Sunday 9 October 2016

Introvert or Extrovert?

My sister lived in Australia for 12 years 
And came back to live with us a couple of years ago
She was going through a hard time 
Battling depression and anxiety 
And wanted to be at home 
Personally 
I was delighted she came home 
As I get on very well with her 
But I did notice a lot of changes in her 
She had a lot less energy 
And she craved quietness and warmth
We live in a bungalow 
But we have two bedrooms renovated upstairs
And my sisters bedroom is one of those 
She calls it her 'Nest'
It's very silent up there 
And warm 
And she regularly retreats there to have a nap 
Or to watch something on her laptop
Sometimes I get texts asking me to go up and visit her 
And often I'll get in to the bed with her 
I enjoy the coziness 
But that's where the similarities end
When I get up in the morning 
The first thing I do is turn on the radio 
Often times I turn it on while snoozing in bed 
I like the radio 
And it's constantly on here at home 
However 
When my sister comes in 
The first thing she does is turn off the radio
I like it because it's background noise 
And it takes me away from my own thoughts 
Which may or may not be negative
I like to have something else to focus on
To take me away from myself and my own little worries 
My sister can't stand noise of any kind 
And craves peace and quiet 
Anyway 
Where am I going with this?
Yes 
My sister posted a pic on FB about extroverts and introverts 
And the difference between the two
She identifies as an introvert 
And that got me thinking about what I am 
I definitely don't fit neatly in to one category 
I guess like everyone 
There are times when I am an extrovert 
And times when I am an introvert 
As I tend to be pretty quiet around people i don't know 
And louder and more gregarious around people I do know 
I also tend to find it easier to talk to strangers for some reason
I think I can put people in to categories 
I was bullied for a while as s child 
By girls from the rougher and tougher tech school 
This school was near my house 
So I passed these girls every day on the way home from school 
It was nothing serious 
Mainly bitchy comments 
A few pushes
They tried hard to scare me 
And it worked to a certain extent 
But ever since then 
Girls like this have made me feel uneasy 
What girls?
Well girls who are rough 
Loud 
Often very pretty
And definitely intimidating 
I can identify them immediately 
And I revert back to being that scared school girl 
Because of this 
As a teenager 
I often sought out boyfriends and friends who were the male equivalent of these girls 
So I had someone on my side 
And I may even be accepted by said girls  
As some of you will know 
Bullying can really damage self esteem and confidence 
Before these incidents 
I was well on my way to becoming an extrovert 
But that wasn't to be 
And I ended up the way I ended up 
But now 
I put people in to categories 
And that's not a good thing 
Everyone should be equal 
And it would be nice if that were always the way 
But it's not
At least for me anyway 
Now I am an extrovert trapped in an introverts body 
I would love to be myself more 
But often I let shyness and lack of confidence swallow me up 
This is one of the reasons I love blogging 
As I find it much easier to communicate through the written word 
Rather than speaking
But I guess a lot of people are like that 

So 
With all that said 
And I have covered a lot in this short post 
I was wondering about you 
Do you consider yourself an extrovert or introvert?
Are you a bit of both? 
Have you been bullied love me me ?
How did it effect you in later life?
Answers on a postcard please....

Saturday 8 October 2016

Preparation

I spoke to Atlanta again yesterday 
I wanted to ask her if I could postpone my trial period to the week after next 
As I need to be around next week
As my Dad has some appointments in Dublin
She said that was no problem 
So I start my trial period on the 17th
And then I start the course proper on the 24th
I told Atlanta to go ahead and do her paper work 
Now I just need to go and sort out my payment 
And then I will be official!
Exciting no?
I know that some of you have expressed concern that this course might be too much 
And I totally get that 
I'm concerned too 
It's going to be a long week
With long days 
I figured out that I could get a bus in to town at 7 50am
That gets there at about 8 40am
So that would leave me time to get a cuppa before I start at 9 15am
Then I finish at 4 15pm
And can get a bus home at 4 30pm
Driving is really a no go 
As I'm still waiting to do my test 
And parking will also pose a problem
Busing it will make the day a bit longer 
But I guess I can sleep for the journey 
I also need to sort out my meds 
As you know 
Monday is usually doctor day 
So that will have to change 
Friday is only a half day on the course 
So I will chAnge my appointment to Friday afternoons 
Which is simple enough 
I also need to think about when I take my meds
And will probably have to start taking them at night 
So I am alert during the day
But that is easy enough to implement 
I've had to weigh up the pros and cons of doing this course 
The cons being the long days 
The fact I won't be able to attend horse therapy on a Wednesday 
Less time with my dogs 
Tiredness 
Lots of tiredness 
But there are many pros 
I will be doing something that I love 
I will be out and about 
Learning something new 
I will be horse riding twice a week 
I will be meeting new people who share my passion 
Lots to think about 
It's a huge leap for me 
And it's a risk 
But it's a risk I'm willing to take 

