About me

PROFILE:
I have been writing poetry and stories since I was a child, and a love of reading was instilled in me from an early age. I am passionate about writing, and hope you enjoy the books I have written. Whilst most of you sleep soundly in your beds, like many Parkinson’s patients, insomnia dictates, so during those hours that sleep eludes me, the house is tranquil and quiet, an atmosphere perfect to immerse myself in writing. My life has been a series of strange events, which have without doubt contributed to my creativity. To publish anything is to bear one’s soul to the world. It is to stand naked and let everyone see who you really are. I have poured my heart and soul out on paper and I hope to share this journey, immersing you in a story, capturing your attention and firing the imagination. Through my writing and public speaking I hope to bring greater awareness to the general public about living with chronic disease.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Life’s A Roller-coaster

It is Friday once again, and here I sit wondering where the days have disappeared to. It has been a strange week of ups and downs, emotions from one extreme to another, intense frustration and weariness to feelings of joy and immense hope. Life is often referred to as a roller-coaster; not the thrill seeking type ones finds at Disney Land, where you throw your arms up in the air and scream in sheer delight, hurtling at great speed as adrenaline pumps through your body. I’m referring to every day events that effect us all, whether they be health issues, losing a loved one, job difficulties and so on, which create a ripple effect spreading out to our family and friends who surround us.

A dear friend came to help me almost every day after I slipped a disc, and to merely say “thank you” doesn't feel anywhere near enough. How do you thank someone who has literally been there for you no matter what, a friend you can count on, with a cheery personality lifting your spirits and bringing comfort at a time when you need it the most. Apart from emotional support, her practical help in showering and dressing me, took some pressure off my husband. Knowing I was in capable loving hands allowed him to go to work a little less worried. Not only did she insist on washing the floors, hanging out laundry and bringing it in when dry, but realising the importance of voice therapy sessions, she even willingly joined in “think big – think loud”, ensuring I continued this important part of my daily regime in fighting Parkinson’s.

Through the Internet I've had the pleasure and honour of coming into contact with some amazing people, fellow Parkinson’s patients, Gaucher and others with serious on-going illnesses, where we have common ground and can relate to one another. I was deeply moved when I came across a man, who speaks so honestly, his sincere words touched my heart. With his permission, I have written about him in this week’s article on The Huffington Post, and I invite you to read “Parkinson’s Is An Iceberg”.

Friday, August 22, 2014

It’s A Battle Each Day

Experiencing a series of complications, my health has been extremely poor for over a month now. My hospital bag, that I always keep packed and ready for emergencies has been used twice just in the last two weeks. It’s a shame the ER don’t issue “frequent visit” points as the airlines do for frequent flyers. I’d rack up some points in no time!

Upon my last visit, I was taken care of by a charming doctor, who much to my astonishment and surprise, knew what Gaucher disease was. It was a pleasure not having to explain what this rare disease is for the 100th time, and felt I was in good hands, knowing he understood the complications of his new patient who had arrived in the ER with Gaucher and Parkinson’s. What a combination to have - one rare disease and one common disease. Once again my sweet husband had to suffer alongside me, sitting on a hard chair next to the bed. The ER was pretty empty, so I guess 02:00 isn’t a popular time to go! Fortunately it was not deemed necessary to hospitalise me, and so after some hours I was released and we made our weary way home.

The following day, I perked up a bit, and for a few fleeting hours I felt like I was OK, I was back, I was “me” again and my husband was delighted to be met by my smiling face and enthusiastic chatter when he arrived home from work. Just when I thought I was making progress, I was hit by yet another health issue, this time a common stomach bug. When your system is weak, one becomes prone to picking up infections and bugs. It’s been a very long haul, and I’m struggling to get back to where I was a month ago. I don’t think people truly realise how debilitating Parkinson’s is, and the smallest problem can escalate pulling one down so low, you think you’ll never manage to crawl back up again. Lucky I have a fighting spirit, but it’s taking every ounce of energy to battle these recent setbacks.


I think my husband is amazing. He never complains and will sit patiently at a hospital, taking everything in his stride. Take a moment to read my latest article “Parkinson’s Is No Dream, It’s A Nightmare” in the Huffington Post.

Friday, August 15, 2014

Bean there - Done That!

I'm at my best, first thing in the morning, and often do a little cooking early in the day, when I've still got the strength and ability. Having been laid up and out of action with a slipped disc, now slowly on the road to recovery, I decided to get back in the kitchen. I was making the pastry base for a mushroom quiche. Wanting to bake the pastry blind before adding the filling, I put wax paper on the pastry and poured some red kidney beans on top, holding the pastry down, keeping it flat whilst baking.

