For life's little ups and downs.

A rather quirky, funny and sometimes daunting look in to the life of someone who has a lot of health problems but does their best to keep positive. Punctuated by guinea pigs, anime, superheroes, transforming robots and cross stitching.

I started this blog to tell my story, about who I am and what I do. On top of the health problems and raising awareness for those, I also use my blog as a way to help promote other causes, particularly ones which affect the most vulnerable. I live with a number of different and complex health problems but I refuse to let anything get me down. I know how it feels to be discriminated against or thrown aside. This is me. This is my life. I live it and do what I want with it. Nature sets the limitations. We set the boundaries.

About Me:

A blog about life. I live with Type 1 Brittle Asthma, Bi-Polar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as well as Various Allergies, Neutropenia, Crohns Disease (my IBS was rediagnosed as Crohns), Osteo and Rheumatoid Arthritis, PCOS and Osteoporosis and Heredetary Spastic Paraplegia. I have recently also been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea (which makes me stop breathing in my sleep) I live with these conditions, but I refuse to let them keep me down and out. I still try and make the most of my days despite being so poorly and having to rely on my wheelchair, nebulisers, nearly 50 pills a day and 2l/min of oxygen and CPAP.

I'll flap my broken wings and erase it all someday... You'll see.

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Staying Independant...

Some people see bravery and courage as doing something without fear or apprehension. As for me, well I see it as doing something in spite of that fear and the knowing that there are some things in life that you just have to do. Sometimes recognising that and actually doing it can be very hard to do. Or just a bit degrading or demoralising. That can sometimes make it hard to see the difference between admitting defeat or accepting the help you need. I have always been a bit cagy about asking for help. It has been in my nature for 24 years so you will excuse me for my lack of trust in others or my apprehension to approach people.

But today, I had an unexpected brave streak in me. Rather than suffering in silence and not asking for help, when clearly I needed it, I actually asked for help. I wanted to be helped. It had been such a challenge for me since my admission on Sunday to actually function in normal everyday life. I was getting out of breath and worn out from even doing the simplest of tasks, like getting up and walking from the bed to the lightswitch in the bedroom. It was starting to take a lot out of me and I will be the first to admit that. Being a variable condition as it is, I found that my asthma really does take a nose dive at this time of year and I can be sort of alright one moment, then the next barely conscious or able to breathe properly. Its a scary thing, but there have been times when I have actually thought to myself "This is it. This is the one that will take me." or in the aftermath "How many more times will this keep happening and how much more can I honestly take?" Many people do look down their noses at me. Sometimes I get someone saying "It's only asthma, how bad can it actually be?" or "I have it and I can do things", or even "You're too young to have a disability". I think after all of that, anyone would be reluctant to ask for help wouldn't they?

But, I am getting off the subject, today I actually plucked up the courage in Tescos and actually asked about borrowing a mobility cart. The lady agreed after a quick chat and I even showed her my disabled bus pass (as it is generally awarded to those with mobility issues) and she showed me the scooter. After a few moments of getting used to it (and crashing a couple of times!) I was soon whizzing around the shop like a pro! And what fun! I enjoyed going around the supermarket without getting so short of breath that I was actually happy. Its been 3 years (nearly 4) since I have been able to do that and actually enjoy being out and about. I didn't feel disabled or "broken" anymore. I felt independant and strong. I felt like I was 24 years old again.

We are now looking in to getting one of my own, so that I can get out of the house more often and not have to worry about getting so breathless that I need to use my nebuliser constantly. So maybe in the near future, you can expect to see me whizzing around town and having the time of my life in enjoying shopping and wandering around town once more. Just don't expect any fancy maneuver work!! Oh and watch your feet as I am still a learner!

Loves
Wendy xx

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