I'm a writer, writing under the pseudonym Lucas J. Stone. I use a pseudonym/pen name for several reasons. Mainly to protect my privacy due to the nature of what I write about, both chronic illness advocacy and family trauma recovery. Secondly, to avoid the development of any further medical biases towards me and/or my treatment/care by the medical profession. Finally, to protect my children's privacy as I write about breaking generational cycles and family estrangement.
About Me
Living with a rare neurological disease means that I have been through the UK's healthcare system (NHS) and experienced first-hand how broken this system is. The process for me was traumatic; a dangerous game of psychological ping pong with deeply troubling repercussions for my physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Spending over seven years stuck in a diagnostic odyssey, forever changed me. A desperate fight to not just be listened to but believed. A fight so exhausting that at times it felt like I was losing my mind. Constantly knocking on doors, hoping someone would hear me. Only for it to be slammed in my face. Not knowing where to turn next.
I have experienced systemic biases which are so pervasive that most don't even recognise their existence or accept that they are a 'normal' part of our modern healthcare systems.
It's these experiences that have compelled me to share my story with the world. I wasn't born a writer, nor do I have any formal writing experience or qualifications, so my writing will certainly not be perfect.
However, I am passionate about bringing about awareness, which I hope my raw, unfiltered, and vulnerable writing will demonstrate.
I also believe that by increasing awareness, I can ultimately go on to help drive reform. Reform that puts the patient first. Making medical professionals stop and consider if they could be making clinical decisions based on biases.
My journey through healthcare trauma led me to recognise another form of systematic harm: generational family trauma. Growing up in a dysfunctional household where emotions were forbidden and physical punishment was normalised, I spent decades believing my childhood was "normal." Through extensive therapy and self-work, I discovered that surviving dysfunction doesn't mean it didn't harm me. This realisation and my decision to estrange from my father to protect my own healing has become central to my writing and advocacy.
Transparency
Writing under a pseudonym does not mean that what I write isn't real, because I can assure you it absolutely is. Everything that I write, every aspect of the vulnerability within my posts are real; raw, deeply personal and unfiltered.
In my writing, I try to avoid using names. But just for reference, if I ever do, they will have been changed to protect both them and my personal identity.
What I Write About
This website serves as the medium through which my pseudonym, Lucas J. Stone, can share our story, experiences, and opinions. It also allows me to push for reform in the healthcare system.
The blog utilises five tags; these are:
Although these are broad categories and have the potential to encapsulate a vast range of topics, they link around my experiences of living with a chronic disease, navigating the healthcare system, day to day life with a disability, recognising and healing from childhood trauma, breaking generational cycles, personal reflective pieces, as well as posts around opportunities for personal growth.
My Mission
As a writer and a patient myself, I challenge the healthcare system's approach to rare disease diagnosis and treatment. My work emphasises the critical need for medical professionals to:
- Listen with genuine empathy.
- Validate patient experiences.
- Expedite diagnostic processes.
- Provide compassionate care.
- Recognise and eradicate biases.
I also challenge the dangerous myth that surviving difficult childhoods means they "didn't do any harm." My work on generational trauma emphasises the critical need for:
- Recognising normalised family dysfunction
- Validating childhood experiences previously dismissed as "normal"
- Supporting those choosing estrangement for their wellbeing
- Helping parents break harmful cycles with their own children
- Creating awareness that family loyalty doesn't require accepting abuse
Who I Write For
Through authentic storytelling, I connect deeply with:
- Individuals navigating their diagnostic journey.
- Families supporting loved ones with rare conditions.
- Medical practitioners seeking to improve patient care.
- Adult children questioning their "normal" upbringing
- Parents determined to break generational cycles
- Individuals considering or navigating family estrangement
- Anyone recognising the intersection of childhood trauma and chronic illness
My Core Belief
“Just because we don't yet understand something doesn't make it any less real.”
This stands as the cornerstone of my advocacy work. I'm not just raising awareness; I’m creating a community for people with rare and chronic conditions to feel heard, understood, and empowered.
A second cornerstone of my work comes from my family trauma journey:
"Surviving dysfunction doesn't mean it didn't harm you and you don't have to repeat it with your children."
Together, these beliefs drive my mission to validate experiences that society often dismisses, whether medical symptoms or childhood trauma.
My Story
My writing comes from lived experience across multiple challenging realities. Seven years navigating the broken healthcare system with a rare neurological disease taught me about medical gaslighting and systemic biases. Decades of unrecognised childhood trauma taught me how dysfunction becomes normalised when it's all you know.
The intersection of these experiences, chronic illness developing in someone already carrying childhood trauma, has given me unique insight into how our earliest wounds affect our ability to advocate for ourselves, trust our bodies, and create healthy relationships.
I write as someone who has made the difficult decision to estrange from toxic family members, who is actively breaking cycles with my own children, and who continues fighting for both healthcare reform and family trauma awareness.
Join Me
If my story resonates with you, there are several ways to connect and engage:
- Subscribe for free to receive weekly insights and new content updates.
- Follow my journey on social media, where I try to be active.
- Share your own story in the comments section of my posts.
- Join my free online community [COMING SOON]
- Pre-order my debut book [COMING SOON]
One Off Donations
I accept donations from my readers to support my writing and continue raising awareness and advocating for change in our healthcare systems.
A suggested donation amount of at least £5 helps cover card processing fees, but I appreciate any contribution from my wonderful readers and subscribers.
Regular Support
For those that can afford to support me on a regular basis I have a paid supporter plan which is priced at £5 a month or £50 a year.
For those that do choose to become a paid supporter, I am very grateful and look forward to continuing to share my writing with you all. Thank you!