Hello, hello – how are you all? I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who feels as though 2020 has lasted about three years already and we’re only just halfway through. Those of you who follow me on Twitter might be aware that my dad died of cancer a few weeks ago. I won’t go into too many details here as he wouldn’t want me to. I’ll only say that he got diagnosed in 2019 and passed away peacefully in April 2020.

I’ve been working full time from home for a last few months because of coronavirus. While I don’t miss my commute, I miss seeing my colleagues face-to-face rather than on video chat that may or may freeze every 30 seconds. I’m working on a shift pattern, which is new for me. Sometimes I’ve even done a mixture of early shifts and late ones in the same week, which has been interesting when it’s come to managing spoons. I might share some of the strategies I’ve been using to try manage my pain levels, energy levels and trying not to burn out mentally.

I had actually been planning on moving out this year to somewhere closer to work purely so that I could cut my commute down…needless to say those plans are now on hold for the foreseeable future. My life has changed a lot in the last 12 months; I got a new job at work, my 10 year relationship ended, all the things that happened with my dad…

I think I just want some time ‘be’ with the life I have now for a little. If such a thing exists, but I’m not convinced it does.

It’s not all bad news though. Slowly but surely I’m starting to write again, I’ve gone back to therapy (via Zoom) to keep and eye on my mental health and my hip and pelvis pain has been loads better while I haven’t been leaving the house.

In fact, I’ve hardly had any bad cerebral palsy days at all, which is wonderful