Let’s be honest here, 2020 definitely sucked. It was universally a terrible year of loss, grief, devastating news and uncertainty. For most, that won’t have inspired alot of positives going into 2021. But, there is always hope and light in the darkest of times. What…
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Experimenting and Exploring Food with an Ostomy
Inspired and a follow up to my 2016 post “My Tips for Eating with an Ostomy” Disclaimer: This information is based on my own personal experiences. Please remember that each stoma and patient has different dietary constraints and experiences, and not all things will work…
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2021 Goals & Intentions
Well, okay. 2020 did not happen the way anyone had expected. A global pandemic and almost a year of national lockdown? Crazy. Not only that but I had unexpected hernia surgery and a new diagnosis of diabetes. A huge amount of change, frustration and angst.…
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2020 – Year in Review
The most gobsmackingly weird year to date. Reading back on my 2020 goal post, written in the early days of 2020 feels like another time. A different time. Because who could predict anything that has happened, would actually happen? It feels like a cruel joke.…
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I AM SCARED, despite being in such a joyous season
December always feels like the most scary month for me. I have no triggers or flashbacks for this month in particular, but there is such a drive away from routine and towards joy, that it makes it a hard time. The last time I felt…
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Never Give Up Hope
Every October and November, I feel nostalgic. I feel the swirl of memories flood my mind, of being taken back to days in the hospital for treatment, of being hooked up to an IV stand. The first time was October 2013, when I moved from…
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Hernias & Stomas
I remember sitting in my hospital bed, after my first solo stoma bag change back in 2016 and my nurse said “you must always try and avoid a hernia. You are more susceptible to them now”. I was four or five days post op and…
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Remaining Strong in the Face of Chronic Illness
“Just because you carry it well, does not mean it’s not heavy” I find myself thinking about this quote more and more frequently these days. Not sure if it’s lockdown impacting on my brain or the fact that life has been forever changed by the…
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Being [Unexpectedly] Medication Free for a Year
I remember vividly two days that began my journey with Vedolizumab; “she returned my call, the long and short of it being that “no, this isn’t working“; agreeing with my doubts since Monday. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly and it certainly wasn’t…