outcomes of a Survey of Sufferers and Referring Suppliers Evaluating a Standardized Reporting System within the Myelographic Work-Up of Sufferers with Suspected Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension“. A abstract created by the journal is under:
I used to be voted in as Board President of the Spinal CSF Leak Basis, and ran my first hiring course of
I initially began volunteering on the Spinal CSF Leak Basis in 2021, and in some way by 2025 I used to be invited to step up as official Board President. To say this was by no means in my plans is an understatement; I bought concerned to try to assist sufferers in additional official methods than my writing. I stayed to maintain contributing to analysis and progress within the discipline as a lot as I may. And I ended up being within the President function unexpectedly (that may be a theme in my life, I do know…)
An excellent chunk of of my waking hours had been devoted to the Basis this 12 months, together with the necessity to rent a brand new government director. It was my first rodeo planning a hiring course of, and it was each attention-grabbing and really nerve-racking. We acquired over 130 functions complete, way over anticipated. Creating questions, coordinating and attending the interview course of with board members, making a scoring course of, after which trying into the authorized elements of hiring with the assistance of professional bono employment counsel I introduced on (thanks Jess!) was rather a lot.
Along with hiring, there was planning the annual convention within the discipline, engaged on launching the primary worldwide affected person registry for spinal CSF leak, planning our consciousness week referred to as leakweek, operating Board conferences, and conserving the org operating with the assistance of the Board till the hiring course of was full and I may totally onboard our new ED.
It’s volunteer work, and folks usually ask why I’m doing a lot if it’s without spending a dime. My reply is twofold, one I’m very lucky that whereas my enterprise undoubtedly wants extra tending to — it nonetheless can run with little enter from me each day. And secondly, that given what number of pots I had my arms in unexpectedly on the org aspect, I used to be frightened that if I left initiatives I cared about would sputter. I couldn’t think about what that will be like for the broader group of leak sufferers.
It’s been a profoundly humbling expertise to be in a management function and assist transfer analysis and coverage ahead. I by no means imagined going to legislation college that I might be concerned in a medical analysis paper, nor assist run a 501(c)(3) a few situation I’d by no means heard of.
Whereas exhausting, this 12 months was additionally a shocking reward. I’ve mentioned I felt like I had 3 lives up to now: a lawyer life, a travelling life, and an advocate and creator life. Being on this management function compelled me to combine my disparate “lives” in methods I by no means anticipated. I used my ‘authorized mind’, I used abilities I picked and honed up operating my enterprise, and I continued to assist advocate alongside an excellent Board of Administrators. The web of all of it is the primary time since I began leaking that I imagine I can nonetheless discover my manner on the planet cognitively, regardless that I’ve a debilitating neurological situation.
I do must get again to my very own enterprise, and I’m hoping because the 12 months goes on I’ll slowly have the ability to shift a number of the de facto ED work to our new (pretty!) government director, and keep within the Board President function.
I spoke at a convention about boundaries to care in spinal CSF leak
And did so standing up!
This speak made me very nervous as a result of I felt the stress of representing the spinal CSF leak group as finest I may, whereas additionally speaking in a manner that (hopefully) made physicians keen to pay attention.
It was an uncommon speak as a result of it was structured as a ‘fireplace chat’, an open dialog between me and Dr. Andrew Callen, a neuroradiologist from from College of Colorado. We tackled completely different subjects within the discipline from the angle of sufferers vs. physicians, and had an open and uncooked dialogue concerning the elements which might be robust for every class.
Suggestions was optimistic, and I’m honoured that he requested me to take part on this 12 months’s convention. I used to be the one affected person speaker, however we did have affected person moderators who did a implausible job of guiding questions following prior physician-only talks.
I up to date some older posts with new knowledge or retrospectives, and printed one put up
- I up to date my put up about my Vipassana meditation expertise in New Zealand with a more recent part that appears again on this 10-day silent meditation course ten years later.
- I up to date my jet lag ideas put up with new research about sleep and modifications to the apps I beneficial beforehand
- I up to date my mast cell activation syndrome web page with new dietary shifts I’ve undertaken, and loads of new research about thyroid situations and mast cells, lengthy covid and MCAS, and extra. Years in the past, I wrote about touring with nervousness and insomnia, two elements of what felt like inexorable darkness that adopted me in every single place. Each the nervousness and the insomnia, it seems, had been a byproduct of a dysfunctional immune system. An immune system that grew to become much more dysfunctional as soon as I bought dengue fever from a mosquito in Vietnam, after which went into overdrive once I sustained my leak. With the consolation of that understanding, and extra common sleep than ever earlier than, I made a decision to construct the assets I want I had when desperately making an attempt to determine what was flawed. The distinction, this time, was I had to take action in 20 minute increments as an alternative of the hours of deep work I used to take pleasure in, however these 20,000 phrases hopefully will assist others with the situation.
- I up to date my celiac’s information to Ottawa put up with some new eating places I attempted this 12 months. This put up shall be a residing tree as I proceed to eat my manner across the metropolis I now name dwelling.
- I up to date my assets web page for legal professionals who wish to depart the legislation. Readers inform me it’s helpful for any profession change, and the method actually served me nicely many a time in my life.
- I printed a bit about the parable of telling chronically sick sufferers to “simply combat tougher”, and it features a compilation of quotes from others with complicated instances like mine.
Whereas I want I had extra bandwidth to write down new posts, I do try to maintain these articles with analysis background present as new knowledge emerge. And people which might be essential to my life path, just like the Vipassana retreat was for me, deserved a couple of additional phrases 10 years later.
I recorded a brand new podcast with Thomson Reuters, referred to as The Listening to
The producers of this podcast reached out by way of my contact kind to ask if I’d be curious about collaborating in a podcast episode about my recommendation to legal professionals who wish to change careers, in addition to the trajectory of my very own work life.
It’s 53 minutes lengthy, and I had enjoyable with the host — she requested nice questions, and was straightforward to speak and share with. I used to take part in podcast interviews usually, however much less so since my leak started. I hope you discover it attention-grabbing!
You possibly can pay attention on Apple Podcasts right here, or on Spotify right here.
We raised $4,217 USD for spinal CSF leak as a group!
This previous June, you all helped me hit the highest of the leaderboard for leakweek, the annual consciousness week for spinal CSF leak. Thanks for all of your contributions and donations, and your assist!
It’s been on chaotic and dense 12 months, however trying again on the entire above I really feel grateful for this implausible group and the weather of my enterprise which have allowed me to study a lot about my situation within the hopes of serving to others.
Wishing each one in every of you all the very best for the 12 months forward,
