Be kind - you never know what someone’s going through

It's been a long time since my last blog because I haven't had time to think let alone put pen to paper (or in this case type and upload)

Heading in to 2023 I never expected things to be quite as bad as they have been. After losing my mum in November 2022 I knew life would be different and we would face new challenges but unfortunately I haven't had time to process that at all.

My partner who I've been with for 20 years has never had the best of health. He's got a long term health condition which means he's never at 100%.

However, at the beginning of the year he was really struggling, way more than usual.
At the end of February he was complaining more and more of ongoing headaches which were making him bed bound. He's very stubborn so this was unlike him.

We also, alongside my photography business run a prop business, where we make wooden photography props, and this abruptly came to halt. He was unable to work.

It was around the first week of March when he then experienced double vision alongside these excruciating headaches so we booked him in with the opticians. Worrying he had a stroke or a bleed they sent him straight down to Hereford eye hospital for an urgent appointment. Unfortunately due to his past medical issues they didn't want to know.

At this point we had noticed his one eye had completely turned inwards and the optician was concerned he had a bleed on the brain so we immediately booked him in with his GP who sent him straight to hospital.

This is where it all began.

Within 24 hours he had undergone MRI scans, CT scans, lumber punctures, blood tests you name it he had it.
He was now under the royal Gwent and Cardiff neurological team.

They found he had 5mm of swelling around his brain lining and in the pituitary gland, and they had no idea why.
We had weekly appointments at the Royal Gwent, weekly appointments for blood tests.

They started him on 100mg of steroids, the highest dose our pharmacy had ever prescribed.
It didn't work.

​In June he started chemotherapy. Those of you who've ever looked after or been around anyone on chemotherapy will know just how awful this is.

Alongside an illness, the side effects of chemotherapy are just awful. He's had multiple visits into hospital because he's picked up infection after infection. Getting weaker each time.

He recently went back for another mri to check if the chemotherapy is working. Unfortunately it has made no difference so we are now waiting for another team meeting to discuss the next steps and treatment options available.

The reason for this blog post I guess are to let you all know that I am still here even though I've been a little quieter than usual, this is my reason why.

Juggling my business, 3 children and my partner who is very poorly is absolutely draining physically and mentally.

I've had to cut my working hours because he is not able to drive, or look after them like he could before. Life is just really tough right now.

I am by no means posting for sympathy, everyone is going through things that are Incredibly hard however I feel I need to be transparent with my clients who've certainly become friends over the years and support me in more ways than they could imagine.

We aren't sure how long this battle will be, or the outcome, but as always we as a family will continue to fight.

As always my moto - be kind to each other because you never know what people are going through