Pain, Kittens, and Roller Derby: Just Another Day in My Wild Life

Some days, you wake up, and your body decides it’s going to be your worst enemy. Today was one of those days.

For those who don’t know, I have an autoimmune disease, which means my body is basically at war with itself all the time. And stress? Oh, stress just turns up the volume on that war, making my bones feel like they’re trying to escape my body.

Let me live my chaotic life in peace!

Luckily, I have a smart watch that thinks it's my life coach, constantly reminding me to "breathe" and "calm down" like I’m some kind of toddler on the verge of a meltdown. It’s about as bossy as my car, which immediately yells at me to buckle up the second I sit down—like, can I get settled first?! I get it, safety and self-care are important, but come on, let me live my chaotic life in peace!

Despite feeling like my skeleton was actively trying to escape my body, today was actually pretty fantastic. Why? Because I got to spend the day feeding my baby foster kitten named Timber every two hours.

Timber is basically a mini panda in kitten form, and I adore him.

Timber in his incubator

If competitive kitten-snuggling were a thing, I’d have a trophy case full of gold medals.

Naturally, he tagged along with me throughout the day—because it’s kitten season, and if my kitten isn’t invited, well, neither am I. But don’t worry, if Timber wasn’t technically allowed somewhere… let’s just say he’s got a PhD in stealth. And if anyone asks?

I know nothing.

But hey, no pressure!

In between feeding my little panda-kitten, I was deep in discussions with vendors and our incredible partners at Humane Alliance, working on all the details for the clinic—what we’ll offer, our protocols, and, of course, just how expensive this whole endeavor is going to be. It’s both exciting and terrifying, like riding a roller coaster that you personally financed. But hey, no pressure!

The clinic surgery suite

To cap off the day, I had my usual Wednesday night roller derby practice. And let me tell you, I am obsessed. I skate for West Florida Roller Derby, formerly Pensacola Roller Gurlz, Hurricane Honieyz (yes, they spelled it that way), and Emerald Coast Roller Derby—all of which have now joined forces into one glorious, full-contact team of badassery.

Some people do yoga. I throw on skates and check people into walls.

We skate at Weber's Skate World in Milton, and if you’ve never seen roller derby, you need to. It’s a family-friendly sport full of strong, independent, athletic women working together to…well, beat the crap out of each other in the most organized, empowering way possible.

My newest team photo

Roller derby is my stress relief. Some people do yoga. I throw on skates and check people into walls. It’s therapeutic. And if you have children, bring them to a game. Let them see women being fierce, athletic, and supportive all at once. My own children have grown up around roller derby, and they even have their own derby names. It’s more than a sport—it’s a community, a family. When you join a team like this, you suddenly have a group of women who have your back, on and off the track.

If what you want doesn’t exist, create it.

I started playing derby in 2010 and helped form the original Pensacola Roller Gurlz at Dreamland. I was so determined to play that I was ready to drive to Tallahassee if I had to. But instead of just joining whatever existed, I saw an opportunity to build something even better. And that’s a lesson I carry with me every day: If what you want doesn’t exist, create it.

That’s what I did with roller derby. That’s what I did with A HOPE. If I had just accepted things the way they were, I wouldn’t be part of these two incredible nonprofits that have changed so many lives—both human and non.

And if you do it right, you’ll find yourself surrounded by the best kind of people

So if you’re out there thinking something is too hard, or that the path ahead isn’t clear—make your own path. And if you do it right, you’ll find yourself surrounded by the best kind of people (and maybe a kitten or two).

Some of the original Pensacola Roller Gurlz

Now, after a long, exhausting, painful, yet incredibly fulfilling day, I’m off to shower. My hands smell like Cheetos, and I have no idea why. But honestly? That just feels like the perfect ending to a perfect day.