Christina Carrell

Freelance Writer

United States of America

Copywriter. Bookworm. Foodie. Mom.
MA in English, Rutgers University
Covering women's and social issues, health, parenting, and food

Contributor for The Huffington Post, The Mighty, and Jersey Bites. Featured on BlogHer.

Portfolio
The Mighty
15 Cringeworthy Pieces of Advice People With Chronic Illness Have Received

Moms with Pain (@momswithpain) August 1, 2016 As you can imagine, my followers have been on the receiving end of some pretty terrible advice. Some of the responses are downright infuriating, especially the ones that involve victim blaming. But some will make you laugh. Others will make you cringe.

Scary Mommy
09/04/2016
6 Things To Know When You're Parenting Through Chronic Pain

I'd already lived with chronic migraines, occipital neuralgia, and thoracic outlet syndrome for seven years. When I learned I was pregnant, I knew that my pain would affect my parenting, but I didn't realize just how significantly. I remember one night in particular so vividly when my son was just a couple months old.

The Good Men Project
08/20/2016
When Mom's Migraines Attack, it's OK, Dad is There

Overwhelmed with nausea, I sit down on one of our kitchen chairs. My fingers fumble with my medication injection pack as I open it, remove one of the cartridges, and insert it into the pen. I suck in air and hold my breath, pressing the pen into my thigh until it indents a circle on my flesh.

Jersey Bites
Marlton's OSushi Deserves an 'OYes'

Upon entering Marlton's new Japanese restaurant OSushi , you might think you've stepped into a relaxing spa-if you haven't already heard the buzz about the food. OSushi's tranquil ambiance owes a lot to its decor, which emphasizes earthen shades of brown, black, and green.

Jersey Bites
A 'Local' Lunch at Harvest Seasonal Grill And Wine Bar

You might think words like "local" and "seasonal" don't belong in the same sentence with shopping mall. Harvest Seasonal Bar and Grill , with six locations and two in the works, just might banish that stereotype. A few weeks ago, Jersey Bites Executive Editor Deborah Smith and I enjoyed a lunch at Harvest's Moorestown Mall location.

Jersey Bites
Vincentown Diner: A Jersey Fresh Spin on Classic Diner Cuisine

The drive to the Vincentown Diner always feels vintage, like a trip to a place time forgot. Farm stands, endless fields of crops, farmhouses, more farm stands, dairy bars straight out of 1950s Americana. Oh, and my cell usually loses reception, too. (Smartphones just don't fit in with the scene there.)

The Mighty
To Fix Migraine's Unfair Reputation, Let's Rebrand It

People who don't get migraines don't always "get" migraines. Sure, they might get the occasional one every so often, but you cannot fully comprehend what it's like to live with chronic migraine as a disorder until you've lived each day in fear of the next inevitable attack.

Jersey Bites
Burlington County Farmers Market: Season 10!

If there's one word that describes the Burlington County Farmers Market best, it's community. During my first visit of the 2016 season, my husband, toddler, and I watched from a spot on the lawn as shoppers relaxed with their friends and families.

BlogHer
06/07/2016
Why I Got Rid of All My High Heels

Using a local yard sale page, I recently sold every pair of high heels I own. Knowing I'd never wear any of them again, I felt a bit of regret as I handed off the last pair.

Mothering with Chronic Pain
06/21/2016
Coping with 'Mom Guilt': Colleen's Story

Each month, Mothering with Chronic Pain will feature a different mom's story of life with illness. In June, we are featuring Colleen, who suffers from chiari malformation and pseudotumor cerebri. Please contact me if you'd like to have your story featured in the coming months.

The Mighty
6 Things Moms With Chronic Pain Should Know

I'd already lived with chronic migraine, occipital neuralgia and thoracic outlet syndrome for seven years. When I learned I was pregnant, I knew my pain would affect my parenting, but I didn't realize just how significantly. I remember one night in particular so vividly when my son was just a couple months old.

Jersey Bites
5 South Jersey Culinary Gems

South Jersey features an eclectic blend of culinary delights from off-the-beaten-track diners to exotic, high-end cuisine. Here are a few of my favorites. El Mariachi L oco, 101 Bellevue Avenue, Hammonton, 609-270-7224 Hammonton, whose claim to fame is being the "Blueberry Capital of the World," is also home to a few great Mexican restaurants, and as such is one of the best places to enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine.

The Huffington Post
06/23/2016
Why Breast Isn't Always Best for Moms with Chronic Illness

I'm a breastfeeding mom. I fought hard to nurse my son. And I believe in a woman's right to breastfeed. But I don't call myself a breastfeeding proponent. Instead, I prefer to be an advocate for mothers with chronic illness (like myself) and their babies. What does that have to do with infant feeding?

The Huffington Post
06/28/2016
5 Reasons You Can't Assume a Person Isn't in Pain

I was sitting in one of those canvas painting classes, waving a paintbrush back and forth in a very amateur attempt to recreate Monet's Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lillies. "You're lucky you're young," casually comments the older woman sitting next to me, "You don't have to worry about arthritis in your hands."

Mothering with Chronic Pain
05/15/2016
Why Migraine Needs a Rebranding

People who don't get migraines don't always "get" migraines. Sure, they might get the occasional one every so often, but you cannot fully comprehend what it's like to live with chronic migraine as a disorder until you've lived each day in fear of the next inevitable attack.

Mothering with Chronic Pain
05/22/2016
5 Best Infant Feeding Resources for Moms with Chronic Illness

Infant Risk Center - Anyone who has ever researched the safety of medications during lactation has probably heard the name "Dr. Hale" evoked. Dr. Thomas Hale, Ph.D, R.Ph., spearheads the Infant Risk Center (IRC) at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, which provides some of the best guidance and most up-to-date research on medications and...

Medium
05/09/2016
Crafting Social Media Posts Using Audience Awareness

My educational background is in English Literature. A lifelong devotee of the written word, my insatiable appetite for language and voracious love for reading ultimately lead me to a Master's degree in English.

The Mighty
5 Reasons We Should Never Assume Someone Isn't in Pain

I was sitting in one of those canvas painting classes, waving a paintbrush back and forth in a very amateur attempt to recreate Monet's "Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lillies" (spoiler: I'm not an artist and the end result bore little resemblance to the original).

BlogHer
05/21/2016
3 Ways to Support Moms With Chronic Pain

Teething, tantrums, sleep deprivation.Being a mom is hard work -- for all moms. But for moms with chronic pain, parenting can sometimes feel impossible. If you live every day with chronic illness, you know how it feels to balance the normal demands of motherhood on top of the worry, fear and misery that accompany a life with daily pain.

The Mighty
The Anti-Bullying Meme I Think All Special Needs Moms Could Benefit From

A popular anti-bullying meme has been making the rounds on social media for a while now. Several variations of it exist, but usually it begins something like, "That girl you just called fat?... She is overdosing on diet pills," and then continues, "The girl you just called ugly?...