Blog

To rosé or not to rosé?

It’s the start of February. That means I haven’t drunk any alcohol for a month.

The only reason I wasn’t drinking is that I finally started listening to my body and realised that the reflux I’m getting from mixing my medication with wine is really uncomfortable and I’m not sure why I’m doing it.

The idea was to stop for January, see how I felt without the reflux and see if helps the symptoms of my bowel disease also ease up a bit. Then in February, go back to drinking as usual (but maybe less to avoid the reflux). Continue reading “To rosé or not to rosé?”

New Year’s resolutions are so 2017, now it’s all about the Word of the Year

I no longer do New Years resolutions. Nope! I have a shiny new approach to  “new year, new me”. I now just choose a word, and do that instead!

Let me explain. Continue reading “New Year’s resolutions are so 2017, now it’s all about the Word of the Year”

It’s ok to cry on Christmas day

 

Content warning: Mention of eating disorders, death, dying, miscarriages, mental and physical illness.

This is a post as much directed toward me as it is written by me for others….

I cried on Christmas day.

It felt rude. It felt ungrateful. It felt like an overreaction. It felt self-pitying. Continue reading “It’s ok to cry on Christmas day”

TO SWAP: One body, one female owner 30 years, few defects

5″6′ 30-year-old female body for swap.

Swaps only. This body is not for sale.

Mixed race; NZ/Scottish and Cook Island Maori. Short, brunette hair, hazel eyes and olive skin. Fairly athletic looking build (if you go swim laps, people will think you know what you’re doing). Continue reading “TO SWAP: One body, one female owner 30 years, few defects”

I want you to know why complimenting my weight loss hurts me

“I’ve lost so much weight recently and can’t seem to gain it back, no matter what I do.”

“Wow, I wish I had that problem!”

I’ve been experiencing some pretty unexpected, prolonged, and horrible gut issues for over 4 months now and I’ve had more conversations like the above than I’d like to admit. Continue reading “I want you to know why complimenting my weight loss hurts me”

My PTSD is ugly and scary, but it’s ok

Content warning: post-traumatic stress disorder

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week in New Zealand, and what better time to have a good old-fashioned PTSD relapse than the Sunday night leading into it.

Well, at least it makes for good blog material!

So I have a mental illness called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and I know you look at me and go – but Charlie… you hate war! How the hell did you get PTSD?! Continue reading “My PTSD is ugly and scary, but it’s ok”

How to make yourself feel better when you can’t do much

Going through life’s ups and downs is really ridiculously hard and it takes some real work to get through hard times and come out the other side with a smile on your face.

I know that through personal experience and I have a few tried and true methods to get a quick happy hit when things aren’t going as I’d like. Continue reading “How to make yourself feel better when you can’t do much”

I hate my chronic illness (and that’s ok)

This article was originally posted as a private post on my Facebook account on September 8, 2016.

Ok so… After a really tough couple of months, and a very tough week last week, I want to open up and be honest about possibly my biggest secret.

People will know me as a happy, optimistic (and hilariously funny) person. People regularly tell me that they “couldn’t do what I do” in terms of taking huge, rare diagnoses and difficult treatments in my stride and pushing myself to still do what I can with a smile on my face. Continue reading “I hate my chronic illness (and that’s ok)”