Disability life lessons – Who cares what society thinks?

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…Continue reading Disability life lessons – Who cares what society thinks?

Chronic Pain – What does it actually feel like?

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,…Continue reading Chronic Pain – What does it actually feel like?

#NHSselfie #SaveOurNHS #NotSafeNotFair

Today I’m sharing a selfie to support all the NHS staff against healthcare reforms. The first photo is me in resus at Worcester Royal Hospital. I was admitted with tachycardia, dehydration and mystery neurological symptoms including muscle spasms that left me with most of my joints dislocated. It took me 6 weeks across 3 different…Continue reading #NHSselfie #SaveOurNHS #NotSafeNotFair

Surviving a General Anaesthetic with H-EDS & PoTS

So as many of my friends will know I was in hospital yesterday to have a tooth extracted under general anaesthetic. It couldn’t have gone better really! I’ve spoken to a few people who have requested I jot down some of the ways the surgical team and I managed my ‘complex issues’ throughout the surgery…Continue reading Surviving a General Anaesthetic with H-EDS & PoTS

#OTandMe15 Tweet Chat

In honour of UK OT week 2015 I will be hosting the #OTandMe15 Tweet Chat on Wednesday 4th November at 7pm (UTC) Please come along and share your experiences of Occupational Therapy, this chat is open to everyone both patients and professionals. I would love a good mix of people so that we can all learn…Continue reading #OTandMe15 Tweet Chat

Reflections on ‘Life and Limb’ – Aceptance & Emotional Rollercoasters

As many of my regular readers will know I am currently training as an Occupational Therapist, as part of our final year my class mates and I are undertaking specialist workshops. We were recommended to pick something of interest, something we don’t know a lot about and something that we don’t have too strong an…Continue reading Reflections on ‘Life and Limb’ – Aceptance & Emotional Rollercoasters

Exercise

Exercise with a Chronic Illness or Variable Disability.

I’ve thought about an exercise post for a while. I’ve had a couple of half-formed ideas about how to write this post but a recent article shared by the BBC has spurred me on. The article, Difficulties of Getting fit if you’re disabled by Kate Ansell, was brilliantly written and covered a lot of the topics I think…Continue reading Exercise with a Chronic Illness or Variable Disability.

Tinted Lenses – Visual Stress, Migraines and more

I’ve been wearing tinted glasses since I was 12 years old. I started out with dark green but very quickly moved to orange. I’ve had a fair few pairs of orange tints. I’m used to them, I think I look a little odd without tinted glasses now! I just see them as part of myself…Continue reading Tinted Lenses – Visual Stress, Migraines and more