Interview With Cassie Creley

A Special Treat

Hi friends! I have a very special treat for you today— a glimpse into the world of a very inspiring, captivating and delightful blogger!

Cassie Creley, a native of Washington state, runs a blog called Starlight through the Storm, where she posts about everything from life with chronic illnesses, to creative endeavors, writing and faith. Frankly, we have a lot in common and I am pretty bummed that she lives across the country…..

Cassie and I first connected last summer, when I did her Invisible Illness, Visible Worth interview project (read post here). I loved the opportunity to branch out and share my story, so I wanted to turn the tables around and give her that same chance!

So sit back, grab a nice cup of whatever beverage suits your fancy, and get ready to dive into Cassie’s world!

Let’s Begin!

1.) You are a chronic illness blogger—what health conditions do you struggle with and how does that impact your day-to-day life?

I live with multiple chronic health conditions including dysautonomia (POTS), fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, asthma, allergies, and autoimmune disease. I had a thyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer at age 29. I’m also being treated for possible Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).

On my blog, I try to find a balance between sharing encouragement and keeping it positive, while being honest about the fact that my daily symptoms are a real struggle. My illnesses snowball into each other and I’m fortunate if I have one usable hour a day.

I am limited by severe fatigue and weakness and a laundry list of symptoms; here are some of the major ones. I deal with daily tachycardia and low blood pressure, which can leave me feeling close to passing out, especially if I change position too quickly. These are symptoms of Dysautonomia, a nervous system disorder that affects everything your nervous system regulates, from heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and more. Fibromyalgia causes muscle weakness, pain, brain fog (aka cognitive impairment), fatigue, and other symptoms. A lot of the time my body only allows me to lie down. I have to pace myself when it comes to standing, walking, and even sitting upright to prevent flares of symptoms or crashes.

2.) How has having a blog helped you cope with your chronic illness?

I’ve always wanted to write books (I still hope to!), but I was feeling pretty discouraged about three years ago as I thought about the time and effort it would take for me to ever produce a book. It was frustrating that when I was able to write, my writing just stayed on my computer. I realized I really needed an audience and an outlet for my words, both so that I could reach an audience of real-live people, and also so I could have a sense of accomplishment. Starting a blog felt like a victory over chronic illness and all the things it has stolen from me.

“Starting a blog felt like a victory over chronic illness and all the things that it has stolen from me.”

Blogging is also an outlet that allows me to have a positive impact. I’ve found a real sense of purpose in it. It’s a special thing to be able to give of yourself, and chronic illness can limit that in a lot of ways. But if I feel like I am able to share advice or encouragement that will help someone else, I don’t feel so trapped by chronic illness. I’m still able to reach out to others and offer my skills, experiences, and imagination.

“I’m still able to reach out to others and offer my skills, experiences, and imagination.”

I also want to help others share their stories. I know not everyone loves to write or wants to run a website, so I figured I could use my blog as a platform to allow others to share. This led me to create my Invisible Illness, Visible Worth interview project. My hope is that the interview format will work well both for people who love to write as well as those who don’t consider themselves writers. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know people through this project and to help people share a little bit about their lives and shed light on their health conditions. (You can read my interview with Olivia here.)

3.) What is one lesson you have learned recently?

It’s not so much learning something new, as relearning something in my walk with God. He was reminding me in December that He is with me. It’s such a seemingly simple thing, but it bears taking the time to remember.

I know when I lose sight of the fact that God is with me, I lean on myself and my own strength, and then my hope wavers because I feel like it’s all on me.

I think we can often feel alone in what we’re going through, whether that’s chronic illness or the isolation so many are experiencing due to the pandemic. And when you’re constantly experiencing the world in a different way from those around you (because of symptoms), it can really reinforce this idea that you’re facing everything alone.

So it was particularly relevant and timely that God has been reminding me that He is with me. And not in some vague way, but in this season, in this struggle, in this moment. God keeps bringing to mind Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:20, and whether I’m curled up under a blanket too tired to move or trying to work up the energy to get to a medical appointment, I can pray “Jesus, please be with me in this.” And He is. It’s so incredible how many Bible verses are about God being with us, and this truth is something I want to continue to learn and meditate on.

“I can pray, ‘Jesus, please be with me in this.’ And He is.”

4.) I see you are passionate about creativity—how do you make time to nurture your creative side?

Making time to be creative is so important to me. I firmly believe creativity is in our DNA and a beautiful reflection of our Creator. I love all sorts of crafting and costuming and throwing themed parties. Unfortunately, my health means I don’t have the energy to pursue most of my hobbies, or if I do something creative, it’s very scaled back. I’ve found it’s vital for me to give myself permission to create something small or imperfect. The act of creating is more important than a perfect outcome.

“The act of creating is more important than a perfect outcome.”

One way I do this is by re-imagining coloring pages. (For instance, I turned Ariel into a pirate.) It’s a little thing, but I’ve found a low-energy way to let my imagination run wild. I also have to remind myself that blogging totally counts as being creative. Sometimes I forget just how much creativity goes into creating a blog post, like the behind-the-scenes work of choosing topics, creating graphics, and taking photos. I’m kind of floored by how easily I can also forget that writing, the thing I’m most passionate about, is a creative pursuit! I get this feeling of: “Oh no, I haven’t been creating anything lately!” And then I step back and realize, of course I’ve been creating! I have to remind myself that even when I don’t feel like it, I’m a Writer. I’m a Blogger.

One thing I’ve found helpful is to occasionally print out what I write so that I have something tangible to show. Usually that means poems, but I’ve also printed out a couple of my favorite blog posts so I can have that feeling of accomplishment when I hold something I made in my hands.

Another way I enjoy creating is by making gifts for friends—being able to give something handmade makes creating even more special to me. I try to give myself plenty of time to make gifts in advance so I don’t feel stressed or rushed. I shared photos of some of my recent handmade gifts in my December wrap up post.

5.) What is something you want to learn? It could be a skill, hobby, etc.

I’ve been wanting to learn embroidery forever, and I was just gifted a Jane Austen themed kit for Christmas, so I’m really excited to start learning. I figure this will be a craft I can learn even when lying down.

I’ve also been reading blogs on refashioning for quite awhile, and I’d like to try my hand at it. I did a couple refashions last year and might do a blog post (or posts) about them in the near future.

6.) Are you an Anne or Diana (Anne of Green Gables reference here, disregard if it doesn’t apply!)

I loved reading the Anne books when I was younger (still love them!) and I connected immediately with Anne, especially with her letting her imagination get too overactive and practically bursting with the need to write.

After reading L. M. Montgomery’s Emily books a few years ago, I realized I might be more of an Emily than an Anne. I think of Emily as Anne’s introverted little sister—still very imaginative, but more pensive and quieter. (I wrote a mini review of the series here.) I also connected with Emily’s struggles as a creative soul, and her own experiences with dealing with feeling alone.

 7.) And lastly, where can people connect with you and what can they expect from your content?

My blog is StarlightThroughTheStorm.com. You can also find me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Bloglovin. I’ve also just started writing on The Mighty, which is a great chronic illness resource.

I blog about creativity, faith, and joy in chronic illness. I also love to talk books and create printables. I’m hoping to make more in 2021, especially based on Bible verses and other words of encouragement.

I’d love to hear what you’re creating and what’s encouraging you lately, so please feel free to drop by!

That’s All for Now

Well I really hope you enjoyed getting to know Cassie as much as I have! If anything from her story resonated with you, please feel free to share in the comments below. Or better yet, head over to her blog to connect and follow along with her journey!