Anniversary: five years on from hospital...

I will start this post with the same preface as the last three years "I have just written a 'status update' on my personal Facebook page to my friends and it occurred to me that I also want to say thank you to all of YOU. So I'm going to paste in what I wrote word-for-word on here. 

This isn't something I thought I would ever feel comfortable doing. I try to keep Life In Recovery and my personal life reasonably separate. Not because I am ashamed of the blog but because I think it works better if I don't use this as a platform to air my private life and that I use my past and present experiences in a constructive way to help others who may be struggling. That won't be changing.Keeping this blog, creating videos and posting little (or a lotta) bits on Twitter has been an absolutely wonderful experience. I hope to continue the work I have only just started and love interacting and discovering all of you 'out there.' This is why I felt it was relevant to post the message I sent to my friends and family to you all as well."

For the full effect (and for the new readers amongst you) you can read my first year anniversary post here, my second here, my third year here and my fourth year here.

It’s that time of year again – my unedited-stream-of-consciousness-brain-heart-soul-dump-thing to mark the anniversary of me leaving hospital. Yes, it’s 5^th August and FIVE YEARS since being discharged. This anniversary post will probably be my last – those of you who have been subjected to five years of these will no doubt be relieved! I just feel that now is a good time to stop. I will always mark today in a small way, but I don’t feel the need to publicly prove how far I’ve come or keep a running reminder of so many years unwell now that I have moved so far forward in life. However, I do reserve the right to resurrect these in the future!! So…here goes…

I recently found some videos taken while in my last hospital. Two of me on a treadmill in a harness with my physiotherapist – getting used to walking and re-training my body. And a few from five years ago exactly: my discharge day – removing my name from my hospital room door and wiping down the whiteboard of my schedule of ward rounds, drug rounds and therapy appointments. I sat and watched myself grin, gurn, grimace and gnash my teeth. I watched me hobble and limp, hurt and labour, be happy and laugh, reach new heights (literally and figuratively) and achieve life goals. And if that’s not an accurate summary of those videos and also the last five years I don’t know what is.

I don’t think I’ve ever watched those videos before. And the overriding feeling was that I knew I was watching me; I remember being in the harness and I remember the day I was discharged, but that person is not the ‘me’ I am today. I barely recognise her – and that can be no bad thing. In last year’s post (or was it the one before..?) I wrote about now being me. Being myself fully. And moving so far from my unwell years that they had become a hazy and distant memory. Those twelve years are now like the mist in the early morning that gets burned off so easily by the first rays of the sun. And the last five years have been so full of sunshine that the mist has all but disappeared – leaving behind the memories, but not having an effect on the enjoyment of the day(s) to come.

In these posts, I like to look back and reflect on the past year and how far I have come. I like to take the opportunity to thank all those who have been with me; by my side, on the phone, in letters, in voice notes, in spirit, in laughter and in tears. Those thanks can never be put into words – and this measly post will never sum up how grateful and lucky I am to have had so much care, support and expertise over the past umpteen years. This year was the year I finally stopped going to hospital appointments, and that was a massive deal. I wrote a little something on Instagram about it – so I won’t repeat myself here. Safe to say it was an emotional day – one that I thought would never come; one that I wasn’t sure I wanted to come; but one that I worked so hard to reach. It meant saying goodbye to the doctor who had spent the last five years with me since my discharge – helping me find my feet (factually and figuratively) and being such an inexhaustible source of support. That was a bittersweet moment. And this year has been full of both the bitter and the sweet. Just as life – a ‘normal’ life, a full life ought to be. I wrote about that last year too I think; that when you live a full life, like a heartbeat – there are ups and downs – but that just shows you are alive. Not flatlining. Not like I had been. Not like I almost did.

