‘They tried to make me go to rehab’…and I went. I’m on my fourth week home from spending three weeks in Stanmore, on the amazing, life-changing Pain Management Programme. I intend on writing more in-depth posts about various things I learnt during my time in hospital but thought I’d give you a little inside scoop of what…
Category: spoonie
Bag Haul from Grindstore: Backpacks and Chronic Life
A few weeks ago Grindstore had a 10% off Back to School sale and I had to take advantage. Many of you know that I spent three weeks in hospital recently and during my treatment my Occupational Therapist suggested I use a backpack. I alternate between two crutches and a wheelchair due to my disability and…
All I ask for is empathy
It’s hard enough being a 28 year old disabled woman without the insensitive comments of abled people, but factor in the dickheads of society and their ludicrous questioning, things can get very awkward, very quickly. I don’t deal well with comments regarding my health. To this day, there are certain people that say extremely negative…
Chronic Illness Sufferers Be Heard: #SufferingTheSilence
Suffering the Silence is an online community for people living with chronic illnesses to share their stories. They are an amazing movement that are breaking the silence by giving sufferers a voice and a platform to tell others what it is like to live with their condition/s.As soon as I read about #SufferingTheSilence here, I…
Week One: Stanmore Pain Management and Rehabilitation Programme, Part Six
| Day One | I had a very early start and didn’t sleep well. I Skyped my best friends and boyfriend last night for some last minute encouragement. My bags were brought in from the car by one of the nurses so I didn’t have to struggle and I was shown to my bed. My…
Spoonie Struggle: Explaining my Disability to Others
How do you do it? How do you tell someone that you’re disabled? Is it as easy as just blurting it out?Do you not bother?Do you go into detail? I used to avoid it, I never said I was disabled, I didn’t identify as a disabled person; I was (and am) disabled but if I…
I’ve Got a Date: Stanmore Pain Management and Rehabilitation Programme, Part Four
My in-patient date for Stanmore, RNOH, came and I felt sick as soon as I opened the letter. My initial thought – ‘I don’t want to go’, my stomach churned and anxiety kicked in. It was real now, I was actually going into hospital for three weeks. THREE WEEKS! The admission date is August 3rd, if…
Why You’ll Never see an #OOTD from Me: Pyjama Life
If being in my pyjamas all day is wrong, I don’t want to be right! As a Spoonie, I spend a lot of time in the house or in bed and I want to be comfortable; what’s more comfortable than PJ’s? I don’t see the point in getting dressed if I’m not intending on leaving the house…
The Referral: Stanmore Pain Management and Rehabilitation Programme, Part One
As you know I’m disabled, and managing pain is vital. I’ve (almost) been on two Pain Management courses in the past. I was 18, I hadn’t been diagnosed with anything, I was terrified. The Pain Management course was an inpatient stay in a Liverpool hospital for six weeks. I was surrounded by much older people…
Biggest Achievement: University and a Chronic Condition
I graduated with a BA (Hons) English in 2012 and then a MA English in 2013; they will forever be up there with my biggest accomplishments. Above is my favourite picture from my Masters graduation with my boyfriend; why are the most ridiculous photos always the best? I went to Edge Hill University, started at…