Monday 19 September 2011

Life, love and work

Well it's been over a year since I last blogged apparently! The main reason for that really being that life has been moving on and strangely one of the things I still find the most tiring is looking at computer screens/TVs. So I'm not sure I'll ever be able to be a frequent blogger but it's still fun to post the odd note and see how everyone's doing.

Much has happened since I last wrote. I met a lovely man a year ago through eHarmony of all things! I honestly wasn't expecting online dating to work I just thought I'd do it for 3 months to help with re-socialising myself after the illness. (Which incidently was ME. I could say 'is' ME as I'm still not anything like up to full health yet.. but I prefer to think of myself as recovering from it than having it as I'm just sooo much better than I was - really now it's just a case of slowly building my strength on all levels.) Anyway, he was willing to drive over an hour to see me from the beginning and now that I had to move for work it's more like 1h30 but this is still no issue and I've seen him virtually every weekend since we met. Now that I can drive again it takes me 2 hrs to get to his (I have to take a break halfway through) but relearning how to drive has been fun... though perhaps not all the tight car parking spaces at work eeshh! Still it's nice to have the freedom.

So in December last year I started working 3 days a week as a contractor. Obviously going back to work was a bit of a shock to the system even after having done charity work and getting my fitness up. I had lots of support from those I love so I was able to make the adjustment ok. My new manager was supportive and allowed me to spread my hours out which helped a lot initially and the fact that the Christmas break came after only a couple of weeks helped as well. So I've progressed through the year and am a lot stronger now than when I first started (though I do keep having to remind myself that!). The main barriers still remaining are bright light/ rapid movement and the fact that every time I try to do any exercise I get too tired not the day after but the day after that. My exercise levels went down to nothing on going back to work because all my energy was needed just to manage the essential stuff. I'm trying to figure out some way to add in something low level enough that I can properly establish it into my routine and thereby have something to slowly build on.

So all in all life is good. Being a contractor means work is uncertain but it has meant I can afford to live off only 3 days work a week so really it has enabled me to go a long way to being back on my feet again.

Hope everyone is recovering well :)