I've lived with Chronic Migraine and Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) since 2014. I’ve also had to manage Anxiety for many years.
I was a Primary School Teacher, Early Years Specialist and Mentor before I became disabled and mostly bed-bound from cruel and constant pain.
I share my experiences and provide tools and strategies to help Mums manage their live with invisible illnesses.
When we face challenges, such as chronic illness, our body and mind work together. Our mental health is often being put last, which makes it so easy to get stuck in a negative mindset. This can lead to stress, difficulty solving problems, unhealthy relationships and poor mental health. But this can change with these 10 inexpensive or free activities, which are crucial for your journey of growth and will boost self esteem.
When we face challenges, such as chronic illness, our body and mind work together. Our mental health is often being put last, which makes it so easy to get stuck in a negative mindset. This can lead to stress, difficulty solving problems, unhealthy relationships and poor mental health. But this can change with these 10 inexpensive or free activities, which are crucial for your journey of growth and will boost self esteem.
Journaling is a way of recording your thoughts, feelings, habits, and gaining insights for your personal development. Is Journaling good for mental health? Yes, I chose to journal for my mental health, exploring the difficult feelings I had,since I became chronically ill. So I wrote the Journey To Balance Journal as the mental health benefits of journaling can be powerful, helping you process stress, trauma, and difficult emotions. Journaling in this self-awareness book is a simple and accessible practice tailored to meet your unique needs and preferences.
This March, I am joining in again with the monthly writing prompts Link-up from Sheryl at A Chronic Voice. I chose to use these prompts to tell you about breaking my nose. I recognised nearly all of the broken nose signs so I went to A&E. My experiences with the doctor there and the ENT doctor I saw 5 days later have made me think and compare how I was treated.
As part of this year’s Carers Rights Day on the 24th November I have taken over my wife’s blog and am going to provide an exclusive look at life as an unpaid carer, When Laura became chronically ill in 2014, and it eventually dawned on me that my role as Husband, Father, best friend and confidante would now be expanded to that of prime and unpaid Carer, life would become a little more complicated.
Do you feel like there’s something wrong with you? Are you struggling with depression or anxiety? Don’t worry – you’re not alone. In fact, millions of people struggle with these conditions on a daily basis. It’s important to understand what mental health problems look like so you can recognise them when they occur.
Do you feel like there’s something wrong with you? Are you struggling with depression or anxiety? Don’t worry – you’re not alone. In fact, millions of people struggle with these conditions on a daily basis. It’s important to understand what mental health problems look like so you can recognise them when they occur.
IIH or Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension is a rare brain disease that I was diagnosed with in 2014. I want to share how brain fog affects me as someone with IIH headache. Brain fog is not a medical term, but a term for those who experience a groggy mind. I’m going to explain how brain fog and headaches impact my life and share my tips for better managing the symptoms of brain fog.
Every July in the UK Good Care Month raises awareness of the caring profession in the UK. in this open letter to my PA or Carer. I thank her for the Carers skills she brings to our family as a member of the team. I also aim to break some of the stigma attached to caring younger adults, especially Mums.
I feel incredibly lucky that that person over the last 5 years has been Sam and as I wish I’d known what I know now when I was offered a PA/Carer, I hope others know what skills or qualities to look for in a Carer. The core qualities a Carer needs are passion, courage, dedication and compassion. One day it could be you needing care or caring for a loved one.
Sadly, the message that the guidelines for assessing chronic pain in the UK should meet the unique needs of the individual is eclipsed by potential consequences of misinterpreted guidelines. It’s likely that this will become a blanket policy for all with chronic pain in the UK. This makes it highly likely that underlying conditions will be missed and pain relief will be withdrawn or not approved for those in desperate need. The guidelines are not mandatory but the chronic pain treatment UK could leave many with little or no quality of life.
Your inner voice is naturally negative due to evolution but it can lead you to toxic negativity. To beat this you need to use positive self-talk phrases which is where the journaling guide I’m creating can help. It's focused on exploring emotions which are interlinked with your inner voice. You need to try different approaches to see what works for your mental health.
My Eldest son turned 18 last month, so here are 18 truths based on anecdotal evidence in the chronic illness community and my boys' views as young carers. What Are Young Carers? Young carers UK are under 18 or young adults who help to look after a relative with a disability, illness and mental health or addiction problems. Caring can be an isolating experience but with the right support there's a much better chance of future success. The difficulties one family faces will be vastly different to another, this is my boys’ personal narrative and our family’s truth. We’ve always included the boy's feelings and views in decisions we’ve made, removing any feeling of isolation. As they’ve grown older they’ve expressed themselves clearly due to the strategies we put in place.
Reflecting on my IIH or Intracranial Hypertension treatment, as it comes to an end, has been emotional. IIH is a rare and disabling brain disease and I’ve hoped for a life without constant pain Since 2014. My first procedure showed that I’d benefit from brain stent surgery, and I did. My ability to communicate which would have crushed my family if it hadn't improved and it did with each surgery. As I complete my treatment, the harsh facts are that I suffer daily but there are positives, mostly my ability to be a good mum and wife.
The pandemic has affected every child so we need to know how we can support babies to school children and beyond, in moving forwards. Combining observation, research and knowledge we’ll see the impact on children through emotional development examples of the gaps in their learning. We’ll also find children who made progress being at home.
Life with chronic illness isn’t easy and can lead to depression. This is especially true when we know we need to make changes to our lives and realise that we have little to no control over our situation. I grieved my pre-illness life and couldn’t see how to overcome the challenges I faced.
Working with a professional let me know it was okay to feel and talk about being angry, sad and lost. She helped me recognise that my self talk wasn’t helping me move past grief and gave me the support I needed to overcome resistance to change.
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