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Internal Dialogue: Kicking Self-pity to the Curb

May 24, 2013 in Featured, Health, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Work

“I don’t want to get up and go to work.” (You have a job. Be grateful for that.)   “The cold weather and rain make me want to stay in bed.” (You have heating. You have an umbrella and good shoes to stop you getting wet.)   “I’m sick of living with my parents.” (You have a home. Your housemates love you.)   “I’m in so much pain. I ache all over.” (You’re not dying. You have medication to help with the pain.)   “My car is so old and has no power steering.” (You have a car that is [...]

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Why I Object to “No Sex Before Marriage”

May 23, 2013 in Body Image, Featured, Health, Mental Health, People, Religion, Sex, Sexuality

I was recently at a Friday night church service and they were mentioning a few upcoming events. One of the upcoming events, aimed at 13-18 year old girls, was called “The Bride Wore White”. I grumbled when I saw it. I must have done this louder than I intended as the friend beside me said “Calm down, T.” I’d like to take this moment to say I actually don’t go to church very often, so these kind of things stand out to me a lot more than they did when I went regularly. I’d also like to say I have [...]

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I’m Here, I’m Genderqueer

May 22, 2013 in Body Image, Featured, Gender, Health, Mental Health, Self, Society

What is the difference between sex and gender? Sex = male and female Gender = masculine and feminine So in essence: Sex refers to biological differences; chromosomes, hormonal profiles, internal and external sex organs. Gender describes the characteristics that a society or culture delineates as masculine or feminine. Source   I’m filling out another application form- can’t remember- is it a service? A rewards club? Something important, I’m sure. Oh yeah, that’s right. Of course. Of course. It’s a centrelink intent to claim form.  Work hasn’t been offering enough shifts (not enough kids to care for? Or is care too expensive…take your pick).  [...]

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The Power of Blogging About Illness

May 21, 2013 in Anecdotes, Body Image, Health, People, Self, Society, Stories

I’ve been telling my story on my various blogs on and off for 12 years. It’s been seven years since I revealed my face on MySpace – since I’ve told my true story about Ichthyosis. And doing so has been the most empowering thing. I am a strong believer that blogging gives people a powerful voice that is heard. Many patients and parents of children with Ichthyosis have encountered stares, comments and hurt around their condition that has sometimes scarred their confidence and quietened their voices. Additionally, it is often perceived that because of a person’s visible difference, their life [...]

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What To Say (And Not) To Someone With An Invisible Illness

May 13, 2013 in Health, People, Self, Society, Work

A lot of people suffer from many forms of Invisible Illness, including but not limited to CFS, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, TMJ disorder, Cushing’s Syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, MS, Anxiety and Depression. Many of these conditions are related to a malfunctioning immune system. Mine is faulty, bordering on being totally incapable of defending itself from illness. I have Fibromyalgia which includes a diagnosis of Chronic Pain. I am a high school teacher and love my job. Unfortunately due to my health and its unpredictability, I work part time. I find it hard to commit to social engagements because [...]

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My Child has Osteogenisis Imperfecta and an Unbreakable Spirit

May 10, 2013 in Anecdotes, Children, Family, Health, Mothers, Parenting, Relationships, Stories

Imaging looking at your newborn baby. Their tiny lips their long figures That cute button nose. Now imagine being told to limit the amount of times you hold your baby. That every time you pick him up you need to carefully plan every aspect in handling him or you could seriously injure him. That’s what life is like with a baby born with Osteogenisis Imperfecta. Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI, sometimes known as brittle bone disease, or “Lobstein syndrome”) is a congenital bone disorder. People with OI are born with defective connective tissue, or without the ability to make it, usually because of [...]

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What Do You Do to Relax?

May 8, 2013 in Books, Entertainment, Film & TV, Health, Lifestyle, Mental Health

What sort of stuff do you do when you need to relax? As I was pulling together my thoughts for this article I started thinking about things I do in my spare time or what I do for fun, but they’re not exactly the same thing, are they? In my spare time I might do housework (not relaxing for me) or go on social media (which is fun, but not relaxing). I find playing Dungeons & Dragons great fun, but not relaxing, as it’s a fairly intense creative experience. So what I’m asking is not what you do for fun, [...]

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Video: The Child Abuse Message Aimed at Children

May 7, 2013 in Children, Current Affairs, Health, Human Rights, News, Parenting

This video demonstrates a new anti-child abuse advertisement which contains a hidden message for children. When viewed from an adult’s height the image shows a sad child and the message “Sometimes child abuse is only visible to the child suffering it” but when viewed from a child’s height, or anyone under 4 foot 5 inches tall, the image shows a bruised child and the additional message “If somebody hurts you, phone us and we’ll help you” with the phone number. A really powerful message, a great idea and a wonderful way to reach children while they’re standing with the person [...]

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Too Fat? Too Thin? The Great Weight Debate

May 6, 2013 in Body, Body Image, Health, Mental Health, Nutrition, Style

With Fashion Week in full swing, there is a lot of focus in the media on body shapes, weight, and ultimately the impact this has on body image and eating disorders. Models are being criticised for being too thin, unhealthy role models etc. With the statistics of eating disorders on the rise, and “90 per cent of young people in Australia and around the world unhappy with their weight and shape” (The Daily Telegraph), I’m not surprised at this outrage and support to change modelling standards. Butterfly Foundation’s CEO Christine Morgan in an interview on the Today Show likened the fashion industry to “drug [...]

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NDIS: It Could Happen To You

May 3, 2013 in Current Affairs, Health, Human Rights, News, Politics

The NDIS has come front and centre this week. And so it should. God know it’s hard enough on disabled people and their families, without the additional worry of how they will manage financially. When you see comments like this (responding to this article by Stella Young): Ashley of Darwin Posted at 5:51 PM April 30, 2013 $22,000 for a wheelchair? Really? a basic wheelchair? A brand new car can be bought for less… If you want all the bells and whistles you can stump the cost of it yourself. The government should only assist you getting the minimum you require to be mobile. Or The department store [...]

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