A Life Of Love, Laughter, Faith And Hope, As I Learn To Live Again With A Rare Disease
On the 14th October 2021, after 5 weeks bed bound in hospital, due to my “acute” spinal collapse and bone disease progression, I was finally allowed home. I was sent home via ambulance as my condition hadn't improved. I still couldn't sit or stand for more than 2 minutes at a time. Walking with a … Continue reading Overwhelmed and Under Prepared
Some challenges in life hit us so hard, as we never saw them coming. Such challenges don't allow us the luxury of preparing ahead of time. They give no warning. They simply arrive! My "acute" spinal collapse , would prove to be one of the hardest challenges I have ever faced, and I've documented a … Continue reading Hard Work In Hospital
It was 3am Tuesday morning, 7th September, 2021. I desperately needed to go to the bathroom, so I rolled out of bed, the way physiotherapists had always shown me to do. I reached for my awaiting crutch and made it to the ensuite, not without pain, with my usual pain. I got back into bed … Continue reading An Acute Life Changing Chapter
My beautiful Dad passed away 5 months 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 It’s Father’s Day…..”Good Grief!”
I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship.Louisa May Alcott (Author of "Little Women") I always think we have a choice when faced with "storms of life". We can bunker down and wait for the storm to pass, or we can continue to live, albeit with impediments, and find a … Continue reading Sailing Through Storms
I thought I was pacing at a level which couldn't possibly get any slower. My last blog post gave you a Peek Through My Window Of Pain. It details how slowly I need to move, how limited my physical functionality is. Despite my limitations, I have been comfortable with my daily routine, with my ability … Continue reading My Burst Bubble Of Contentment
I love turning over the calendar at the beginning of a new month. I have a pretty wall calendar in my study, so I look forward to revealing a new picture on the morning of the 1st day. It’s a symbolic act in some regards, of saying goodbye to the old month, the good and … Continue reading COVID, Chaos and Calm
When we think of Chronic Disease, we wouldn't usually have happy thoughts or find ourselves looking forward to a bright future. Fear, horror, uncertainty and grief are generally the normal response. However, the reality of living a chronic illness life can be quite liberating, as I've surprisingly found over the past 7 years. One of … Continue reading You’ve Created A “Chronic Illness Career”….Don’t Forget To Have A Weekend!
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?