This year I could talk about all the mind-blowing things I have done, the achievements that bizarrely keep coming and the over-eager excitement I have for the future. But for me, the most important part of this year – and the one that marks out this year especially – are the people who I have lived my life alongside. The people who I have let in, and who have let me in in return. These people – my friends and family – have made this year lovelier than I could have expected. And lovely is the word. Love-ly. Full of love in all its forms. And as I reach the point in this post where I talk about the thing that means the most – you – this is the point where the tears have come! So, as I sit here, with an old episode of Bake Off to keep me company – with tears streaming down my face – I want to say thank you. This year, despite all the incredible milestones and giant leaps forward in my work/uni/inner and outer life, things have not always been the easiest. There have been hard choices, heartbreak, headaches, hellos and hasta la vistas. I have moved on, moved forward and moved house. There have been tears, triumphs and tests. But through all the ups and downs, the times I thought I was falling to pieces, the “you’re not going to believe this…” and the “I did it” moments, the stresses and the successes - there was always someone to share those times with and always someone who wanted to share their moments with me too. Always someone to call, always someone to come over or visit, always someone to toast with/toast to/hug/laugh with/cry with/cry for. This last year I made a concerted effort to open up, share the bad and not just the good, say “this is me”, say “I like you”, carefully choose who I surround myself with and put a lot of time into my friends – and that has meant that my world has grown and ballooned, rather than narrowed and shrunk. I always thought I would be someone who valued ‘quality’ over ‘quantity’, meaning that I would have a smaller group of people to go through life with – but the quantity of quality I now have amazes me. If you are reading this, it is because you have added some quality to my life. And for that I am blessed. I am excited for the times to come and the lives we will lead. Even if our paths cross or diverge, lead away from each and then back – know that you make a difference to those around you. Know that you can have a positive impact on someone’s life so much more easily and effortlessly than you realise.

As I look back – on five years of healthy life, and twelve years of ill-health – I get flashes of faces, snippets of memories and twinges of pain. I know that there will be things that sometimes ache, things that will never completely heal but that will throb and tingle like old scars are wont to do, but I also know that I will never be beaten, never be alone, never be empty. I will always have the good memories as well as the bad. I will never unlearn the lessons that were taught to me in times of pain and darkness. I will live my life in the light – having known the blackness and never be afraid of the dark. And I will be me. Whether that is me being sad, being silly, being soppy, being sarcastic or being sensationally ecstatic.

Ronan Keating – that poet – sung, “Life is a rollercoaster – just gotta ride it”. But it’s not just about passively riding it. It’s about queuing to get in (waiting patiently or impatiently), measuring yourself up to make sure that this is the ride for you and you won’t fall out of the contraption, strapping yourself in, having your crew sitting beside you and in front of you and behind you – while you all scream and laugh, be afraid and be excited, get nervous and get sick. That’s what life is. It’s about living it out loud; in all it’s stomach-crunching, white-knuckle-inducing, when-will-it-begin, hair-flying, stop-start, loop-de-loop, “I want to get off” moments; it’s “Ooh, look at the view”,  “Actually, this is quite fun” and “Let’s do it again” times. That’s how life is a rollercoaster, and that’s how to ride it.

With love, thanks and countless other emotions

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Wellbeing Basics: Breathing

The second in my Wellbeing Basics series. The first one on sleep can be found here.

Here's a blonde joke (disclaimer: as a blonde-ish person myself I feel I am allowed to make one…sort of) - A blonde walks into a beauty shop with a pair of headphones on. She asks for a haircut. The blonde is led to a chair and asked to sit down. "Make my hair look good, but whatever you do, don't take off the headphones", the blonde instructs. The blonde falls asleep during the haircut and the hair stylist thinks, "It’s really hard to cut with these headphones on". She takes them off, and the blonde dies. The stylist calls an ambulance and when they take the blonde away the intrigued stylist picks up the headphones and takes a listen. She hears a little voice saying "Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out..." So now you all know (if you hadn’t guessed already) that breathing is rather important – and you can actually be doing it wrong!

Why should I care about my breathing so much?

Apart from the obvious (see above), our breathing – or more importantly the way we breathe – can have a big impact on, not only our bodies, but also our emotions. Breathing is an automatic mechanism. It’s controlled by our autonomic nervous system and we don’t have to consciously think about breathing in and out. Because our bodies are incredibly clever, our autonomic nervous system adjusts our breathing to suit our body’s needs. If we are exerting ourselves, if we are anxious, if we are ill – our breathing changes as a result. This can be very helpful. However, it can also sometimes be unhelpful. Over-breathing (or hyperventilation) can upset our body’s chemistry and in turn result in negative physical and emotional symptoms. The opposite problem – hypoventilation (breathing too slowly) can result in too much carbon dioxide being in the blood and not enough oxygen. Studies have shown that there is a high correlation between ‘incorrect’ breathing and a number of illnesses, for example: heart disease, high blood pressure, insomnia, chronic inflammation, anxiety – to name but a few.