In other news 
I wrote a few posts ago 
About changing my diet 
Read: Not going on a diet 
But just making some adjustments 
I had been taking in so much salt 
That I was constantly bloated 
I was literally living off salt and vinegar crisps and roasted and salted peanuts 
And I really mean that I was eating precious little else 
Even as I ate them
I could feel myself bloating 
And it's such a horrible feeling y clothes felt right 
I looked six months pregnant 
But I craved salt the way I used to crave heroin
I tried many times to kick my salt habit 
Even throwing out all the Pringles and peanuts in the house 
But my cravings were so strong 
I kept giving in to temptation
The final straw came 
Last Thursday 
When I wore a jacket in to town 
And I could almost feel my body swallowing and eating the jacket 
It was so tight I felt so uncomfortable 
So I knew I had to do something 
Not lose weight as such 
But to address the bloating 
And the uncomfortable feeling 
So on Thursday I had my last box of Pringles 
And my last bag of peanuts 
I was super determined to kick this habit 
And eat a healthier and more varied diet 
Yesterday was my first day
And I was literally hanging for a hit of salt 
I came so close to going to the shop for crisps 
Every time I got a craving 
I had something else to eat 
I mean obviously I can't eliminate salt completely 
But I can reduce my intake 
Within hours of kicking my salt habit 
I could feel the bloating disapate 
And my tummy looked less pregnant like 
At some points it was touch and go 
But I managed not to fold 
And today is my second day relatively salt free 
But most definitely crisp and peanut free
I'm also trying to have proper meals 
To keep my blood sugar stable 
As far as my ED goes 
It's a whole lot better 
Not perfect 
But it's about progress not perfection 
I still purge from time to time 
That is proving incredibly hard to eradicate 
But Jesus H Christ 
It is miles better than it was 
I think back to a couple of years ago 
I was out of control 
I spent my days bingeing and purging 
Stealing food from shops 
I had a path work from my kitchen yo my bathroom 
It was crazy 
But I couldn't stop
I couldn't stop
I wanted to 
But I didn't know how
I was killing myself slowly 
It was a nightmare 
Which makes me so grateful for the recovery that I have found 
I am so much better then I was 
And the last nine months 
Things have just got better and better 
I am now living my life 
My way 
And even more than that 
I am enjoying it so much 
I used to wake up in the morning 
And dread the day ahead 
Knowing that I would spent my day with my head in the toilet bowl 
Was soul destroying 
Then there was the daily ritual of weighing myself 
And that number dictated my self worth 
My confidence 
My mood for the whole damn day
I know now that scales serve no purpose for me 
Like an alcoholic in recovery needs to stay away from alcohol
I need to stay away from the scales 
Or any measuring device that measures my self worth in numbers 
At least I've learned that much 
So I'm hoping that in the coming weeks 
My body will settle down 
That the bloating will correct itself 
And that I will feel better in my own skin 
I also know that if I start this course 
I'm going to need to keep my strength up
And that means eating breakfast and lunch and dinner 
No living off chocolate for bursts of energy 
I know that ther course will be tough at first 
As I get used to the new routine 
I guess I'm going to have to get up at about 7am
But I got up at that time for work 
And I'm an early riser anyway 
So I should be ok
I'm just so excited to start though 
I have just over a week to gather my strength 
And get my head in the zone
Then it's the beginning of the rest of my life...

