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Welcome to the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge brought together by WEGO Health – a social network for all health activists.  Again, I am participating in the annual Writer’s Month Challenge in which I will be writing about my health activism and health condition based upon prompts given.

Today’s prompt reads as follows:

You made it!  30 posts in 30 days!  Today, write a recap of your experience.  What was your favourite prompt?  Least favourite?  What have you learned? 

Well, I did it!!  For the second consecutive year I have managed to complete all 30 days with no need to use the ‘free-pass’ cards!!  It feels like a huge accomplishment especially as I have experienced several bad days.  Preparation seemed to be the key this year, especially as I am busy with other activities such as the Monday and Wednesdays groups that I am involved with and the day out once a week with my Personal Assistant means that I am not in the house all of the time, so I had to write many of the prompts before the day that it was published.

Just like last year, I immensely enjoyed the month-long writing challenge – I loved the challenge of all the prompts.  The prompts are not only a lot of fun to write but I also feel that the prompts enable us to look and write about our particular health conditions differently than we would normally.  For example, some of the prompts required me to write about topics that I might never would normally.  For example, the topic of burnout was selected to be discussed from one of the prompts, and if it wasn’t for the HAWMC I might never have written about the topic.  One of the prompts that I found particularly challenging was the Acrostic Poem from Day 13 (Acrostic Poem of my Health Condition) – it wasn’t necessarily the subject matter that was challenging as the whole blog is about living with my health condition, but the form itself.  I haven’t written a poem in many years so it was quite a challenge being asked to write one – just glad that I prepared in plenty of time and was able to write a decent attempt!

The prompts like always were a mixture of being, fun, challenging as well as being thought-provoking.  One prompt I really enjoyed, but initially found very challenging was the post regarding Adversity (“The flower that blooms in adversity…”).  I initially found it very difficult to write especially regarding when I bloom best.  However, although I found it challenging, I thought in the end it was one of my favourite and best written post!  I also loved the prompt which asked us to ‘spread the love’ and thank some of our favourite health activists; this was such a great opportunity for me to thank those who have supported me and helped me through some tough times with illness (Sharing the Love!  I would like to thank…).

I would also thankful for the Wordless Wednesday posts, as it gave a break from writing long posts and was fun coming up with creative photographs and drawings to dictate something without using words!  Would love to make this a regular feature but would need some ideas!  If anyone has links or ideas to do this please comment below and share!

Least favourites?  Perhaps some of the prompts that I had written about during previous writing challenges such as the post regarding caregiving (Carers, How to treat those you care for), and discussing favourite social networks (Why I Love to Tweet) to name but two.

Anyhow, regardless of the good and the bad through the experience of this writing challenge it was a challenge that I thoroughly enjoyed and look forward to taking part next year!   Thank you WEGO Health!

What did you think of my posts for the HAWMC?  What were your favourite posts to read?  Any you didn’t enjoy reading?  Loved to hear your views so please feel free to leave any comments/suggestions!

 

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Welcome to the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge brought together by WEGO Health – a social network for all health activists.  Again, I am participating in the annual Writer’s Month Challenge in which I will be writing about my health activism and health condition based upon prompts given.

Today’s prompt reads as follows:

We all know Health Activists are awesome.  Share three things you love about yourself, things you’re great at, or just want to share.  Don’t undercut or signpost!

This I have to admit is a difficult post for me to write as I am not very good at paying myself compliments.  Often, I a self-deprecating and very rarely think about my positive qualities – I often have to ask people to help me pick out my best qualities as I have no clue!

Recently, I have started tapping into my creative side and making greeting cards.  At first, I started making them for myself to give to relatives and friends during times of celebration.  However, after taking them into my afternoon social group, I instantly had orders from the members asking if I could make some for them to give as cards.  Not only do I find it very relaxing sitting down and making the decopauge cards, it also takes my mind off the pain I experience.  I have had a lot of compliments from people regarding my cards; so at least other people think that  it is something that I am good if I don’t always believe it myself!  Here are some of the cards that I have made:

 

 

Writing is something that I love doing, and this blog has turned into a big passion of mine.  I love sharing my experiences and thoughts with others, and there is nothing more satisfying as a writer than receiving comments from others and telling me that they enjoyed my writing and they were able to relate to what I wrote in that particular post.  I have had the fortune to receive comments on my blog, Facebook or on Twitter how much people enjoy my writing, which means so much.  Writing is something that I have always been good at, and so was the main reason why I decided to start the blog as a way of raising awareness of neurological conditions.