Someone told me I’m breathing from the wrong place – how is that possible?

We know that breathing too quickly or too slowly can be unhelpful, but it also matters where you’re breathing from. This may sound odd, but a lot of people breathe from the ‘wrong’ place.

Here’s a simple test to check: if you take a minute or so and concentrate on your breathing what part of your body is rising and falling? Are your chest and shoulders moving, or is your abdomen?

If your chest and shoulders are rising and falling, this probably means you aren’t using your diaphragm (a huge, dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of the rib cage) to breathe. The diaphragm is the best place to breathe from. Chest breathing can mean you feel anxious a lot of the time, that you’re over-breathing and causing potential imbalances to your body chemistry. Disproportionate amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide can have a radical impact on your health – meaning you can feel fatigued, nervy or cross; while potentially doing yourself more serious damage in the long run.

I find the most helpful way to calm myself is to concentrate on my stomach and breathe from there. Think of your abdomen as a balloon that’s slowly filling up with air as you inhale and then slowly releasing the air (or deflating the balloon) as you exhale – try to do this without your chest or shoulders rising. Another option is to lie flat on the floor or your bed and place a book on your stomach, covering your belly button, and try to lift the book by breathing in and out – this can help focus your mind on exactly where you should be breathing from. Attempt to make your stomach bigger (vanity will have to be out aside!) – this way your body will learn to breathe from your diaphragm rather than your chest.

Many people can find it a slightly uncomfortable or strange experience to change their breathing pattern – but I would suggest you try it and keep persevering! You may feel sleepy at first, or get some funny flutterings in your diaphragm – these are all part of your body adapting to quite a significant change to its norm. It is, however, a positive change. If you can practice this technique for a couple of minutes a day, you will slowly start to breathe from your diaphragm reaping the rewards, both physically and emotionally, as a result.

Five tips to breathe in a healthier way:

·       Join a choir – you will learn all about breath control and diaphragmatic breathing, plus it can be a fun and rewarding activity!

·       Try 7/11 breathing for five to ten minutes every day – that’s inhaling for seven seconds and then exhaling for eleven seconds, this can help regulate your breathing and re-balance your body chemistry.

·       Be more mindful – we can unconsciously hold our breath when we are anxious, angry, concentrating or exerting ourselves; try to be more aware of your breath and how you are breathing – I talk a little about breathing in an old video of mine here (at about 9 and a half minutes in).

·       Practice yoga or Tai Chi – a lot of yoga and Tai Chi exercises include breathing techniques which may prove beneficial, plus you’re getting some exercise at the same time; it’s a win, win really!

·       Download a breathing app – it may sound very close to the blonde joke I opened with, but they can be very useful as a guide if you need to quickly regulate your breathing or calm down – I’ve been using Breathing Zone, but there are lots of free options which I am sure are just as helpful. I talked a bit about Breathing Zone in this video here.

Do you breathe using your diaphragm? What are some things you find helpful to regulate your breathing?

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Wellbeing Basics: Sleeping

“Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together” said Thomas Dekker, a writer in the Elizabethan times. And boy, was he right! Sleep (or lack thereof) is such a hot topic. Recently, the world has started waking up (pun intended) to the fact that getting good quality sleep is one of the foundations of a healthy life. This article will try to answer a few of the most common questions about sleep and hopefully help you to get a better night’s rest - one of the basics of wellbeing, and my first piece in the series.

Why is sleep so important anyway?