Thursday 6 October 2016

Course Update

So this morning 
I had an appointment with the course coordinator of the horsemanship course I want to do 
Her name is Atlanta
I arrived in the building bang on 10am
If I am anything 
I am punctual
With a name like Atlanta 
I expected her to look like a mermaid
Or a Disney princess 
But to my disappointment she was a real live human being 
Very friendly 
And filled me in on the course content 
They do three days in the classroom 
Monday to Wednesday 
And Thursday and Friday are spent in the stables 
There are about eight modules 
Including horse riding and health and safety 
Plus some optional modules 
Like IT and communications
The days are quite long 
9am to 4pm 
But there is a half day on a Friday 
Which is nice 
Atlanta read my application 
And told me that their psychologist may want to see me before I start 
Just to make sure I am ready and able for the course 
I don't sweat about things like that 
I know I can come across well with a bit of effort 
Atlanta told me that I am welcome to try the course out for a few days 
To see if I like it 
She suggested next week
But as it turns out
Next week is not good for me
So it will have to be the week after
At least that will give me an idea if it is for me or not 
I also have to contact my local
Social welfare office 
To let them know I am starting the course 
It was a lot to take in today 
But I really like the sound of the course 
I am going to take tonight to think about it 
And ring Atlanta tomorrow with my decision
Of course 
If I start this course 
It will rule out my horse therapy on a Wednesday 
That means so much to me 
And I will miss it so much if I have to leave 
But I also know that I have to move on at some stage 
If I want to progress 
I wrote a lot on my application about the the role animals can play in therapy 
And Atlanta said the course tutors also believed this 
So that is great that we are on the same page

I guess what worries me
And causes me some anxiety 
Is not so much the course itself 
I mean I am pretty sure that I will love it 
It's everything around the course that causes me concern 
I live about a 35minute drive from the centre 
And if the course starts at 9am
I will need to leave home shortly after 8am
Then there is the issue of parking 
I worked out they I could get a bus in and out 
So that would probably be the best option
As the thought of driving every day stresses me out 
Even though I spent the summer working 
I know doing a full time course is really going to tire me out 
At first for certain
Then hopefully I will become accustomed to it 
And it will become easier 
Then there is the pressure of starting in a new place with new people 
I guess those first few weeks when I am finding my feet will be tough 
But once I am settled in 
Hopefully things will become more manageable 
Also 
I have two dogs they need looking after 
So if I do this course 
They probably won't get walked every day 
And they will spend most of the day with my Mam and Dad rather than me
That doesn't pose a huge problem 
But it's something to think about 
I know when I come in in the evening 
They will want attention and hugs 
And it's going to be an adjustment period for all of us 
So yes 
A lot to think about 
But I am really hoping I can rejig things so that I can attend the course
And I can still maintain my recovery 
Which is paramount 
Because with out my recovery 
I literally have nothing 
It is the foundation of my whole life
And it has to take priority 
There will be some practical things that need to be sorted 
Like changing my doctor day from Monday to Friday 
Organising meds 
I'm pretty sure I will have to start taking my meds at night rather than the morning 
As I don't want t be drowsy in class
My good friend Fintan had some wise words for me recently 
He said that if it excites me
And scares me
Then I should probably do it 
And it does 
It both thrills me and terrifies me
Isn't that always the way with dreams?
will take tonight 
To weigh up the pros and cons of doing this course 
But in my heart 
I know what I want to do
I just know 

I met a friend for lunch in town today also 
A girl who was in treatment with me a couple of years ago 
We meet up every few weeks 
To catch up 
Listen 
Chat 
Give advice and take some
Today we talked a lot about perfectionism 
My friend would suffer with this 
As do I 
I don't know if I always was like this 
Because it's only in recovery that I have started to recognise it 
I really noticed it in work this summer 
Agonising over decisions
Staying late to check and re check everything I did
It was pretty bad
And when I came home 
I would stress over whether I had left everything on
Even worrying that the place would burn down because I forgot to turn off the gas or something similar
Perfectionism really seems to be a trait of anorexia 
In EDs in general 
Today I told my friend a little thing my sister taught me
That done is better than perfect!
Love that!
Because I know I could never finish anything 
For fear that it wasn't perfect 
I swear 
Life is too short people 

Anyway 
That is my little update for the day 
Thank you for reading 
And if you have any feedback about the course 
I would be grateful 
Do I stay where I am?
Continuing horse therapy once a week
Or do I push myself?
And throw myself in to this course?
I'd love to know what you think...

