In my work as an OT and in my life in general I often come across phrases that make me sad. I have lost count of the times I’ve heard ‘I don’t have time to pace’. This phrase is usually followed by a list of things the person does for others… I often have to […]
In this modern age of late night TV and smart phones by the bed, getting a good nights sleep has become somewhat of a struggle. Throw in any kind of health problem and restful sleep becomes almost impossible. ‘Painsomnia’ (insomnia caused by pain) can cause particular problems. This post will explain the basic principles of […]
By popular demand, here’s a quick introduction to using kinesiology tape. I am not officially trained in any way so if you’re unsure about taping please consult your physio or similar. This guide aims to provide a few hints and tips that will get you started with taping and help you decided if its right […]
Life can be tough. Sometimes people with disabilities/impairments have to make tough choices and the impact of society can make tough choices even tougher. Using mobility aids, pacing and pain management strategies often come with judgments and assumptions attached. Over the last few years, I’ve learnt a lot about myself and I feel like I’ve […]
As part of Occupational Therapy degrees each student must complete one thousand hours of practice. How this is divided up varies from place to place. Northampton University divides practice hours into three placements. The first is shortest and is mainly observation. The last placement is the longest and it’s expected that each student will carry […]
Planning a holiday or a day out should be exciting but for many people with variable illnesses or disabilities it can be pretty daunting. To be honest, planning anything can be pretty daunting. I’ve lost count of the number of events I’ve called off at the last-minute. For any new visitors to my blog, I […]
This is something I’ve been meaning to write about for a long time. While doing my dissertation before christmas I repeatedly read that most newly qualified healthcare professionals do not have a modern understanding of pain. I reviewed 9 articles for my dissertation, one common theme was the negative patient experience. Patients not feeling validated, […]
Ok so just a quick post. These are little reviews of my most frequently used or most useful apps. Some of these apps are aimed at anyone and everyone but others are more for people with illnesses or disabilities. If you see something totally irrelevant then please just keep scrolling on to the next one. […]
Living with Ehlers Danlos or any of the other hypermobility syndromes does mean you are going to get injuries at some point. That’s not me being negative, it’s the truth. Living with these disorders is risky! Simply rolling over in bed or putting on socks can lead to ridiculous injuries. I do my best to […]
So this is a new topic for me but I think it’s probably going to help a lot of people. Communication is something we all do, usually without much thought but there are some times when communication can be a bit harder. The most obvious types of communication are talking and listening but actually, a […]