Sleep improves not only your physical health, but your emotional health too. Studies have shown that adequate sleep can help aid memory, reduce inflammation, improve our immune system, boost our ability to learn, improve mood and so much more. Chronic sleep deprivation (regularly getting less sleep than you need) is becoming a global issue. The impact of not getting the optimum amount of sleep can be serious. One study has found that not getting enough sleep is more dangerous to your health than smoking, having high blood pressure or heart disease. While this may sound like scare-mongering, lack of sleep (or sleep debt) can seriously impact your quality of life.  For example, you may find that you put on weight, are less able to focus, feel anxious or get ill more often if you are in a state of sleep debt.

What are the different phases of sleep; what do they mean for me?

There has been a lot of research into sleep and the theories are still developing, but the general consensus is that there are a few different stages of sleep.

One of these is REM (Rapid Eye Movement). This type of sleep is the most ‘active’ part of your sleep – this is thought to be the stage where you dream. In REM sleep, your brain can be as active as it is when you are awake. Your brain is not only processing the events of the day, but also doing a bit of ‘waste management’ by clearing away toxins and strengthening/weakening connections in our brain.

Another kind of sleep is NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement). This can be further broken down into four stages. Essentially, the last two stages of NREM are the deepest parts of your sleep. This is when your body heals and restores itself. Hormones are released which build muscle, energy is replenished, tissues are healed, blood pressure and heart rate drops.

Hopefully this shows you that, far from being a waste of time, sleep is a key component in rebuilding, renewing and maintaining a healthy and happy life.

Why is eight hours considered the ‘magic’ number?

There is a theory (much touted) that eight hours is the perfect amount of sleep to have. However, this theory is being challenged. Some people seem to need less, some more. There is such a thing as sleeping too much; this can actually be as harmful as not getting enough sleep.

How much sleep we need can depend on many things such as our age, life events, and illness. I think the answer to this question lies with the individual. Ask yourself if you feel at your best with five…seven…ten hours of sleep. If your answer is different from the amount you usually get, then something needs to change for you to get your optimum amount of sleep.

I can’t get to sleep – how do I sort this out?

Our modern day lives are not allowing us to get enough sleep, but they also are damaging our ability to ‘wind down’ and switch off. Sleep hygiene is a new-ish concept and I made a video talking about some simple habits to help improve sleep here.

With our addiction to the internet and smart phones it’s incredibly easy to remain hyper-active and alert during the hour or so before bedtime. We bring TVs and phones into our bedrooms which, I believe, are one of the main causes of not being able to get to sleep. Screens emit blue light which cause our body’s circadian rhythm (our body clock) to malfunction. Blue light can interfere with the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. If you don’t feel tired, the chances are that you’ve been late-night texting or watching your favourite series on Netflix in the wee hours. If you need to use your screens in the evening, you can download f.lux – free software that adjusts the light levels on your screen and helps reduce the impact of blue light.

Eating a sensible meal before bed can also help a lot. Avoid fatty, starchy, sugary foods and make sure you eat enough. If you feel peckish in the night – get up and eat something like a banana.

Regular exercise is important in helping you sleep. Just don’t exercise too near bedtime as this can stimulate you and interfere with your body clock. If you want to do some exercise near bedtime, I would recommend light stretching or yoga, as this isn’t too strenuous and can prove relaxing.

Worry and stress can certainly play a big role in being ready for sleep. While there are a lot of things that can help you relax, one of the best things to do is to have a pad of paper and a pen by your bed. If something is really exercising your mind, write it down, get it out of your head and address it in the morning. This way you shouldn’t have to spend all night ruminating over it, or worrying you’ll forget something.

If I only did three things to help sleep better what would they be?

• Set yourself a cut-off time for electronics – e.g. "from 10pm I won’t look at my phone until the morning or watch TV."
• Have a relaxing routine at the end of your day: take a bath; make a cup of herb tea; read a chapter of a book; have a chat to a loved one. This creates a lovely ritual and can help you wind down and relax, meaning it’s easier for you to settle at bedtime.
• Keep your bedroom clutter-free, calm and cool as your bedroom has to be conducive to sleep. Having a messy and chaotic room can result in you feeling the same way!

How much sleep do you get a night? Have you got any tips that mean you get your forty winks?

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Recipe: Homemade healthy muesli

I posted a picture on Instagram of a jar of homemade muesli and asked you if you wanted a recipe for it; turns out you did. SO here we go...a nutty, nourishing, sugar-free, wheat-free muesli that doesn't taste of dust!

