GRAHAM SIMPLIFIED
One family’s journey toward health, simplicity and hope
Welcome. My name is Craig. This site is dedicated to the story of my family’s attempt to make life livable again after illness and struggles to adapt to neurodiversity. This site isn’t about selling a solution. It’s about documenting what’s real, what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what we’re still figuring out. If our story helps you ask a new question, feel less alone or maybe a bit entertained, that’s the goal.
Our Search for Home
Follow our 7,500 mile route across the country as we test environments, learn what affects my symptoms, and search for a place that feels livable again
Symptom Tracking
Tracking symptoms, environmental triggers, and recovery patterns as we travel.
Recent Reflections
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Field Notes #9 – Rockport Maine
The boys and I started our week in the Rockport/Rockland/Camden area with a hike up Mount Battie in the Camden State Park. The climb was short, rock, steep and technical – just how the boys like it. At the top we were rewarded with a great view of the ocean and an opportunity to climb the WW1 monument tower which sits on top of the mountain.
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Field Notes #8 – Part Two
We started our second week of vacation time in Maine with a short walk over to the Golf of Maine Mini Golf course just 600ft from the campground. After Meg got out of work, we ran over to Northeast Harbor for some blueberry donuts from Colonel’s Bakery and Restaurant and to walk along the marina. Northeast Harbor is a picture perfect ocean side town.
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When Chronic Illness Tries to Change Who You Are – An MCAS Sufferer’s Rant
There is one question I have been asked more often than I expected since my MCAS symptoms really started ramping up a couple of years ago. I think it is…
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Field Notes #8: Part 1 – Southwest Harbor, ME
This leg of the journey was supposed to be our “vacation time.” No homeschool for the kids, just a chance to enjoy everything Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island have to offer.
It started great. We spent lots of time exploring tide pools, found several new hikes, and after even more repairs (this time replacing the bike’s shifter cable), we were finally able to get some bike rides in as well.
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Field Notes #7 – Unplanned Stop
For those of you who have been following along with our journey across the United States to find a location where my MCAS symptoms are better, you might notice that this post looks a bit different than the previous ones. This was on purpose, because we didn’t plan on making this stop. Our truck decided to.
We were planning to spend the morning driving through New Hampshire’s White Mountains before continuing east into Maine—a drive of about five and a half hours to Sebasticook Lake Campground. We were going to stay there for a couple of days while Meg had important meetings and then continue on to Southwest Harbor, Maine. Once again…our truck had other plans.
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Field Notes #6 – Goshen, NH
We didn’t do as much while camping in Goshen due a lot to the three days of storms and because we had already been here for almost three weeks. We spent a lot of time enjoying the beautiful campground beach and Rand’s Pond. We got the boys each a tube, which they had a blast using in the pond and to get out to the floating dive platform.
We did sneak a few hikes in between the rain and homeschool time. We hiked the Sawyer Trail (which a name like Sawyer how could we not!!) which was an easy 1 mile hike through a mature forest. One morning we also to the short drive to the Ruth LeClair Memorial Trail, which is a 3 mile hike around a beautiful man-made lake.
A Little About Me
Hi, I’m Craig — a dad, husband, and lifelong runner learning to slow down. Eight years ago, I began developing strange, unexplained symptoms that upended my life and eventually led to a diagnosis of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).
Now my family and I are simplifying everything — selling our home, homeschooling our kids, and traveling the country in a 32-foot camper to find the environment where I can live with less pain and more peace.
I’m not here to sell a cure or offer easy answers. I’m just sharing what we learn along the way — about health, home, and the courage to start over.
If you’d like to know how this all began, you can read our story:
👉 The Story Behind Graham Simplified
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