I love life's little challenges. I love problem solving and turning obstacles into opportunities. I love putting a positive spin on what would otherwise be a very negative situation. I've always done this, both in my personal and my working life. So, chronic disease really wasn't going to change my approach to finding a way … Continue reading The Non Negotiable Chronic Illness Rule
This week on my forum Medical Musings with Friends , I posted a segment called "Any Questions?" I wanted to invite my forum members to ask me anything about my life, my disease, my writing etc. It was an open book kind of segment. The recurring question, or theme to the questions, was; "how do … Continue reading Any Questions?
When living with chronic illness, and particularly chronic pain, life needs a level of certainty, of routine. To a large degree we can create workable daily routines, manage our medications and medical appointments, and keep life ticking along so we maintain our equilibrium as much as possible. I actually love change. Throughout my career I … Continue reading Nothing Lasts Forever
I've decided one of the hardest things, about being medically retired, is working out what day of the week it is! Every morning I wake up and need to look at my phone, or the pain medication dispenser on my bedside table, to work it out. If it's the day after my medication dispenser has … Continue reading What Day Is It?
How can we practically deal with the "Great Expectations" of an upcoming medical appointment?It happens to all of us with chronic illness. We look at our calendar and see an appointment looming in the future. It offers such promise. We feel a little excited at the prospect of what may come from it.Hope. It offers … Continue reading Great “Medical” Expectations!
"Hello, you're back again, so nice to see you, how are you?" You'd be forgiven for thinking this warm greeting was being given by a friend, a colleague, or a local shop owner who I'd known for years. This was the greeting I received by the Radiologist at my hospital, when I arrived for my … Continue reading MRI Marathon
My beautiful Dad passed away 8 weeks ago. The initial weeks after his passing saw me encompassed in raw grief. The kind of grief constantly creeping up on you, and opening the flood gate of tears, when you least expect it. The kind of grief where you grapple to make sense of it all. When you … Continue reading “Good Grief!”
When we have chronic illness, our minds are quickly programmed to think about all the things we can no longer do. Doctors, allied health professionals, family and friends, can easily feed us messages which concur with our “I can’t do it” mindset. Don’t get me wrong, there is lots we can’t do when living with … Continue reading “You Sound And Look So Well!!”
We all make decisions every day. Big decisions, small decisions. Some we are aware of and some are just automatic. When I had reasonable health, I would spend my days making business and personal decisions without much effort. Some might have kept me awake at night but not many. I never had to think about … Continue reading Along Came Chronic Illness And Life Turned Upside Down
Waiting isn’t easy, no matter what we are waiting for.2020 taught us this and 2021 has continued with the same waiting theme.As the world continues to grapple with a global health pandemic, we are all still waiting.Waiting for it to be over.Waiting for a vaccine against Coronavirus to become widely available and rolled out as … Continue reading Standing By You While You Wait