Ingredients:

600g oats

200g mixed nuts

100g sesame seeds

50g sunflower seeds

50g pumpkin seeds

100g raisins

100g dried cranberries

100g dried ready-to-eat apricots, chopped

Feel free to: change the types of dried fruit or seeds used according to your preference, and add some spices (cinnamon, nutmeg etc.) if you like a bit of extra warmth.

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160C
2. Spread the oats, nuts and seeds on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes – making sure the oats don’t burn, but are slightly golden.
3. Take the tray out of the oven and leave to cool
4. Once the mixture is cooled, mix together with the dried fruit and store in a glass jar or other airtight container
5. To serve – add milk or yoghurt and some fresh fruit if you like.

How do you like to start your day? What recipes would you like to see next?

How to get in touch:

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Anniversary: four years on from hospital...

I will start this post with the same preface as the last three years "I have just written a 'status update' on my personal Facebook page to my friends and it occurred to me that I also want to say thank you to all of YOU. So I'm going to paste in what I wrote word-for-word on here. 
This isn't something I thought I would ever feel comfortable doing. I try to keep Life In Recovery and my personal life reasonably separate. Not because I am ashamed of the blog but because I think it works better if I don't use this as a platform to air my private life and that I use my past and present experiences in a constructive way to help others who may be struggling. That won't be changing.Keeping this blog, creating videos and posting little (or a lotta) bits on Twitter has been an absolutely wonderful experience. I hope to continue the work I have only just started and love interacting and discovering all of you 'out there.' This is why I felt it was relevant to post the message I sent to my friends and family to you all as well."

For the full effect (and for the new readers amongst you) you can read my first year anniversary post here and my second here and my third year here.

"Today is 5th August - and you know what that means Facebook friends...Yes, it's time for another of my epically soppy anniversary stream of consciousness-es.

Today marks four years exactly since I was discharged from hospital. Four years. Only four. If I thought the last three of these anniversary posts were hard to write this year's is even more so. Normally I like to spend a bit of time reflecting on what the last years have held and how far I've come; I like to remember all the incredible, patient, loving and hard-working people who helped me get where I am today, and I like to try to sum it all up neatly here (which I won't do this year!)

While I won't ever forget the pain and the hard times; it's so important to remember the joy of that first walk in the park seeing a squirrel, or going out for lunch for the first time, or slicing a loaf of bread, or making someone a cup of tea.

This year I don't have the chance to devote half a day to reminiscences, like previous years. But I think that says it all really - last year's post talked about how I almost missed the anniversary - that it almost passed me by, because I was too busy living my life. And this year is the same.

The past year has been filled with new experiences, new faces and new challenges. I have done things I never dreamed I could or would do, I am doing things that seemed so far out of reach and I'm becoming the person I want to be. Even in my darkest moments, when I tried to find and cling onto the hope that I would get through things, I could never have imagined how much could happen in four years.

With a new year of challenges and lots of change can come difficulties, but the last year has had so many more highs than lows and as I've said before, bumps in the road are just part of living a full life. I want to live life like a heartbeat, with all its ups and downs; not flatlining.

I often think things will plateau and I am sure there will come a time where no massive shifts or great strides happen - and this may be the last year where I notice big progress. Yet in the last year I have grown: bolder, stronger, healthier, more unafraid, more silly, more hungry, less wary, more sure, braver. More me. And for the opportunity to do that, I can never put into words. I am incredibly lucky, incredibly grateful and incredibly hopeful.

Going into my fifth year out of hospital feels amazing. Very soon I will stop having my regular appointments, a decision I made before the summer and one that I think shows I must have confidence in both my health and my self.

So, as I try not to cry (again) and I prepare to celebrate someone else's anniversary and don my heels, I'm reminded that this time four years ago I was putting on a pair of high heels in my hospital room as I had been determined to walk out in style, having entered on a stretcher. Yes, then, I may have only just made it out of the front door before having to stop, but still...! Tonight I'll dance all night!