Tuesday 4 October 2016

The day after

I'm feeling a bit more sane and rational today
Yesterday's post was a knee jerk reaction
To my weighing myself 
It's amazing the clarity a good nights sleep can bring 
I feel quite differently about it this morning 
I mean come on Ruby 
Your BMI is on the low side of healthy 
All my clothes fit me 
I'm not overweight 
No where near it in fact 
So basically 
I need to stop worrying about my weight 
And start living my life 
I'm a firm believer in rocking what you've got 
And confidence is often the most attractive thing about a person
So that's what I'm going to do 
This is my body at the moment 
It has shape 
It has curves 
I'm going to embrace them for what they are 
Signs that I am healthy and happy
Truth be told 
I don't want a super skinny body 
I don't want to be underweight 
I just to be happy in my own skin
And I am most of the time 
I have a lot to be grateful for 
I made it through opiate addiction
And an eating disorder 
I should be glad that I have a healthy body 
After everything I put it through 
Yes 
I so need to work on my diet 
And try and eat a balanced diet 
But there is no panic 
No stress 
I'm doing ok
I'm 
Doing 
Ok....

Monday 3 October 2016

Untitled

I made a mistake last week
I had been dying to know my weight 
As I felt like it was spinning out of control
I was going to buy a scales 
But they had none in my local pharmacy 
Is that a sign or what?
Anyway 
As I waited for my meds to be dispensed 
I spotted the stand in scales in the corner of the store 
It was one where you put in a coin
And it takes your weight 
Your height
And your BMI
Curiosity over took me 
I took off my jacket and my trainers 
And put a coin in to the slot 
I stood holding my breath
As if the air in my lungs would effect the reading 
The machine printed out my ticket 
I put it in my coat pocket
And I took a seat 
I was torn about whether to look at it 
It was burning a hole in my jeans 
 I wanted to know 
Yet I didn't want to know
I knew it was a bad idea 
But I just couldn't help myself 
I tentatively pulled the slip of paper from my jeans pocket 
My heart was thumping 
And I prepared myself for the worst case
I opened the ticket 
And processed the numbers  
My weight in stones and pounds 
Also in kilograms 
My percentage body fat 
And my BMI 
Which was between 21 and 22
It couldn't be more average if I tried 
And I hate being average 
Seriously though 
My weight is pretty much what I thought it was 
Even so 
I don't like it
I feel big and cumbersome 
And generally feeling a bit upset about the whole thing
I'm not going on a diet 
Or anything of the sort
I just want to become a little more mindful of how I eat
And not exist on chocolate bars and chips
I want to establish a healthy eating plan
And look 
I know that's not sustainable 100% of the time 
Everything in moderation 
Including moderation 

I just want to feel Ok in my body 
And I don't feel that at the moment 
I'm not slipping or relapsing  at all 
That is for sure 
I just think that I don't  need to gain any more weight 
So I can put a halt to that now 

So 
With all that said 
I was wondering about you 
Have you ever tried to eat differently while in recovery?
Do you think it is a good idea?
Why?
Your feedback is much appreciated....

Saturday 1 October 2016

Horsemanship

As I mentioned a few post s ago
I've decided to apply for a horsemanship course
In a town about thirty minutes from my house
It's a full time course
That lasts 18 months 
I would spend two days a week in a stables
And three days in the classroom
Learning about every aspect of horse riding 
Horse care 
Feeding 
Cleaning 
The works 
So last week
I rang to inquire about the course 
And was speaking to a very helpful lady called Atlanta
She explained more about the course
And also posted me the application forms 
The course is through a centre called the National Learning Network
Who specialise in reintegrating people in to training and work 
I got the application forms during the week
And filled them out carefully
I also have to ask my doctor to fill out the health form too
So I will do that when I see him on Monday
I arranged with Atlanta to call in to the NLN on Thursday morning 
To give her the forms 
And to be shown around and introduced to the staff
So I am looking forward to that 

