tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11745381094159137942024-03-13T23:44:10.118-07:00Julie Day - Aspie Children's AuthorWriting about living with Asperger's and my writingJulie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.comBlogger668125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-64762368839296373042024-02-24T07:28:00.000-08:002024-02-24T07:32:29.712-08:00Being an adult with a heart condition<p>I have talked about how I was as a
child with a heart condition but what about when I got older and
became an adult. Well. If I had to walk so far, then I would have to
stop along the way and get my breath back. I would also get a stitch
in my side. I couldn't walk too far or too fast. I would get that
stitch, and/or get out of breath by the time I got to my destination.
I certainly couldn't run that far, either. For the bus, yes, but that
was it. The last time I remember really running for a bus was several
years ago now. My mum and I had got to one bus stop to see the bus we
needed to go on to where we wanted to get to. The bus had to go round
a main route which included traffic lights to get to the next stop.
We walked fast with a bit of running. We made it and got on the bus,
but it really puffed me out. I had a stitch in my side, I was out of
breath, and I had a pain in my stomach as I was gasping for air. It
was the worse I had been that I recall. I vowed not to do that again.
I don't think we did.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Now that I have had the surgery and
don't have the hole-in-the-heart, I think I might be all right that
way. I don't know yet as I now walk with a stick due to balance
issues caused by the perimenopause. So at the moment just running a
little bit makes my balance even worse. I would like to think that I
would be able to move like that without the stitch and the
breathlessness. We shall see. I plan to build up my walking over time
when it is warmer.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">#HeartAwarenessMonth #hearthealth #adultcongenitalheartdisease</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If you want to find out what happened to me so that I no longer have that hole in the heart, then it is all in my memoir which can be found either via my website, The Book Dragon bookshop, Amazon or all other digital platforms as an ebook. </p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-38016880942868903982024-02-19T07:18:00.000-08:002024-02-19T07:18:09.617-08:00Childhood heart memories for Heart Awareness Month<p> As mentioned in my last post it is Heart Awareness Month and I have been posting on social media all about heart health. I have also been posting bits about my memories of being a child with heart problems. Here is what I have been doing.</p><p>So I had a heart defect
from birth. How did it affect me as a child? It made me physically
slower than others. I remember when we played rounders at primary
school (anyone else remember that?). I never used to be able to run
past the first base. If I did, then I would stop, then run to the
next point.</p><p>
</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">When I was at secondary
school I was always one of the last to be chosen for team sports. I
always knew that it was because I was quieter and slower than the
others. I hated netball if I was in the team. Was anyone else the
last to be chosen for team sports?</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Another time I remember
about being at secondary school with my then heart condition was a
sports day. The rest of the school had to walk to the sports field,
which was quite near the school but because of my heart condition I
couldn't walk too far or fast so I was given permission to get a bus
with a few others. Of course, the bus was late, so we were late. I
think that when we got there we didn't know where to go either. When
we finally found our school and class, the sports events had already
started.</p><br /><p></p><p>Do any of these relate to you, at all? Let me know either on the comments or find me on FB.</p><p><br /></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-61633679246008235972024-01-29T07:07:00.000-08:002024-01-29T07:55:40.595-08:00Heart Awareness Month is coming <p> February is Heart Awareness Month. I plan to post different things about hearts, my heart and what I have been through, resilience and maybe even videos of me talking about my journey. I have already been posting on social media my own quotes on what resilience means to me but I will be adding more during the month to come. I want to give others an idea what I am capable of when it comes to talking about heart health and being resilient with it, as I am working on a programme of workshops to talk to people about helping autistic patients with their heart illnesses and hospital journeys.</p><p>If you want to learn more from me, and you're not already following me on social media, please do follow me and let me know if you want to learn more from me.</p><p>You can find me here </p><p><br /></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">Facebook:
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://facebook.com/AuthorJulieDay">http://facebook.com/AuthorJulieDay</a></u></span></span></p><p>
</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">Instagram:
http://instagram.com/juliednomo</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><br /></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">Here is an example of what I have been doing on FB/Meta:</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-indent: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Resilience is thinking Oh my as you realise what you have been through the last three years.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">I hope to see some of you there.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">Let's learn about heart health and resilience.</p><p><br /></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-28701597928798111532024-01-17T07:46:00.000-08:002024-01-17T07:46:45.697-08:00Me and food sensory<p>Following from my last post, I am going to mention other foods that I don't like because
