I’ve dealt with costochondritis for about sixteen years. When it first happened I thought something was seriously wrong. The pain was awful, so I went to see my GP immediately. Was I having a heart attack? Had I cracked a rib? What the hell was going on inside my chest? Costochondritis is caused by an…
Category: spoonie
Proprioception and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
When I was diagnosed with EDS type 3, (hypermobility, HEDS, whatever you want to call it) ten years ago I was naive enough to think that Ehlers-Danlos would be the strangest words I’d hear regarding my condition. Alas, my nineteen year old self soon learned a lot more; proprioception being one.What is proprioception?Basically, proprioception is…
#ShitAbledPeopleSay – My Response
Every other day a hashtag appears on Twitter and causes controversy. I first saw this ‘shit abled people say’ hashtag last Saturday and after scrolling through the comments disabled people shared, I decided to add a few of my own. My somewhat naive self didn’t realise that by disclosing a few of the hurtful, uneducated…
What Disability?: The Adaptability of Children
I spent last weekend with my three year old nephew, Kaine, and it got me thinking about how he sees me. I’m his Auntie Sarah, I use crutches, I use an electric wheelchair, I wear splints and take tablets, but most of all, I make a huge fuss out of him, I buy him toys…
The Disabled Body During the Victorian Era
Three years ago I handed in my Masters dissertation on the ‘Victorian freak show and the commodification of the disabled body’. I absolutely loved spending a year researching and writing my 20,000 word thesis, and I’m pretty sure I’ll always be fascinated, or perhaps obsessed, with all things 19th century. My Masters is in English,…
Medication Made Me Say It
I’ve said quite a few hilarious things when I’ve been slightly off my face on prescription drugs. This is completely different to my Brain Fog series, because brain fog happens on the daily, and here I’ll be sharing silly things I’ve said/done when I’ve taken really strong medication and the effects it has on my…
Scope’s #30toWatch – Nobody is ‘too pretty’ to be in a Wheelchair
Last year I wrote a post about being disabled and wearing makeup; I never thought it’d get as much attention as it did because I was simply expressing my views on how society judges disabled people that choose to put cosmetics on their face. I knew it was as issue, I knew a lot of…
Diagnosed 10 Years Ago Today
Last month I wrote a letter to myself on the day I was diagnosed, I mentioned that the date has been burned into my memory, and today is that date ten years on. 06/06/06Six six six Ten years. Ten whole years since someone told me the strangest words I’d ever heard. Since, I didn’t have…
A Reply: Why Take Medication if it Doesn’t Take Away All the Pain?
I’ve seen this question asked a lot on social media lately, ‘why take medication if it doesn’t take away all the pain?’ I’m pretty sure most chronic pain sufferers have had to answer it at one point, and if you haven’t you no doubt will in the future.I was 17 the first time I was…
What Would You Do If You Were No Longer in Pain?
I often wonder what it would be like to not be in pain. Every day is exhausting. Every day different. Every day a question mark. I don’t know if I’ll wake up and be in agony and have to cancel plans. I don’t know what kind of mood I’ll be in. I can’t guarantee that…