Almost There

As far as weeks go, this has been a pretty good one. I have been a very busy bee indeed and for the first time in ages I feel like my future is not going to be so bad after all. It has been great to throw myself into charity work and feel like my time is being spent wisely rather than sitting on my bum moaning about how pants everything is. Obviously my illness means there are still limits to how much I can do and I feel exhausted from lack of sleep (I cant seem to switch my brain off to rest at the moment even though my bones are aching for it). I have been overwhelmed with responses from my appearance on the news and on the radio. Although slightly embarrassed at times when being asked by local people if I was ‘the girl on the news the other day’, I am proud that people were impressed.
Not one to get complacent, I had a brainwave for a fundraising event the other night and I quickly got to work with it. I am organising a charity fashion show in February in my local town to raise money for arthritis care, a charity that has been very good to me since my diagnosis. It combines my two passions, fashion and… fun! So I have had a great time thinking of ideas and planning the event from the comfort of my bed (I went swimming the other day and have been suffering with burning hips ever since!). It’s great to see how supportive local businesses have been with donations.
I have also been asked to write a column in the arthritis care magazine which I am thrilled at. Ideally, I wish I could turn the work I am doing into a job but I am aware that working from the comfort of your home where I can rest at any point is very different from being in an office environment working 9-5 five days a week. I hope that I will be ready soon though, and the right part time work will come along to get me started.

I feel very lucky at the moment I get to do what I enjoy, help others and still get the rest I need to ensure my condition doesn’t flare. It has took me long enough to find this balance and I hope it continues. But it does show that you have to hit the bottom, and I did indeed, before you start making your way back up again…