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:

1. Adapting - to intentional rest and fasting
2. Practicing - watercolour blending
3. Realising - it's hard to stick to a schedule
4. Celebrating - a year since my parents moved to the UK
5. Inviting - other chronic illness warriors to share their story

When I first got ME/CFS, I was so utterly exhausted, I slept many hours a day and I slept at night too. Later I was introduced to one of ME's most horrible symptoms: insomnia. I know the frustration and despair that comes from not getting sleep for nights on end, so in this post I will explain how I overcome insomnia whenever it creeps back into my life.

It's quite ironic that people think having ME/CFS means we sleep all day when really we're just utterly exhausted, mentally and physically drained, but unable to sleep, especially at night.

I found myself nodding off in the day, trying hard to stay awake, and then at night when it's finally okay to go to sleep, my body and mind are wide awake and in no mood for rest, buzzing and restless, despite still feeling utterly wrecked.

Every Wednesday the ME community comes together on Twitter to raise awareness of this debilitating chronic illness. We share recent media coverage, research news, our personal experiences and more. Making new connections and supporting each other. I often join in and share various ME awareness pictures during that hour.

Below you will find the graphics I shared during the last ME Awareness Hour. I hope this will help you understand what life is like with ME/CFS. If you have learned something new or find this post might be helpful in any way, please share it or download the images to share on social media and help raise awareness.

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 impressed with myself. I am trying hard to get into a good and productive as can be routine, but before I delve into all that, here are this month's prompts:

1. Reflecting (on the year that's passed)
2. Aiming (to get out more)
3. Expanding (my social media presence)
4. Focusing (on making more art)
5. Refreshing (my soul)

Sandwiched between 2 hot water bottles, under layers of clothes and blankets, medicated - multiple times, in the dark with sunglasses on, my phone's screen dimmed and the blue light filter on so that I can bear looking at it for a few minutes at a time.

This was me yesterday after I had a nap on the sofa where I toppled over after lunch, in a bundle of pain and tears as the previous night's insomnia caught up with me and my body was flooded with pain in every muscle and every bone.