Self-care, it is more than just a hot bath
We know that self-care is about looking after yourself. But there is more to it than just a facemask or a warm bath. Although those things certainly do the trick when it comes to making you feel good, for that deep down happy? There is more that you can do. Emotional Care Sometimes the world can be overwhelming, and that is certainly the case for many people in 2020. Often, we are too busy taking care of others and ticking things off our to-do lists to leave our emotions on a shelf. However, you can only bottle things up for so long before it comes spilling over. Learning how to…
Getting back to exercise
Exercise has been important to me for many years now and for a long time I did yoga every day. Looking after my joints and muscles helps my pain and protects my hypermobile joints. But with increased fatigue, and moving house that changed and getting back to exercise has become a priority. I have found since moving and helping my mom, that my own pain and fatigue have increased. This was of course expected, but meant that a lot of things I found important had to be put on the back burner. However, my mom is doing a lot better now, her legs are not as swollen and cellulitis has…
Migraine awareness week 2020
It is migraine awareness week 2020 and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to share a little about migraines that I have learned. This week is organised by The Migraine Trust and hopes to decrease stigma of the condition. What are migraines? Migraines are a headache with sensory disturbances that leave the brain struggling to process information from our senses. They are extremely complex and everyone experiences them differently, but a very bad headache is usually present. This difficulty processing can lead to double vision, lights and blurred vision, sickness, nausea, and sensitivity to light, sounds and smells. There are different types of migraine, some with aura and…
Life On The Other Side Of Mental Illness
When you’re in the throes of mental health challenges, you can feel like there’s no end in sight. You’re “taking it one day at a time,” you tell yourself, and just doing the best you can. Sometimes, though, it is worth reminding yourself that there is a world on the other side of mental health problems. Health problems can feel infinite while you’re in the midst of it. But then one day, you wake up, and the birds are singing, and suddenly, everything just feels okay. It turns out that there is a world outside of your mind that you’re free to enjoy after all. Thinking about the other side…
When fatigue flares
Moving house is always stressful and difficult, even if you don’t have chronic illnesses it can take it’s toll. When fatigue flares it can leave you feeling frustrated and annoyed, or trying to push through so you can get things done. Weeks of packing followed by moving in and becoming a carer have left me struggling for energy. I live my life walking a tightrope between those things every day at the moment, frustrated and seeing how much I can do before I crash. However, neither is an ideal way to live, and if you are undiagnosed it is always best to see a doctor. There can be many reasons…
Finding a rhythm
As you know, if you have been following recent blog posts and you tube videos, I have moved with my husband to be a carer for my mother. This obviously caused a lot of worry, stress and change to my precious routine that helps calm my anxiety disorder. Finding a rhythm has not been easy for all three of us as we have tried to navigate this change. The dogs, Dexter and Gizmo, on the other hand have loved the move so much! They have a big garden to play in, 2 large fields to walk in and lots of snuggles and treats from their grandmother. She loves having them…
Dealing with stress
Stress is something we all deal with from time to time, especially when you have chronic illnesses that make every day feel like a rollercoaster. But right now I am moving house while we are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, and to be honest dealing with stress has lasted a while. I am not alone in this though, lets be honest ever since March when this whole Covid 19 virus ramped up we have all been stressed. It has changed our lives to an almost unrecognisable level, but for people like me who are mainly housebound, it is frustrating. This is because able bodied people are finally seeing…
Finding my feet
Finding my feet recently has not been easy, moving in with Mom to become a carer while dealing with my own chronic illnesses never would be! My mother before now has been living alone in my childhood home, and trying to cope with Multiple Sclerosis. It has only been since moving in that we have come to realise that she hadn’t been looking after herself. Rarely showering because she was afraid of falling, no exercise and a diet of mainly ready meals and junk food! This lifestyle has left her with swollen lower legs that make it hard to walk and the beginnings of ulcers and a sore on her…
Anxiety Management Advice For The COVID-19 Pandemic
Gauging how well you cope with anxiety happens when the worst-case scenarios hit, and there’s been nothing as significant as the Coronavirus crisis since the end of World War 2. Being put on indefinite lockdown with no way to tell when the situation will end is tense, especially if you suffer from anxiety. Attempting to keep your thoughts and emotions intact is bound to be a challenge because the extent of the pandemic will hit you from all sides. But, this doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to cope. Regardless of the incident, remember that you can always use the following tactics. Take It One Day At A Time…
Stress with a chronic illness
Well the pandemic is still happening though governments are easing everything to make money again. We are in the middle of moving house just the contracts to sign and to sort out a completion date. And my dad’s dog who used to be mine died, so lets talk about dealing with stress with a chronic illness. I have to be honest and admit that I have been expecting a big flare, anyone with a chronic illness knows stress is a trigger. I have so much going on right now I kind of feel like I am juggling and getting nothing done. I’m imagining my legs running on the spot like…
