Hysteria...

I'm not talking about my state of mind, but the fabulous anthology containing the winning entries of the Hysteria Writing Competition.

And guess what? I won first prize with my poem!

A few months ago, I certainly wasn't thinking of winning a poetry competition, having just experienced some major surgery [you can read about this on the rest of my blog]. My life was put on hold. On reflection I was really poorly, although I make light of it in this blog. Pain is wearing, fatigue eats away at you. However, our bodies have a remarkable ability to heal and rebalance if we let them. Take time. Be patient as a patient.

I had been accepted on the MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University in March and my goal was to be well enough to enjoy it. I had no idea that in July & most of August I would be convalescing from abdominal hysterectomy. And up until September I still wasn't sure I'd be well enough. 

But I was. Somehow.

So, if you are entering that phase where you feel really poorly, slow and helpless, and can't even concentrate. Then, know it will pass. I did a little more every day, resting and having some gentle complementary treatments to aid the process.

Writing was also a great healer and this blog was a result of that period in my life. I'm really busy at the moment reading and writing on my course plus working part-time and I'm so thankful for all the help I received during my 'down time'.

I found the Hysterectomy Association forum a useful place to connect and talk with women of my age who were also encountering difficulties with their health.

If you want to read my poem then go to The Blog of Linda Parkinson-Hardman where you can download Hysteria Anthology 3.

Sleep Deprivation

A woman without sleep is a shell...

You can tell a person who does not sleep well, their eyes are glazed and they have a demeanor that leaks energy, that is because sleep is so important, there are myriad studies on the benefits of sleep, especially following an illness or in my case, surgery.

Having been what I term a 'good' sleeper most of my life, I find lack of sleep or poor quality sleep most frustrating, affecting not only my physical body but my mental faculties and most importantly for those around me, my mood. The restrictions of abdominal surgery mean that certain positions are uncomfortable, and lying on my back is not my preferred position for sleeping; I am a curled cat, a foetal sleeper. I miss sleeping on my side.

Now, I am 7 weeks post-op but I've only really been active over the past two weeks and only pain-free for 1 week following the removal of the stent from my ureter.

My strategies for getting to sleep include the following (no sheep were involved in the counting):

• Listening to mantras
• Breathing slowly and deeply
• Counting down from 100
• Listing all the states of the USA in alphabetical order
• Numbering the alphabet e.g. Z=26
• Trying to remember the Capital Cities of Europe
• Pulling my hair out!
• Trying to lie really, really still