 

My Brain Lesion and Me   Once Upon a Dizzy Spell… A Story of a girl living with a neurological condition

 

Another thing that I love is my breadth of my general knowledge!  I love nothing more than playing general knowledge quizzes whether this is watching quizzes on television; playing board games such as Trivial Pursuit or taking part in a pub quiz.  At my local group, one of my nicknames is ‘Quiz Bandit’ as I tend to know the answers to a lot of the questions asked, and many times have seen my team to victory!

 

So there are 3 things that I am good at!  Took me a while to even come up with these – but in the end I managed it!  So, what are some of the things you are good at, or love about yourself?  As ever, please feel free to comment below….

 

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Welcome to the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge brought together by WEGO Health – a social network for all health activists. Again, I am participating in the annual Writer’s Month Challenge in which I will be writing about my health activism and health condition based upon prompts given.

Today’s prompt is as follows:

Create a must follow list for your community on a single social network.  Share your top 5-10 tweeters, bloggers, or Facebook pages. 

I so wish that I could share some fantastic resources and tweeters who share the same condition in which I live, however, the condition seems to be rare and have yet to meet anyone with the same diagnosis.  However, I have had the pleasure to meet some truly fantastic people through Twitter, and who often sends me words of comfort or support through my own struggles and have become great friends in the process.  So, if you are on Twitter please follow them and find out for yourself how kind and beautiful they all are:

images-1Image Credit: The Daring Librarian @ Flickr

Marissa Christina – @MarissaAbledis

Pamela Sloate – @dystoniamuse

Anya de Longh – @anyadei

Aisha Bukari-Clarke – @AishaJemima

Unseen Magazine – @unseenmaguk

Sarah Levis – @GirlWithTheCane

Chronically Awesome Foundation – @ChronicallyAFnd

Patients Association – @PatientsAssoc

Peggy – @moyamoyagarden

The Spin Sisters – @TheSpinSisters

I have met so many wonderful people on Twitter but I was only able to choose up to 10 to share with you today.  For all those not included, know that I truly value your friendship and kindness you have shown me.  Thank you x

Who are your top tweeters/bloggers/Facebook Pages?  Please get in contact and share them below!

 

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Welcome to the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge brought together by WEGO Health – a social network for all health activists. Again, I am participating in the annual Writer’s Month Challenge in which I will be writing about my health activism and health condition based upon prompts given.

Today’s prompt is as follows:

If you wrote a book about your life, your community, your condition, or your health-activism – what would you title it?  Come up with 5 working titles.

Perhaps someday I may write a book about my experiences with my condition; certainly as writing is something that I enjoy immensely.  I am not sure whether the book will be of any interest to others however.   So, what are some of the titles that I could call the book that would chronicle the condition in which I live and the experiences that I have had living with it.  Let’s brainstorm:

Well, the first title that I have come up with is the title of this very blog ‘My Brain Lesion and Me.’  What a better title than that of the blog in which started me on the journey of writing and chronicling my experiences with living with the condition in which the book delves into.  The book is also quite self-explanatory and informs the reader straight away about the theme of the book.

Another title that I have brainstormed is ‘A Medical Malady.’  I have chosen this particular title as because of the many generalised symptoms that the brain lesion causes; meant that the condition went undiagnosed for many years.  For many years, I was sent to various specialists in many areas of medicine to try and get to the bottom of the cause of the severe chronic dizziness that I was experiencing.  And when this didn’t occur however, I was labelled as suffering with an anxiety disorder, in which the doctors put all my symptoms as the result of this particular psychiatric diagnosis.  I remember whilst at University and was undertaking a variety of medical tests and hospital appointments, after the dizziness became worse, a friend once said that I needed to see Dr. House from the television programme of the same name, as he would surely get the answers that I needed.  I was a medical malady indeed!