I have to admit 
I am super duper excited to start this course 
More excited than I have been about anything recently 
My only draw back is the travelling 
The centre is thirty minutes away 
So realistically 
I would need to get a bus in to town 
And a bus home in the evening 
I am waiting on a date for my drift lving test 
And until then 
I need to bus it in and out 
The other thing that is a negative 
Is that I will no longer be able to do my horse therapy on a Wednesday
I will absolutely miss it 
My friends 
Star 
Molly the dog 
Everyone 
One of the guys called Pat
Actually did two weeks of the course I applying for 
He said that you are very much left to your devices on the horses
And there wouldn't be as much support as there is in Keash equestrian centre 
But the thing is 
That Pat has MS
And he would find it much tougher than say someone with no disability 
Eilish wouldn't really comment on my doing the course 
Although she did say that she knew a girl that did this course 
Came off the horse 
And broke her arm in three places 
Not what I wanted to hear 
I did want to hear something positive though
Like I was well able for it 
Or that I was good enough to do it
But maybe she was trying to caution me 
I'm not quite sure 

They say if something excites you and scares you 
You should probably do it 
And I am scared and excited 
I get butterflies in my tummy when I think about it 
In fact 
I can think of nothing else
I know if I do this course 
I will need to keep my strength and energy topped up
Looking after horses is hard work 
And I will need to eat properly 
For stamina 
To keep me capable and able to do the work 
And what better motivation!
So 
Next week 
I will meet Atlanta 
And I think the course sounds like it starts pretty much starts straight away 
Things are moving so fast at the moment 
It's hard to keep up  
I don't know if they are moving too fast 
And maybe I need to slow down and pace myself 
But this is me all over 
Ten steps ahead of myself at any one time 
But I am so looking forward to starting 
I am eager to learn 
Excited to be riding twice a week
To meet new people 
And to  do the thing I love 
Horse riding 

It's going to be pretty tough 
I know that 
Especially coming in to the Winter 
And possible bad weather conditions 
There are going to be landong days for me
But  
I love it so much 
That I am willing to go the extra mile 
Literally 
I think this course will be great for me
And look
I can try it 
And if it doesn't work out
I can always go back to horse therapy 
I have nothing to lose by trying this course 
And everything to gain
I just have a really good feeling about it 
And what it could mean for me
I know I'll never ride in the Olympics 
Or anything like it
I just want to be able to be the best that I can be 
That's all
I want to fulfil my potential 
And anyway 
I don't take it too seriously 
It's all about having fun
And the most important thing is to enjoy it
So please 
Say a wee prayer for me 
And keep your fingers crossed that this works out for me 
I haven't wanted something so bad in a long long time  
And it's great for me 
For my physical health
My mental health 
Horse riding has been a huge part in my recovery 
It gives me a buzz naturally 
It's something to stay well for 
Something to look forward to
If you had told me last year that within a few months I would be starting a horsemanship course 
I would have laughed at you 
It was a dream to work and train with animals
And now that dream is coming true
It's actually happening 
And it feels amazing!!

Anyway 
I will keep you posted 
As ever 
And let you know what is happening over here in my little world 
Have a good weekend 
And she you on the next post x




Thursday 29 September 2016

Neurodisney

As I type this 
I am sitting in a waiting room
In clinic D
Which is the Motor Neurone Disease clinic
In Beaumont hospital
On the north side of Dublin
I think I mentioned that my Dad was diagnosed with MND a few months ago
Which affects his lower limbs 
His hands are pretty much crippled
He can't open or close buttons 
Pull his zips up
Has trouble eating 
Opening bottles and jars
His legs are also affected
And he now walks with a stick
At one point today 
Dad came out of the bathroom holding his trousers up
And I had to zip and fasten them for him
Not that I mind doing it at all
It's just sad that he can't 
It was a real shock when he was diagnosed 
And we were all very upset 
But we are told his particular illness is slow progressing 
So 
Every couple of months 
Dad visits the MND clinic in Dublin
Where he is seen by the top neurologist in the country 
Professor Orla Hardiman
Amongst others such as the physiotherapist, the psychologist
And various other specialists 
This time 
Myself and my sister have made the trip to Dublin with my Dad
To give you an idea of the journey 
Dublin is on the east coast 
We live on the west coast 
And Dad lives right in the middle between the two
It's a three hour journey each way
Which makes for a very long day 
I really wanted to come today though 
To support my Dad 
And also support my sister who drove today 
I wanted to experience the clinic 
And meet all the specialists that Dad talks about 