I will quote my post from the last two years, “To the friends and family who have seen up close the changes these past couple of years have brought and who've been there with a solid shoulder, a helping hand, a beaming smile or a thumbs up - thank you”. I couldn't have done this, or enjoyed myself so much without you.

Life. Is. Good."

Do you mark milestones and life anniversaries?

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Immune-boosting Supplement Regime

“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” ― Hippocrates

Supplements mentioned:

Bio-Kult probiotic

Vitabiotics Immunace

Fushi Organic Spirulina

Sambucol Black Elderberry Extract

Other helpful videos for immune-boosting/overall wellbeing:

Mood-boosting and body-boosting foods

What do you do to boost your immune system? Have any favourite supplements?

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2

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Top Health Apps and Trackers

“I have been and still am a seeker, but I have ceased to question stars and books; I have begun to listen to the teaching my blood whispers to me.” – Herman Hesse

March In Review video

Apps:

C25K

Runkeeper

Strava

Sworkit

Breathing Zone (on iTunes) 

Breathing Zone (on Android)

Headspace

Period Tracker (on Android)

Period Tracker (on iTunes)

Lifesum

Other useful wellbeing videos from Life In Recovery:

Nutrition

Sleep

Getting active after being bedbound

Gym workouts


Do you use health trackers or apps? Technophobe or tech-lover? What are some of your favourites?


How to get in touch:

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Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/

Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com

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Simply Cook: Thai Red Prawn Curry - REVIEW

I was recently emailed to ask if I wanted to try out a Simply Cook recipe box*. Having never heard of them - I checked out their website and was quickly intrigued with the nifty concept; a box of spices and flavours featuring four recipes, posted through your letterbox to make quick, tasty and healthy meals.

So, a couple of weeks ago came the familiar sound of the letterbox going, and among the usual bills and leaflets was a slim box carrying the precious ingredients for my next week's dinners.

In each box you get four recipe cards, and four containers of the spices you need to make each one. All you have to do is buy the fresh ingredients, follow the simple step-by-step guide whilst cooking and then voila - eat!

Four spice boxes: Malay Laksa, BBQ Tandoori, Bokkeumbap, Thai Red Prawn Curry

The recipe card and shopping list

I decided to cook the Thai Red Prawn Curry - I followed the steps exactly, although I added a load of extra vegetables and cooked rice noodles, instead of plain rice (my small act of rebellion). I think this just shows that the recipe is very versatile and allows you to tweak it. I love a lot of vegetables, and the only drawback, or negative thing I have to say about the recipe is that I felt the recipe lacked vegetables. But this was easily rectified, by adding some tenderstem broccoli and green beans to the dish.

Three spice pots

Overall, the dish turned out to be delicious. A tangy, flavoursome and more-ish meal - that had a good hit of heat. It was also even more yummy the next day, reheated. I found it to be the perfect balance of creaminess with a punch of chilli - the ideal feast on a cool night while curled up in front of the TV, or shared with friends over a few drinks. It's comfort food at its best!

If you want a quick, tasty and crowd-pleasing meal (they really do only take 15-20 minutes to make from scratch) then Simply Cook have provided me with a discounted trial box for only £3 to offer to you - click here to get this awesome deal - your taste-buds will thank you!

Have you ever tried a recipe kit box? What were your experiences like? 


How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

*DISCLAIMER:
Simply Cook kindly sent me a box to try, free of charge, and they have provided an affiliate link for you to use for your first box, at a discounted rate. However, the opinions above are all my own, nor was the box sent with any proviso that I would write a review (favourable or otherwise). 

Answering your questions - Walking

A video answering a viewer's questions about walking.

Lao Tzu - "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

More information from Life In Recovery on walking:

Article on the benefits of walking

Video on walking for your health

Video on getting active after being bedbound

Video on basic gym workouts and exercise

Video on progressing gym workouts (including step-by-step routine)

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Reflections - things I learned from 2016

Here is the second instalment of my 'Reflecting on 2016' series. If you didn't catch the first one, listing some of my favourite things click here, and if you want to read my life lessons from 2015, and see if I repeat any (I did have to check myself) then click here...

