I turned thirty yesterday, can you believe? On the 12th of August 1988 I was born, and on the 12th of August 2018 I celebrated my third decade on this earth. Let us first cover the thing everyone says when I tell them my age: Yes, I know I don’t look young. Can you believe it? No? What do I use? Well…

How Do I Look So Young?

There are two reasons my face and skin look the way it does. Every second day I moisturise my face, either with an ultra light, soft face moisturiser or with Rose Hip Oil. Rose Hip Oil is my preferred skin product, but since my body stopped producing body oil, the oil just doesn’t seem to be enough. My skin absorbs it like a sponge! Another reason my skin is just so supple is that it is a little bit paralysed. You may have seen my video, or read what I have written about it? When I was around 18 years of age I experienced a minor bout of Bells Palsy, which paralysed the upper part of the left side of my face. Two to Three years later I experienced another bout of Bells Palsy, but this time on the right side of my face. Now both sides are paralysed to different degrees. Not only does it affect how my eyes do, or don’t close, but it stops the muscles moving as much. #foreveryoung

A Decade of Lupus

I was diagnosed with Lupus sometimes between my 19th and 21st year. I kept it pretty quiet for the first few years. Also I did not actually know what had happened and what Lupus meant. I was more focused on the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis than Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Those issues settled by the time I was 25 and I was hoping to take on a new career path. As you know, it wasn’t long after that decision was made that my brain issues began. I will loosely say that this meant I had SLE Lupus for 5 years before I began down the path of Lupus Cerebritis, or Lupus with complications of Cerebral Vasculitis. Thus, for the last 5 years I have been juggling two Lupus illnesses. Lucky me.

Also in the Last Five Years…

You may recall, that I had one grounding and driving force the keep me sane and keep me going these last five years as I bounce in an out of hospital? This was my university studies. I wanted to be a teacher. The whole time I was studying was as the illness was at it’s most volatile. Not once did the Cerebritis interfere with my ‘pracs’, memory, performance or capabilities. But in the last few months of my degree, it all fell apart. Now I am graduating with a Bachelor of the Arts in Education Studies. I tell people I am interested in education as it is globally, the different approaches, organisations surrounding the education system and how Australia accesses these, as well as how the WA government creates and integrates the curriculum and teaching and education practices in our schools. What this means is I’m qualified to do everything a teacher can do, but I cannot cope with the stress of a classroom because I have brain damage.

What I am Doing Now?

I am volunteering my bottom off. I am currently in 3 organisations as a volunteer. I just traded one position for another. This new one is going to be emotionally and mentally more challenging. But it also will be more morally fulfilling. It will also, hopefully, lead me down the path to a solid, engaging employment opportunity. I am looking at another very real, very exciting position in the future. I am happy, but I am busy. Because of my positions, and the occasional casual paid shifts, I am struggling to find regular time for posting, and for that I must apologise prolifically and ask for your patience and forgiveness?

Finally, in a sentence, I have found someone. He makes me happy. I never thought I would find someone that is just so supportive and positive and like minded. As I slowly start to tell people about him their first question is always, “Does he know about you?” And, yes. He does. And he doesn’t care. I keep waiting for him to say he’s made a mistake, but he doesn’t. So, yeah. Now I have to go for one of my shifts in volunteer work. I hope you are well. All the best and I will talk to you soon.