My sister and left home at about 9am this morning 
We hit the road in good spirits 
Prepared for a long and possibly stressful day 
We arrived at my Dads at about 11am
Which is the house I grew up in
I don't go back to my home town as a rule 
As it is just one big trigger for me 
We drove through the town itself 
Some things hadn't changed 
Others were unrecognisable 
Being back in my childhood home is always very strange 
Every time I visit there it seems to get smaller 
Or maybe I'm getting bigger
I took a walk around the living room while waiting for my Dad 
So many ghosts and memories 
Mostly not good 
I could almost hear the shouts of arguments 
Feel the tension
The bad energy that lingers 
Truth be told 
I don't like being there 
I never did 

Anyway 
We hit the road to Dublin
I decided not to take my meds until I got home 
As I wanted to be as alert as possible
We arrived in Dublin at lunch time 
Found the hospital with relative ease
Parked in the disabled bay
Getting out of the car and in to the hoSpital 
Was akin to getting a child ready 
We had to put his jacket on 
Get his bag with all his bits and bobs
Get his stick 
Fix his clothes 
All the time watching that he doesn't trip or fall
The my sister accidentally knocked Dads disability parking disc down the front of the car 
Which with the use of a handy credit card 
We managed to retrieve 
And headed in to the hospital
As I walked through reception
I saw a sign for ST. Michaels ward 
Where I spent time when I was 19
In the detox unit 
Detoxing from heroin and methadone 
I was just a kid 
In a locked ward with hardened addicts
It was there I was first told that I had anorexia 
Bad memories 
We found clinic D
And took a seat in the waiting room
My sister and I went to get teas and coffees and sandwiches 
Which we had while we waited 
Looking around 
There were people in all states of MND
Some like my Dad walking with sticks 
Some in wheel chairs 
It was a bit of an eye opener to see the way things could possibly go
We weren't waiting long 
Before we were called to see the first doctor 
Dr. Amina Coffey
She was a young Muslim doctor 
Very pleasant
And very thorough 
As she carried out the examination
My sister took rough notes of things we would need to remember 
Then professor Hardiman saw Dad briefly 
They seemed happy that things were going relatively well
And there was no great deterioration
Next we saw Niamh
One of the physiotherapists 
Whose area seemed to be a closet off the waiting room 
She went through a questionare with Dad
Now we are back in the waiting room
My sister is dozing 
I am blogging 
And Dad is looking pensive  
In with the doctor 
Dad mentioned that his appetite has been effected 
And later on admitted to me that when he is hungry 
He can't just make something easily 
So he just has a cigar and a cup of tea 
This worried me some 
So the doctor weighed my Dad 
His weight was 76.9 kilos
I asked what it had been at his last check up 
She told me that it was 78.9 kilos 
So he has lost a little bit of weight
Not enough to be alarmed 
But it's something to watch 

It's now just after 4pm
And we are all starting to flag a bit
Waiting around like this is pretty exhausting 
And we still have the drive home to look forward to 
It's a real role reversal though
My Dad used to bring me to Dublin
To appointments 
To treatment centres 
And now I'm bringing him 
I can really see him getting old 
And it's not nice 
My Dad was always active 
Coached basketball teams for years 
And to see him deteriorate is tough
But that's life I guess 
Anyway 
I'll leave you here 
And hopefully we'll be finished her soon
I'm sure some of you can relate to parents becoming ill and old 
I was wondering how you all deal with it ?
Right 
I'm off 
See you on the next post....