In February 2020, mere weeks before COVID-19 happened, I had a medical scare. I had been sick and was awaiting some test results. The symptoms I was having and the kinds of tests the doctor had ordered all painted a very grim picture indeed. As each day passed, bringing me inevitably closer to the results […]
Surviving Chronic Illness
What’s in a Name?
I was recently inspired by Bella DePaulo’s blog, Alone, Unattached and Other Wrong Terms for Single People[i]. This blog touched on some of the unhelpful names we give single people, names that imply singles are less-than the rest of society or missing something vital. I can relate to this. When I was single, people referred […]
A Stranger on Earth
Living on earth can take a toll on us. Pandemics. Natural disasters. Poverty. The exhaustion of politics, corruption and social causes. This life can be painful. And some days it can feel like the pain will never end. As a person living with chronic illness, the pain is literally never-ending. Don’t get me wrong. Some […]
10 Things I Love About You: An Open Letter To COVID-19
Dear COVID-19, It seems only yesterday you came into my life. You have been here for a couple of months now, and while our relationship is still new, I feel as though I am beginning to get to know you. You have changed my life. Of course, COVID-19, it is tempting to treat this letter […]
Cancelled
Last week my hospital procedure was cancelled. It was deemed non-urgent. It was a procedure that required some preparation several days beforehand, so it was quite involved. Thankfully, I was not too far into the preparation when the procedure was called off. It could have been a lot worse. The hospital procedure was not the […]
You Are Here
Do you remember those theme parks we used to go to as kids? For me it was Australia’s Wonderland. It was a city of wonder indeed, filled with fast rides, and rollercoasters, and water rides, and chilled rides, and fairy floss, and every other kind of kiddie delight. That place was a maze. It had […]
Alone But Not Alone
I was recently in hospital. I will not divulge all the details, but suffice it to say it involved an overnight stay, a transfer and a lot of tests (no surprise on that one). While there, I was struck by how alone one can feel in a hospital. Even in a crowded ward with doctors […]
Big Ugly Spider
When I was a kid, I lived in a house with a big ugly spider outside the front door. We had a front verandah with a few concrete steps leading up to it. In front of these concrete steps was a lovely tree. Big Ugly Spider set up permanent residence in a web stretching high […]
New Fear’s Resolutions
Diets. Exercise. Stressing less. Every year people resolve to eat better, get fit and look after themselves. They set goals – realistic or otherwise – that reveal their hopes for the year that lies ahead. But for some of us, the coming of the new year is not heralded by fireworks and champagne. It is […]
3 Things I Love and 3 Things I Hate About Christmas
There are some who would call me the Grinch. To a certain degree, this is true. The commercialism, the happy facades, the endless pressure to be and feel a certain way can lead to a distinct feeling of drudgery of the soul. But before I clothe myself in black and shuffle down the road muttering […]