Pain Awareness month 2023
It is Pain Awareness month 2023 and as I have lived with chronic pain for over twenty years, I thought we would have a chat about it. During Pain Awareness Month 2023, I am reminded that many people get confused when it comes to pain, just as they do when we talk about fatigue, because everyone has experienced pain and tiredness. However, when it is pain that never goes, it becomes harder to for most people. This is why it is so important for us as advocates to speak up and be honest about the way we feel and the pain we are in. Raising awareness can only help people…
The fear of chronic illness flares
As I lay here in bed, in the middle of a massive flare, I thought we would chat about the fear of chronic illness flares. I have spoken here a few times about my chronic illness journey, I thought I was healthy before that first flare. I was a newly qualified nurse finding my feet, but I was actually born with hypermobile EDS and neurological issues that my neurologist refused to look into. When I found this out a lot of things started to make a lot of sense. That first flare left my in pain every day in all four limbs, chronic headaches, and most of my body numb.…
The importance of hobbies when you have chronic illnesses
Today I thought we would talk about the importance of hobbies when you have chronic illnesses because honestly? They will keep you sane! Before I got sick, I didn’t really have any hobbies, unless you count watching DVD box sets and walking. Though not walking anywhere particularly picturesque, more in order to stay fit I would walk instead of getting public transport. When I had my first flare and had to move back to my parents, everything in my life changed, it was a real tower moment. I lost all the friends, my job, my home everything and I soon found myself looking for something to keep me sane. This…
Cheap and Accessible Mindfulness Ideas
Spending time decompressing, relaxing and generally making space for yourself isn’t just a luxury- it should be an absolute necessity in all of our lives. Life can easily start to feel overwhelming if you allow it to get on top of you, and when your mental health suffers your physical health will too. And if you’re already living with a disability, this is even more important. Taking time out for yourself can involve anything that you find enjoyable, but to be able to keep it up it’s worth finding things that are inexpensive and accessible. Read below to find out five different activities you can do from your own home…
Five ways to embrace disability
Today I want to talk about five ways to embrace disability, society is so down on us it’s important to look from a different perspective. When I first became disabled I felt like I had to push through, to do without my walking stick and to pretend I was not in pain. Before I could admit to myself I couldn’t work because of how it affected me I tried so many jobs. I desperately wanted to be like everyone else, to work full time and have a ‘normal life’ I tried shop work, working in an office, a pharmacy and even a dentist office. However, my memory issues and unstable…
Tips for living well with a disability
It is no longer Disability Pride Month, but we still want to live our best lives so here are some tips for living well with a disability. Disability Pride Month is an important month for raising awareness and protesting for societal change. It is something I do my best with, but often struggle with just because of the title of pride, I feel the same about the LBGTQ+ pride month. Pride can be so hard to find when society around you seems determined to make your life seem disposable because of this one thing about you. The world around us is not made for our disabled needs, laws and often…
The importance of accessibility at venues and small businesses
It is still Disability Pride Month, so lets chat about the importance of accessibility at venues and small businesses. Pull up a chair for some horror stories! I have been disabled since I was in my early 20s, over the years I have used many different types of mobility aids. From crutches, to walkers, to wheelchairs I have used them in my day to day life to make sure that I am safe when I am moving about. In that time, I have been to some really incredibly accessible places but I have also had some shocking experiences! Considering that the law which governs buildings in the Disability Discrimination Act…
What Is Mindfulness Really?
Mindfulness is one of those words that get thrown around a lot these days, but very often it is not perhaps fully understood by the one saying it. In fact, it can mean a lot of different things, and that is just part of what happens when a culture is trying to take on a relatively new idea. But this raises the question: what actually is mindfulness, and how do you know when it’s happening? You are probably aware of the many purported benefits of mindfulness, and there is no doubt that it can indeed be an extremely powerful tool for many. But only if you are doing it right,…
How practicing mindfulness helps my chronic illnesses
Today as part of Disability Pride Month, I thought we would chat about how practicing mindfulness helps my chronic illnesses. I have lived with chronic illnesses and mental health conditions for most of my life, I always struggled with pain and anxiety even as a child. Through it all I could never seem to find anything that I felt in control of or that I did that would help. Most of the time, my pain was explained away as ‘growing pains’ and I was told as I got older I would grow out of them. However, by my early twenties my body was struggling and I was having problems with…
Disability Pride Month 2023
It is Disability Pride Month 2023, a time to raise awareness, and show that our disabilities do not mean we deserve hate or poverty. Let’s talk about it. I have been talking about disability and trying to be an advocate on this blog since July 2016. Naturally, I have always wanted to help others, and tried my best to stand up for people in the community who are unable to do so. It means so much to me to hear that something I have experienced helps others and it always helps me to feel less alone. Chronic illnesses often leave us unable to leave our homes so feeling seen is…