• Being a student isn't all laughter and hanging out with your mates

• Being a student isn't all studying and hanging out in the library

• You can't make yourself feel more for someone than you do, however much you may want to

• Grief can hit you out of the blue

• I don't like my family living in different countries

• Change is good

• I'm learning to love LinkedIn

• My intuition/gut instinct is spookily correct

• Law degrees are hard work

• Goodbyes are never easy

• I somehow know enough about make-up that I got offered a job at Space NK on a window-shopping trip

• Just because someone has done a "bad" thing, it doesn't make them a "bad" person

• Sometimes you have to go further into something to get closure/know where you stand/know how you feel

• I look younger than I am

• 'Feeling the fear and doing it anyway' is harder than it sounds

• I'm more comfortable with being wrong, or looking silly, than I ever have been

• I don't always practise what I preach

• When you know, you know, and don't let anyone (including yourself) convince you that you don't

• I have a fantastic NHS doctor (not a new lesson)

• It takes me a while to open up, and that's okay (another not new lesson)

• I love an afternoon of batch-cooking

• Flu over Christmas and New Year is the worst

• I'm one of life's feeders/looker-afterers

• It's enough for things to be 'good enough'

• It's okay to feel like you've made a mistake 

• I'd rather try than not

• I'm still finding my balance

• I'm still finding my health

• I can be made speechless

• I can achieve things I thought were impossible for me

• There is always a positive to every negative

• This year has far outweighed my expectations

• I am now sufficiently enough of a grown-up that if I get a bad haircut, I don't cry

• I am not sufficiently enough of a grown-up when it comes to needing help with my CV

• Inside me is a lioness that I am able to tap into more and more

• Life is still an incredible, surprising and wonderful thing (and far too much has happened this year for me to neatly sum it up in these lessons)

What life lessons did 2016 bring for you?

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

A few of my favourite things: AUGUST 2016

A video featuring a few of my favourite things from August 2016 - where I try not to cry (several times) and talk about intuition, trust and yoghurt.

Victoria: http://www.itv.com/hub/victoria/2a4229a0001

Great British Bake-Off: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013pqnm

BBC Radio Four Extra: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4extra



What are your favourite things from August? Did you go on any Summer holidays, read any good books, take on a new challenge?

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life 

Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk

Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Anniversary - three years on from hospital...

So...it's 5th August and that means *drum roll* it's time for another emotional/personal post marking my (this time) THREE year anniversary after being discharged from hospital.

I will start this post with the same preface as the last two years "I have just written a 'status update' on my personal Facebook page to my friends and it occurred to me that I also want to say thank you to all of YOU. So I'm going to paste in what I wrote word-for-word on here. 
This isn't something I thought I would ever feel comfortable doing. I try to keep Life In Recovery and my personal life reasonably separate. Not because I am ashamed of the blog but because I think it works better if I don't use this as a platform to air my private life and that I use my past and present experiences in a constructive way to help others who may be struggling. That won't be changing.Keeping this blog, creating videos and posting little (or a lotta) bits on Twitter has been an absolutely wonderful experience. I hope to continue the work I have only just started and love interacting and discovering all of you 'out there.' This is why I felt it was relevant to post the message I sent to my friends and family to you all as well."

For the full effect (and for the new readers amongst you) you can read my first year anniversary post here and my second here.

Here we go:

"WARNING – another of my soppy anniversary posts (read: essays). Today is August 5^th, and marks three years since I was discharged from hospital.

This year the anniversary feels quite a different beast to the last two years. It crept up on me, for a start. I completely forgot about it until I was on my way into work yesterday and panicked that I’d somehow missed it. Personally, I think this is a great sign; a sign that I am starting to feel more space between me and the years I spent unwell. A ‘healthy’ space. A space that means I feel I am not completely defined by a decade-plus of illness. A space that feels good.

This past year has been another roller-coaster of a ride. Yes, I still have to be careful. Yes, I’m still finding my way. No, I won’t forget what happened or pretend it didn’t. No, I won’t take things for granted. This year there have been tears and triumphs. Things to grieve over, and things to rejoice about. Things I have done for the first time, and things I have done for the last. There have been people I have said goodbye to, and many people I have met for the first time. We have worked, we have played, we have studied and we have lived. For all these things and so many more, I am grateful.