After 20 minutes, I took the pastry shell out of the oven and laid it on the counter top. My dog watched closely, hoping I'd drop some delicious morsel of food. So far so good - nothing spilt and nothing on the floor! But this moment of triumph didn't last long, for as I lifted the parchment paper from both sides to remove the beans and slide them back into the jar they're kept in … well you can pretty much guess what happened next!

I misjudged the jar, and piping hot beans cascaded all around me, and scattered on the counter top and bounced onto the floor. If only someone had been there with a video camera, I am quite sure if would have made for a comic YouTube clip on "what not to do in your kitchen!"

I must have looked like some kind of mad frenzied woman, hopping barefoot about the kitchen as I tried to avoid stepping on the hot kidney beans, whilst trying to stop our dog from eating them. Our dog became highly excited by the dozens of red treats I had so generously dropped for her delight, but I need not have worried, for one taste of the extremely hot, hard and unpalatable beans and she walked out of the kitchen with a look of disgust on her face. My dog actually seems to have the ability to give a look sometimes, an almost human expression. If only she could talk!

We have a special visitor with us at present, and you may ask why is he is special? I invite you to take a look at "Spilling The Beans" in The Huffington Post.

Friday, August 8, 2014

One Caregiver – One Income

There is tremendous pressure, anxiety and worry placed on the shoulders of a caregiver, especially when the caregiver brings in the sole income to support the family. Living with any chronic long term illness, the tension never lets up not knowing what to expect, and when the next episode or unplanned emergency hospital visit will occur.

As we sat patiently waiting in the Emergency Room, my husband quickly phoned some clients, wrote a few e-mails and cancelled appointments, moving around his entire schedule, all because of me. This is a familiar scenario for us, and I always feel so guilty, knowing I am the cause of further stress to the wonderful man who looks after me. Although he has the flexibility of doing this at a moment’s notice, which is one of the plusses of being self-employed, repeated incidents over the years, take their toll on the family’s finances, for today should have been a working day, yet he received no salary.

A caregiver who is fully employed must find themselves often in great difficulty, for there is only so far a company will be understanding and willing to keep someone on, in spite of frequently having to miss a day’s work. However much a company may sympathize with such a situation, at the end of the day, their number one concern is to make money and not fund a family in difficulties, no matter how much they like you.

I can assure you that spending the best part of a day in the Emergency Room is not my choice, and most definitely not that of my husband, but after ten days with little improvement and no sleep last night, the relentless pain left me with no choice. So it was with great regret, that as my sweetheart opened his eyes, I had to tell him we needed to go straight to the ER. This is not what anyone wants to hear upon waking up first thing in the morning.

So for those of you wondering why I didn’t write an article last week for The Huffington Post, now you will understand I’ve had a particularly difficult time recently, and my latest article “Herniated (Slipped) Discwill explain why; a very common problem most can relate to.

Friday, August 1, 2014

Knowing when to put your shoes on

When suffering any disease, we have a fortune of information at our fingertips through the Internet, some of which is from official medical bodies, and other from personal experience of fellow patients. Seeing a Parkinson's specialist recently, I asked him why no doctor had told me in the eight years of living with Parkinson's about going barefoot at home (on tiled floors) can improve walking considerably. I was met with the answer I suspected, that there have not been any validated official medical trials or data to support this claim. However I have found from fellow patients around the world, that many find going barefoot of great help. I was only too happy to find something, anything, to improve my walking, and fortunately having tiled floors throughout the house, I soon began to kick off my shoes.

I was so thrilled and astounded at the remarkable difference, at my last appointment, I gave the neurologist a demonstration in his office. I walked up and down with my orthopaedic sandals on, and then took them off and walked again. He could clearly see the difference and an immediate improved change in gait when walking barefoot.

So taking this thought one step further, I decided to go barefoot in our garden. Outside the paving tiles are flat with a non-slip surface, and walking confidently it felt good, and so I've been spending a lot of time in the garden, whilst getting a good dose of vitamin D. One day I was met with a problem I had not expected. Standing in the garden one morning, admiring my pink roses that cascade down and along the garden wall, a neighbour stuck his head over the garden gate and warned me that he'd just seen a thin silver grey coloured snake enter our property under the gate. He and I immediately looked down at my bare feet, and I quickly came to the conclusion maybe today was not such a good idea to go barefoot.

After speaking to the local authority who has a "snake catcher" they tell me it was a harmless variety and unlikely it will return. I was a little wary for a few days, but have not seen the snake since, so it's back to being barefoot once again!