Tag: self care

Monday Magic – Inspiring Blogs for You!

On By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogging, Blogs, chronic illness3 Comments

Here we are at the start of a new week and time to explore some more blog posts.  This week has passed in a blur of hospital visits – as you know if you’ve read about my rusty old body int the last couple of posts! – and I must admit complete brain fog and cluster headaches.

The brain fog has caused much hilarity at times when my words have come out as something completely different to how they started in my brain.  Officially called expressive dyphasia, and commonly seen with strokes, I don’t think I’ll tell you how it is described in our house….I have experienced it once before when playing football at school aged about 12.  I had a head on collision with a friend, nearly knocked her teeth out, and then proceeded to become very concussed over the next couple of hours.  By the time I reached hospital, I couldn’t walk, speak or see – as the swelling inside my head started to subside, I remember being asked questions, knowing the answer but the words that came out were not connected to my brain!  I am sure that some family members would say that nothing has changed…..

Monday Magic - with brain fog

I’m just reading a science fiction book and came across this passage “There’s a small subset of people whose cognitive functions get scrambled in outer space.  Something about how the pressure change of the vacuum affects the bonds between molecules in the neurons of their brains.” (All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai) I had a light bulb moment – “YES! This is brain fog – even if it is in space”.

But moving on – checking over my spreadsheet of Monday Magic posts, I am amazed to see that there have been links for an amazing 354 blogs and some of those have featured several times. What a fantastic number of inspiring and motivational bloggers there are out there, and I feel that I find more new blogs every week.  So please take some time, sit down with a cuppa and enjoy some great posts with a bit of a self care theme running through them – all spoonie mums, my mate Jen Hardy would be really grateful if you would answer her survey ahead of a podcast.

https://loveisconfusing.com/2017/08/16/three-steps-to-loving-yourself/

https://iterryblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/20/signed-and-sealed-with-love/

http://wherecomesthesun.com/practise-self-care-year/

https://fancy-like-that.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/me-myself-and-my-cfs.html

http://www.chronicallyroyal.co.uk/2018/01/just-asthma-why-we-should-take-asthma.html?m=1

https://shannondianax.wordpress.com/2018/01/20/talking-about-my-mental-health-has-made-me-into-the-person-i-am-today/

https://www.jenhardy.net/take-survey-podcast-chronically-ill-moms/

http://www.sunshineandspoons.com/2018/01/25-products-that-make-life-with-chronic.html

https://kellyontherun.com/2018/01/16/single-not-pregnant/

http://www.fibrotofabulous.com/index.php/2018/01/09/why-i-restarted-meditation-and-10-reasons-you-should-do-it-too/

Heated Butter Knife
Who wouldn’t want a heated butter knife???  Find this on Sunshine and Spoons list!

Please remember to share some love by commenting, liking and sharing!

Have a great week,

Claire x

Monday Magic – Inspiring Blogs for You!

On By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogging, Blogs, chronic illness14 Comments

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I am shattered today, PainPals and those pals not in pain!  Saturday was the day for the big reunion – that is 3 decades – 30 years since we left school.  I’m not quite sure which timescale sounds better!  How did that time pass so quickly? I remember my grandma telling me to value every day as the older you get the faster the time flies…but as a youngster I never took any notice.  Put together a group of people, some who haven’t seen each other for said 30 years, but who grew up together during those important teenage years….and it will feel like yesterday.  Similar theme to last week!

Food, drink, friendship!
Hard core – last men standing!
Still Messing!

I was worried on Saturday morning for 2 reasons – firstly would anyone turn up and secondly I was feeling extremely POTSIE with the shakes and snow vision and forgot to take my midodrine pills with mine!  But on the up side about 20 people turned up over the course of the day/evening….and whilst I spent the first part of the day in my wheelchair the adrenalin seemed to kick in and I was able to stand for periods in the pub, sent out for my pills (good old Duncan) and was still in the pub for dinner in the evening.  It is amazing how you can push yourself when you need to and when you want to.  I find that it is about picking the occasions wisely to use your spoons, as it isn’t possible to live like this every day when a chronic illness is your constant companion.

The feedback has been fantastic – we had a great day renewing old friendships, reminiscing (being thrown out of choir, altering the wording on the carol service leaflet, sending Valentine cards, hockey, rowing, detentions for pranks…..the teachers) but also learning how everyone’s lives have moved on.  We had doctors, a headmistress, lawyers, an acupuncturist, a sports coach, a teacher, a horticulturist, an entrepreneur….the list goes on. Families have grown..and shrunk. Life goes on!

Class of 87 pic
Class of 87

So whilst I have had to sit back due to a self imposed inability to stand, I have found some new blog posts for you.  This week we have blogging posts, a yummy looking recipe site, a musical tribute and the feelings encountered when a pet is found to be very sick.  I am delighted to report that my list of blogs I have shared here has grown to 230 and many of these have been featured several times.  What a wonderful community you are!

Hope you have a cuppa in your hand, an hour to sit back and the enthusiasm to enjoy and explore these fantastic blogs.

https://www.disabledgo.com/blog/2017/09/activists-plan-day-long-musical-tribute-to-radical-and-brilliant-robert-dellar/#.Wb7PB7KGPIU

http://www.youcanalwaysstartnow.com/2017/09/11/is-the-universe-pushing-your-buttons-deal-with-it/

http://www.blessingmanifesting.com/2017/09/self-care-awareness-month.html/

http://riverandquill.com/2017/09/identity-theft.html/

https://beinglydia.com/2017/09/17/what-finding-out-my-dog-is-sick-has-taught-me/

http://www.livingnaturaltoday.com/2017/09/heart-goes-texas/

http://raisingzebras.weebly.com/blog/brain-mri-and-the-wheelchair-arrives

https://starbrightcooking.com/21-tips-classic-comfort-cooking/

http://www.strugglingwithserendipity.com/blog/accepting-harvard

http://www.angiecruise.com/what-i-learned-in-my-first-year-of-blogging/

Please, please share, pin, like, comment to let our bloggers know that you have enjoyed and value their writing. Have a lovely week!

Claire x

78-conan-o-brien-quote_1_orig
Picture from Struggling with Serendipity blog

 

Book Review from Being Lydia – “The Memory of Health”by Edie Summers

On By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogs, Books! Reviews & chat..., chronic illness, Invisible illnessLeave a comment

I want to share a health related book review with you written by my Chronic Illness Blogger friend Lydia over on her blog Being Lydia51+d1X4z47L._AC_US218_

“I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. “

“The Memory of Health” by Edie Summers is a very interesting book. I think she had me from the start of the forward with “Dear Friend”. Why? Because I instantly felt this person wants to meet me where I am.

The 470-page book takes on many forms:

  • It contains excerpts from the author’s journal citing how her health is from day to day, etc.

  • The author has included some of her own poetry which gives a glimpse into how her illness comes out in her creativity.

  • There is some medical terminology to give substance and credibility.

  • And there is “the story”. All through the book, Edie talks about how we need to find and tell our story to truly heal ourselves. Her own story weaves in and out through each page, section, and chapter.

To read  the full review visit: Being Lydia

Lydia includes links to the author’s website and also for some special offers – the book can also be found on Amazon here: The Memory of Health

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.