Meet the human behind CIRL

The CIRL logo. On the left, a graphic depicting three stacked folder files in shades of red with the stripes of the disability flag shown on the front folder. To the right of this graphic in large bold letters is "CIRL" with the words "Chronic Illness Reso

Jay (they/them)
I'm a 30-something person living with fibromyalgia (with a side order of chronic fatigue), hypermobility spectrum disorder, and some other chronic illness stuff that is still awaiting a label. I'm currently unemployed because of this concoction of maladies so the Chronic Illness Resource Library is one of the ways I keep myself somewhat busy.I started CIRL on Tumblr in late 2025 after noticing that a lot of people with chronic illnesses are looking for information about their conditions on social media. Since I enjoy searching for information, and I was already doing a lot of it for myself anyway, I thought this was one way I could help others out while keeping myself entertained. The chronic illness community on Tumblr seemed to really appreciate my posts so I've decided it is time to expand the project. In May 2026, I joined Bluesky, and the next step is taking on Substack!Outside of CIRL, I'm a gamer, sci-fi fan, and I do a bit of knitting or cross-stitch when my hands allow it.

Background / qualifications
I am not a healthcare professional. I do have a background of working in healthcare (pharmacy, elder care, and disability support) and I have a couple of science degrees so I am confident in skeptically assessing and summarizing information. However, I do not claim to be qualified to give medical advice; I am just another chronically ill and disabled person who wants to help connect people in my community with resources.I encourage my followers/readers to consider the information I share carefully and seek advice from a medical professional before changing medications, starting to use a mobility aid, or making any major lifestyle changes.