Hi, I’m Emma.
In what feels like another life, I was an Assistant Clinical Psychologist, gym junkie, and social butterfly, having a hectic-but-fantastic time. Sadly, ME and POTS made it all come crashing down, until I was housebound, often bedridden. It was a terrifying experience; I lost everything I’d worked hard for, activities I enjoyed doing, and my identity. However, whilst I was busy losing everything – I also found stuff; things I never realised I had such an abundance of. And I’m not talking nearly-empty shampoo bottles and odd socks – albeit those were plentiful. I mean strength, resilience, and great stamina for wading through the unbelievable shit-show that is chronic illness.
Fear not though, this blog won’t make you gag with unrealistic positivity – or conversely, make you want to throw yourself off a cliff. No, I try to address the ugliness of my chronic illness experience with an appropriate balance of reality, humour … and a pinch of profanity – through a mix of personal essays, blogs and videos. I aim to raise awareness, and bring a smile to those who wish to feel less alone and more connected in what they are going through. For me, being sick all the time is chronic and crap … but I still have plenty of things to be happy about. My life is therefore, chronically craptastic.