I feel that they taste raw to me. Thinking about potatoes made me
recall these.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Avocado – I know that
some people do like these, but I don't. The only time I tried one,
years ago, I didn't like it because to me it tasted too raw to me. I
know it is a raw food but I just don't like them.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Asparagus – Again I
have tried this only once, when I was at a writers' dinner and I
thought let's just try it to see what it's like. Nope. Didn't like
it. Tasted of nothing to me. Maybe it has that raw feeling for me
too.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Broccoli – I tried
this once as well and didn't like it. Too bitty for me. I now believe
that it had that raw taste to it too.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">There are other raw
foods that I can't eat such as apples and pears, but that is because
they are high in FODMAPs which give me IBS. In other words, they are
too much fibre for me. A lot of foods that they say are healthy and
good for you, I can't eat because they are too much for me, namely
dark green and leafy vegetables. I can eat Brussels but only a few at a time, otherwise they will give me stomach pains. I think this is a reaction against the warfarin I have. Brussels contain vitamin K, and too much of that can have an effect on the warfarin and change the INR levels (blood clotting levels). </p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-19044035008158631762024-01-10T06:55:00.000-08:002024-01-10T06:55:12.718-08:00Me and potatoes<p>I am sorry I've not been on here for ages but been so busy. I went into hospital in November. When I came out it was my birthday. Then it was preparing for Christmas. That was over and now it's new year. Here we are in 2024 already. </p><p>I recently posted this as an article on LinkedIn as part of my sharing experiences as an Aspie. I thought I'd share it on here too.</p><p>I have recently read a
memoir about a mother of four autistic sons and how she fought for
the learning and education they needed to be able to speak and learn
for their futures. In it, she mentions that one of her eldest sons
explained why he never liked mashed potato for years. It made me
think of my feelings towards mashed potato and other forms of potato.
I have never really liked mashed potato as it reminded me of school
dinners when it was lumpy. It put me off it. If I ever had it at home
or elsewhere, I would mash it up with a fork to make sure there were
no lumps. I still don't like it now, but if I have to have it then I
will have something else with it eg baked beans or tomato ketchup to
give it flavour. Maybe I think it is too bland. Or it could be that
on its own I feel it tastes too raw. I don't mind it on cottage pie
or shepherds pie. Possibly because as it is on top of meat, the meat
gives it flavour. When my mum made it for us, she would mash it with
our spread before layering it on the meat. This also gives it more
flavour. I will eat boiled or new potatoes but like mashed potato I
have to have something else with it to give it more flavour. With
boiled potatoes I used to like them in a casserole, especially with
herbs and stock. My mum used to cook a lovely chicken casserole and
it made the potatoes more palatable. With new potatoes I have some of
my sunflower spread, or I might dip it in beetroot juice if I have
beetroot with them. Again it might be because I think the taste is
either bland or too raw.</p><p>
</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I don't know if this is
an autistic thing, or other people who are non-autistic feel the same
way as me. Please let me know.</p><br /><p></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-90362949070503881552023-08-06T07:04:00.002-07:002023-08-06T07:04:28.267-07:00The missing bits from the memoir - The 'Be Still' rule<p>There are a few things I know that I
didn't put in my memoir, especially about when I was recovering at home.
One of these was the difficulty I had doing every day things such as
combing my hair as I wasn't allowed to lift my right hand above my
head for six weeks. Why was this? Well, I had a pacemaker and its
leads fitted, and to let them settle in properly you can't move about
too much otherwise they wouldn't work too good. So when I came home
in 2021 for six weeks I couldn't comb my hair properly, I couldn't
wash it (it hadn't been washed for weeks anyway because of being in
hospital), I couldn't moisturise my neck properly, I couldn't move
the wheelie bins out by myself as I wasn't allowed to move/lift heavy
things. Oh, and it was difficult to put on clothes over my head such
as nighties or T-shirts. One of the carers I had did show me how to
do it.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">So why am I mentioning it now? Well,
very soon, probably October, I am going to have to go into hospital
again to have a pacemaker lead replaced as it is making extra noise.
They want it changed before it causes any problems with me. I am
going to have to follow the 'be still' rules for four weeks this
time. I shall have to practise putting on clothes over my head like
the carer taught me. And practise combing my hair with my left hand.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">As I told the consultant, if I have to
have it done, I will have it done. I am not looking forward to it as
this time I have to go under general anaesthetic. Last time I had it
done under local anaesthetic.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Meantime, I am making the most of my
time at home in my own comforts, and getting on with my writing. I
have plans to create more books and journals to go with my memoir
(you can buy it from my website or from The Book Dragon website here
<a href="http://www.the-book-dragon.com/">www.the-book-dragon.com</a>).