An alternative title could also be ‘Fractured Storms’.  I thought this was an interesting title and one in which is ambiguous; not letting potential readers in on the secrets that the book contains.  I often will pick up books with interesting titles; titles that catch my eye and makes me wonder what the book could be about!  The brain lesion is indeed similar to that of a fracture; of a scar lying within my brain stem and causing the ‘storms’ or symptoms that affect my daily life.  The storms causing symptoms such as the constant dizziness, episodes of vertigo, as well as the spastic paraparesis affecting my legs which results in pain, weakness and stiffness.

Another working title that I have come up with is ‘The Life and Times of a Neuro Patient’.  Again, this title instantly informs the reader of the subject matter of the book, and would be an instant interest for other neurological patients.  After making contact with other patients with other neurological conditions, I have found that there are many similarities regarding our experiences regardless of our differing diagnosis.  Very often people diagnosed with a neurological condition like me, have to wait many months before seeing a neurological consultant.  Recently, I have had to be referred back to the neurological department of my local hospital because of deteriorating symptoms, and have been informed that I have a six and a half month wait to be seen.  This however is not uncommon amongst neurological patients. How I wish that when I was first diagnosed that I could have read a book by someone who was also living with a neurological condition like myself; and whom also experienced similar problems that I was facing. I would have definitely bought a book that was entitled ‘The Life and Times of a Neuro Patient.’ 

And the final working title that I have chosen is ‘A Disequilibrium Life’.  Again, as most of you know, the dizziness and balance problems have long since been with me; ever since I can remember I have been battling dizziness.  Therefore, much of the hypothetical book regarding my life and my chronic illness would document the problems with dizziness, vertigo and balance, so the title should reflect this too.

So, what do you think of these working titles for the book regarding my life and battle with the long-standing brain stem lesion with which I live?  Which title do you like best?

As ever would love to hear your comments/suggestions, so please get in touch and comment below!

 

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Welcome to the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge brought together by WEGO Health – a social network for all health activists. Again, I am participating in the annual Writer’s Month Challenge in which I will be writing about my health activism and health condition based upon prompts given.

Today’s prompt is as follows:

What’s a day that you wish you could have used a pain-free pass (either in the future or the past)?  How would being pain or worry-free impact that day? 

It is ironic that I should be writing this post on a day when the pain I experience is bad.  Oh, how I wish that I could use a ‘pain-free’ pass for today, although perhaps I would prefer to save the pass for another time; perhaps a time in which a pain-free time would be beneficial.  The group I attend ‘Life 4 Living’ encourages us to write a bucket list – all those little things that we would love to achieve before we die.  Recently, we have had a couple of deaths within the group; which has reminded us how short and previous life can be, and as a result I would love to use a pain-free pass to be able to complete something from my own personal bucket list…

Recently, as some of you may remember from a recent post entitled ‘To Go or Not to Go‘ my parents and I are looking into possibly going on a cruise next year.  It has been my dream to visit Italy for sometime, but because of my health, certain ways of travelling are unsuitable for me, such as flying or travelling by bus for example.  Therefore, going on a cruise is the last option for me to achieve my dream of visiting Italy.

One advantage for sufferers of chronic illness of going on a cruise, which you are unable to get with other holidays, for example, is the times that you become unwell or pain becomes unbearable is that you can go straight back to your cabin with very little hassle.

However, if I were to use a pain-free pass, it would be on day when the cruise ship is docked in Italy itself, especially in Rome and Florence.  Why?  If I were pain-free I would go exploring and go sight-seeing within these beautiful cities without any pain and also the worry that pain will suddenly appear, spoiling the enjoyment of the day and making precious and exciting memories.   I could go and visit the Sistine Chapel; the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain as well all the other beautiful scenery and architecture within the beautiful city of Rome.  Of course, a day out to a new city is complete with some retail therapy!  And the chance to soak up a different culture; to experience authentic Italian food and ice-cream – and all for myself instead of hearing about others’ experiences of travelling or reading about it in books or seeing the sights on television.  What a dream it would be!

How amazing would that be?  A pain-free day; and a day free of any worries!  A day in which I could spend it exactly how I wanted without the worries that chronic illness often presents in our lives.  A chance to enjoy just a special day with family during a once-in-a-lifetime holiday without my condition getting in the way or spoiling it as often happens during my daily life.  Now, we have to try and make it happen!  Fingers crossed….

What would your ‘pain-free’ pass day look like?  Share your thoughts below and comment!  Always love to hear from readers…

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