an insight into my life with severe asthma, advocacy, awareness & research
This week is mental health awareness week. Mental health is still such a stigmatised topic often leaving people feeling weak, vulnerable and embarrassed, some even fear what might happen if they acknowledge that they may be struggling with their mental health. I hear so often that people with a physical health condition worry about opening… Continue reading Mental Health Awareness
When it comes to my health I have a few security blankets one being my inhalers and the second my medic alert bracelet. When you live with a condition that can render you speechless it is a huge fear that I won't be able to tell anyone what is wrong with me if I need… Continue reading Medic Alert- my security blanket
Today 10th October 2022 is World Mental Health Day. I was asked to give a brief talk during the event Living Well: Emotional Support Matters hosted by The Health and Social Care Alliance (Scotland). My talk was titled: Benefits of using your own experience to call for change. This blog post is roughly what I… Continue reading Mental Health Benefits From Using My Patient Voice
This gets forgotten so many times. I have spent a lot of time thinking about this post, how I should word it and if I should share it but after speaking with a number of other volunteer patient advocates I feel it is important to share what we face. Firstly though I need to clarify… Continue reading Patient Advocates are volunteers
Are we ever happy with how we look? As a species it seems we are always looking for ways to improve our bodies wether it is our weight, physique, hair you name it there is probably a method out there to help you try and achieve what you are looking for. Even if you think… Continue reading Medication vs Body Image
"the uniform I love is the uniform that saves me and is killing me" has been a statement I have written many times over the years. I posted on social media a few weeks ago now to say that I would not be coming back to my job as a community dialysis nurse. I would… Continue reading Another chapter ending in my life
Yes Dr, I will take that as you prescribe despite the horrible side effects stopping me living my life. How often have you found yourself doing this? Do you know that you can speak up and disagree with your Dr or healthcare provider. In the UK when it comes to healthcare traditionally we are not… Continue reading You can disagree with your Dr, its called self advocating.
With the new year fast approaching I like to reflect back on how the year has been and what I have achieved. Last years post can be found here . My thought for 2019 was: 2019 is going to be a great year, a year to focus on achieving the best health I can and enjoy… Continue reading 2019 the good, the bad & the ugly
My social media platforms have been filled over the last few days with posts about HealtheVoices. The application deadline has been and gone. Yesterday people received their emails saying that they were accepted to HeV20 or were waitlisted or did not get in at all. It fills me with joy and sadness. Sadness because I… Continue reading Friendships from HealtheVoices
I hate crying. In fact Im not sure anyone would say they like to cry. It is an emotion relating to sadness and distress so one we never want to experience if possible (There is the odd occasion that laughter renders us crying in which case it's not so bad). I am not much of… Continue reading Its ok to cry
ANONYMOUS-ASTHMA 