On this day, three years ago I woke with the knowledge that a new and exciting chapter of life was just beginning. Three years later, I woke up this morning with the same knowledge.

Sitting here typing this (fairly un-edited stream of consciousness) with tears running down my face – I am completely at a loss to express how much I (still) feel about the last few years and the time I was unwell. I have so many of you to thank. So many of you who helped me reach where I am today. So many who are helping me discover just how incredible and exhilarating life can be.

A year of milestones, surprises, new beginnings, goodbyes, change, love, laughter, tears, family, new and old friends. A year of growing, learning and maturing. A year you have all been part of. And for that I am very lucky.

I will quote my post from last year, “To the friends and family who have seen up close the changes these past couple of years have brought and who've been there with a solid shoulder, a helping hand, a beaming smile or a thumbs up - thank you”.

Life. Is. Good."

What anniversaries do you mark? Are you a fan of reflecting on milestones or key moments of your life?

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life

Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/

Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Bed-bound: Pressure sores/bedsores and how to prevent them

This video discusses the causes of bedsores/pressure sores/pressure ulcers and a few ways to prevent them.

I really hope you enjoy watching the videos and that they can help you or someone you know.

Do you have any suggestions for helping prevent and/or treat bedsores? Are you worried about getting bedsores?


How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life

Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/

Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Recipe: Wiener Schnitzel

This recipe is for Wiener Schnitzel. Traditionally made with veal - I'm using pork loin steaks instead. Wiener Schnitzel is the national dish of Austria and are delicious and simple, if a little naughty (because they are fried). I have played around with the traditional recipe by adding herbs to the crust, as I think it adds so much to this already yummy dish.

Wiener Schnitzel's make an ideal light supper or decent lunch when served with a salad in summertime. I ate mine two days on the trot. I had one serving for dinner hot out of the frying pan and one cold for lunch - both options are equally tasty.

Ingredients: (makes 3-6 portions depending on appetites)

2-3 stale pieces of bread
A large handful of fresh herbs (I used a random mixture of thyme, mint and basil)
6 pork loin steaks
2 eggs
A splash of milk
Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Blitz together, using a food processor, the bread and herbs. Enjoy the incredibly fragrant wafts of fresh herb-y goodness. This mixture is now your breadcrumb mix; simple! Spread the mixture onto a plate.

2. Whisk together the eggs, milk and seasoning. You could always add some chilli, cumin or other spices to this mixture if the fancy takes you. Place this egg-y mix on a plate (be careful not to slop it over the kitchen counter in your haste, like I did!)

3. Put a little oil and a teeny amount of butter in a frying pan and get the pan hot , but not smoking.

4. Take each pork loin and dip it first into the egg mixture, coating each side, then place it into the breadcrumbs and pat each side so that the pork becomes covered in the herb-y crust.

5. Place the pork loins in the hot pan and let them cook and crisp for a 3-4 minutes on each side.

6. Serve the Wiener Schnitzel with a salad, or with your favourite kind of potatoes (chips, mash, potato salad etc.) and vegetables. Either way, douse the schnitzel liberally with freshly squeezed lemon juice, for a deliciously zingy, fresh and tasty meal.

 What meal are you enjoying cooking? Have you added your own twist to a classic recipe that you love?

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.com
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life

Wellbeing Basics: My Guest Series for The Olive Fox

Just a little post announcing some exciting news - I'm writing a Wellbeing Basics series for online magazine The Olive Fox.

I was sent an email by the lovely duo Suzy and Beth, that are The Olive Fox, asking if I wanted to write monthly for their online magazine and I (of course) said yes!

I came up with the idea of writing a Basics series for their Wellbeing section. In it I will address all the 'basics' - sleeping, eating, breathing, exercising, laughing, relaxing, crying, loving (and that's just for starters)! Article by article, month by month, I will write a piece covering each 'basic' to help you create a stable, balanced and holistic lifestyle.

The first in the series is all about sleep and can be found here.

Do you have any ideas for other posts that cover the basics of life? Write a comment below or use the links and let me know - I'd love to hear what you consider a life essential...

How to get in touch:

YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life