I’m Frankie, the voice behind The Chronically Resilient. Before my health changed everything, I was a proud NCO medic in the U.S. Air Force—trusted by leadership, mentoring younger medics, and thriving in the high-pressure environment of military medicine. Then, a cerebral AVM diagnosis became the first in a cascade of rare, painful, and life-altering conditions that reshaped my life in ways I never could have imagined.

I live with multiple chronic illnesses—some visible, most invisible. They’ve stolen pieces of my health, but never my voice. Over the last five years, I’ve learned that resilience isn’t optional; it’s survival. Through surgeries, setbacks, and systems that too often fail people like me, I’ve become an advocate for visibility, dignity, and humanity for the chronic illness and disability community.

This blog is my space to share raw, unfiltered stories of what it’s really like to live with rare disease and invisible disability. It’s also a reminder that our struggles don’t erase our worth—and that being seen, believed, and respected is a basic human right.

Welcome to The Chronically Resilient. You’re not alone here.