A photo of a bookshelf with books and greeting cards. Title reads: Getting organised for the year ahead.

Getting Organised For The Year Ahead – Personal Update, Jan 2020

​I am so excited for the year that lies ahead; something about new beginnings just really ​makes me happy. For me, 2019 was quite a difficult year health wise. It started off really well and then I think I overdid things in May with my very ambitious ME awareness campaigns and it totally wiped me out for the rest of the year. So I will try hard not to make the same mistake again this year. ​Looking Back At December…

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Char outside in the garden wearing a sunhat and sunglasses, title reads: exploring the garden and our first BBQ in years. Personal update.

Exploring The Garden And Our First Family BBQ In Years

​Last year, at the end of Summer, we moved into this house that has a lovely little garden. It was the first time in years that I have had a private garden to explore and relax in – quite a treat when you’re housebound and severely ill! Last year we didn’t do much in the garden, the family focused ​their time and energy on the inside of the house and I focused on recovering from the move and the disability…

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A beautiful red Lily. Title reads: Creating a retreat away from my own bedroom, personal update.

Creating A Retreat Away From My Own Bedroom

Look at ​that beautiful Lily! Everyday there seems to be something new in the garden. It’s constantly changing. I try to take a walk through the house daily, so I can look out the windows and see the different parts of our garden, it doesn’t always happen, but it’s a goal. ​And I’ve been careful to stay out of direct sunlight, shading my eyes better this week, after my sun-induced crash ​recently. Looking Back On The Past Week I’ve spent…

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Title reads Health and fitness the week I fell ill with severe ME. Photo of Char and friends walking in a park wearing pink fluffy bunny ears and carrying green balloons. By Chronically Hopeful

Health And Fitness: A Week Before I Fell Ill With Severe Chronic Illness

​Ironically my life was super busy and active during the weeks and months ​before the onset of what lead to my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome diagnosis. There seems to be the general belief that we are tired or lazy or that we have some sort of unhealthy aversion or fear of exercise, but nothing could be further from the truth! As we move towards ME Awareness Month (May), ​I wanted to share some of my health and fitness memories from the…

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A pile of boxes stacked up next to a radiator. Title reads Moving to a new house, plus 12 tips to make moving easier

Moving To A New House – Plus 12 Ways To Make Moving Easier If You’re Chronically Ill

This summer was a season of great change for our family. After little more than a year in our flat, my dad had found us a lovely big house with a garden and we were packing again. Moving house can be quite stressful for the healthiest of people, so it can really be a nightmare for somebody with a severe chronic illness like ME. We actually loved our flat, it was enough for my sister and I, it ticked most…

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Time to reassess my condition ME cfs, ChronicallyHopeful

Reassessing My Condition, Setting Realistic Goals

It’s time for another personal update. Time to reassess and set realistic goals. This month has been so much harder than I anticipated. Somehow I imagined that summer would bring better health and more energy along with sunnier days and warmer temperatures, but it hasn’t really. I have spent so much time in bed! Despite this, there have been some exciting things happening here. Exciting for me anyway, not sure anybody else would define it as such! Haha…  I got…

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A season of anticipation, chronic voice link-up, BLOG

Update: A Season Of Anticipation And New Beginnings

I can’t believe we’re almost half-way through April already! This is possibly one of my favourite times of the year being the season of new beginnings. The days are becoming sunnier and longer, flowers are blooming and there is great excitement in my heart. Let me tell you why… More… This post is part of the April link party with Sheryl from A Chronic Voice, this month’s prompts are: Marvelling – at this time of year Splurging – um, what’s that? Continuing –…

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When intention, creativity and chronic illness collide, BLOG

Update: When Intention, Creativity and Chronic Illness Collide

This month has been quite productive! I can’t believe it’s almost gone already. I’m once again taking part in this thought-provoking monthly link-up with Sheryl from A Chronic Voice. I love the prompts she comes up with each month – they really force me to consider things I might not otherwise think about and perhaps, in a way, that helps to keep me focused and accountable too. This month’s prompts are: Adapting – to intentional rest and fasting Practicing –…

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A messy bed. Title reads: Imagine... a day in the life of M.E. Have you ever wondered what chronically ill people do all day?

Imagine… A Day in The Life of ME

It might surprise you how often people with chronic illness are asked what they do with all the free time they have at home. I think many healthy people have no idea how difficult it is to deal with unrelenting symptoms on a daily basis. I hope to shed some light on this by sharing with you what a day in the life of Severe ME is like. This post was originally written as a first person account of my…

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Jan 2018 Reflecting Aiming Expanding Focusing Refreshing BLOG

Reflecting, Aiming, Expanding, Focusing, Refreshing

I’m so happy to finally be taking part in A Chronic Voice’s monthly link-up! I have been silently following along from the shadows for months, then last month I finally wrote the post, but of course I waited till the very last day and actually missed the deadline by 4 hours because Sheryl works on Singapore time.  This time I’m doing a bit better, I am writing this post with 6 days to spare. Wow, I must say I am…

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