James Coleman
About this site
Hello, and welcome to my blog!
My name is Rosie, and I am a psychotherapist and writer based the UK.
I have a chronic illness, but no one really knows what it is. Without going into too many gory details, my symptoms range from, well, you didn't ask, but seeing as you're here, foot pain, general pain, sporadic tingling, vision loss, mobility problems, weird hand stuff, nausea and all that, numbness and the occasional unglamorous swoon, but despite a slew of opinions from GPs, neurologists, endocrinologists and other members of the ologist ilk, I still have no diagnosis. Chances are it could be multiple sclerosis, but until I know that, I could very well just be allergic to cold weather; nobody has ruled that out.
My condition has taken me on a research journey that has been at once shocking and perplexing. From migraines to IBS, CFS/ME to fibromyalgia, there is still such a wide range of illnesses that medical professionals struggle to understand. What concerns me the most, however, are the inconsistencies when it comes to how well these conditions are dealt with by doctors. As is often the case when someone is struggling with their mental health, helpful and appropriate treatment seems to be predicated on how empathetic or open minded your GP is. I'm lucky, mine is both, and he even laughs at my jokes. Yet, sadly, my experience does not reflect everyone's.
So it's my hope that this blog becomes a sort of platform for exploring society's current narrative around those chronic illnesses that aren’t well understood, as well as how we can make improvements. From increasing funding for research to destroying social stigma, creating better support networks to putting people at the heart of their care, there's much to be done in terms of effecting long-overdue change. Expect campaigns related to allergies, palliative care and people's experiences of the NHS - it's not all about me, folks, so fear not!
I also wanted to blog about where mental and physical health intersect, and reflect on how we as a society could better support people whose experiences we may not be able to relate to, but who are struggling nonetheless.
Then there's the bit where I try to make sense of life from a new perspective, one in which my physical health is impaired but my curiosity in and passion for stuff is still *en pointe.* There is much to be learnt from illness, and much to be seized. In this section, expect vignettes aplenty, a bit of vile sanctimony and lots of complaining.
Disclaimer: because I identify as a woman, I am writing from a female perspective. Everyone's inner world is unique, but my gender and background have a lot to do with how I experience mine. For that reason, my posts won't always be representative of everyone's experience, for instance, in relation to access to healthcare, support networks, symptoms etc. I therefore invite readers to share their own experiences by getting in touch.
I hope you enjoy what you read :)
Rosie
My name is Rosie, and I am a psychotherapist and writer based the UK.
I have a chronic illness, but no one really knows what it is. Without going into too many gory details, my symptoms range from, well, you didn't ask, but seeing as you're here, foot pain, general pain, sporadic tingling, vision loss, mobility problems, weird hand stuff, nausea and all that, numbness and the occasional unglamorous swoon, but despite a slew of opinions from GPs, neurologists, endocrinologists and other members of the ologist ilk, I still have no diagnosis. Chances are it could be multiple sclerosis, but until I know that, I could very well just be allergic to cold weather; nobody has ruled that out.
My condition has taken me on a research journey that has been at once shocking and perplexing. From migraines to IBS, CFS/ME to fibromyalgia, there is still such a wide range of illnesses that medical professionals struggle to understand. What concerns me the most, however, are the inconsistencies when it comes to how well these conditions are dealt with by doctors. As is often the case when someone is struggling with their mental health, helpful and appropriate treatment seems to be predicated on how empathetic or open minded your GP is. I'm lucky, mine is both, and he even laughs at my jokes. Yet, sadly, my experience does not reflect everyone's.
So it's my hope that this blog becomes a sort of platform for exploring society's current narrative around those chronic illnesses that aren’t well understood, as well as how we can make improvements. From increasing funding for research to destroying social stigma, creating better support networks to putting people at the heart of their care, there's much to be done in terms of effecting long-overdue change. Expect campaigns related to allergies, palliative care and people's experiences of the NHS - it's not all about me, folks, so fear not!
I also wanted to blog about where mental and physical health intersect, and reflect on how we as a society could better support people whose experiences we may not be able to relate to, but who are struggling nonetheless.
Then there's the bit where I try to make sense of life from a new perspective, one in which my physical health is impaired but my curiosity in and passion for stuff is still *en pointe.* There is much to be learnt from illness, and much to be seized. In this section, expect vignettes aplenty, a bit of vile sanctimony and lots of complaining.
Disclaimer: because I identify as a woman, I am writing from a female perspective. Everyone's inner world is unique, but my gender and background have a lot to do with how I experience mine. For that reason, my posts won't always be representative of everyone's experience, for instance, in relation to access to healthcare, support networks, symptoms etc. I therefore invite readers to share their own experiences by getting in touch.
I hope you enjoy what you read :)
Rosie
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