I want to turn my memoir and its journals into a brand about
resilience and make a business out of it alongside my children's
books. I plan to take blank journals in to hospital with me this time so I can write in them when I feel like it, and get an idea of what I can put in the guides I want to write with the gratitude journals I have in mind.</p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-33738486609230884272023-06-25T07:05:00.002-07:002023-06-25T07:05:43.931-07:00Meet Sammi squirrel at Beckenham<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEBShXQgpaKbqPMkec4DoCROVePradkVYUXNiKzzqoW8r0igTqty2Bq-kt2M6IuOuviccRCSdYELENzUD7cJsK4jve2LU6T-iiS9w84jyofDdcNlBCDHhKXx9LVeSIpMdxmR342pf8Zop-XiTz0WPVAbS9gX_-VhpOB1_vHipbqb-Sqqq99g8hvwb6cF3/s2362/IMG_1953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="2362" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEBShXQgpaKbqPMkec4DoCROVePradkVYUXNiKzzqoW8r0igTqty2Bq-kt2M6IuOuviccRCSdYELENzUD7cJsK4jve2LU6T-iiS9w84jyofDdcNlBCDHhKXx9LVeSIpMdxmR342pf8Zop-XiTz0WPVAbS9gX_-VhpOB1_vHipbqb-Sqqq99g8hvwb6cF3/s320/IMG_1953.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>This is Sammi an unlucky squirrel who features in my first picture book for children of 3-7 years-old. I first wrote the story some years ago and it was published as a fiction story in a small press magazine about animals. His story sat on my computer for years after that until this year when I decided to show him to the world as a picture book. I am so pleased with it. It is out now on Amazon here https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/191511408X. Or if you want to get a copy in person from me and at a discounted price, I will be at the Beckenham Book Festival next Sunday 2 July at the Coach and Horses pub, Burnhill Road, Beckenham. There will be lots of local authors there and we will be selling our books in the beer garden at the back of the pub. I will also be selling my other children's books and my memoir. Come and say hello to us all. Here's hoping for a day like today. Sunny and no sign of rain.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXW2anUzWdQpRV-Me8tbiYeH4wY7xinqJQMKqgUmC1DRGdzxt_wo3BK3aLi_22UP3Z-tUY_rfNGKJjMxEjNgAKtsupKjyTLhIpVyYTNbIMCjLwU_JkAcZsTOHZ5ArtwfBT8RJmsWtrGQfWE8NF8Z8JoEAYNKFbjMC-1__Dj49cbHMhhYxhahL7vYU6BiG/s2100/Beckenham%20book%20festival%20orange%2012.6.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXW2anUzWdQpRV-Me8tbiYeH4wY7xinqJQMKqgUmC1DRGdzxt_wo3BK3aLi_22UP3Z-tUY_rfNGKJjMxEjNgAKtsupKjyTLhIpVyYTNbIMCjLwU_JkAcZsTOHZ5ArtwfBT8RJmsWtrGQfWE8NF8Z8JoEAYNKFbjMC-1__Dj49cbHMhhYxhahL7vYU6BiG/s320/Beckenham%20book%20festival%20orange%2012.6.23.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-88201312331323312902023-05-08T07:44:00.000-07:002023-05-08T07:44:03.632-07:00An Aspie and another change at home<p> When I last wrote about a change in
home, it was about me coming home after hospital and having carers
myself. Those two weeks went and Mum came home, and that was the next
change. I had spoken to Mum briefly on the phone a couple of days
beforehand, thanks to a kind chaplain. Mum's voice then, which
sounded frailer, should have made me realise how she would be when
she came home but I was just glad to see her again. That day was
really hard for me as I saw how Mum was for the first time. She was
confused to where she was, which is a sign of delirium. Also she said
some strange things to my brother. It was to be the start of her time
with carers doing her personal care such as washing her. Although Mum
had been very slow at walking before I went into hospital, she had
been independent still and able to walk round the house. Do cooking
and washing etc with me. So it was hard to see her stuck in a
hospital bed and having carers see to her personal needs. Having
experienced that myself during my own hospital stay after surgery, I
knew what it was like. It can make you feel useless and frustrated. I
had hoped that seeing me be able to walk about again might encourage
and inspire Mum to do the same, but it didn't because her brain had
changed with dementia and she didn't want to. I think she might have
still been depressed at the time. I had to get used to seeing a new
Mum, one who was confused a lot of the time and started saying weird
things. Although Mum had had carers helping her before I went into
hospital, these were new people, and it was hard to get used to at
first, even though I did think that it was good that Mum was having
the same carers day after day so she wouldn't get confused so much.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Did I get on with the carers? That is
another story.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">PS I know that the term 'Asperger's' isn't used anymore because of the history of the man whom it was named after, but I was diagnosed with it, so that is what I say and call myself. I also say I am autistic.</p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-89528046420212483772023-04-12T07:41:00.003-07:002023-04-12T07:41:48.340-07:00Be empowered to help your health<p> One of the things that I regret not doing during my journey of having endocarditis is tracking what happened to me properly. I wrote in my diary now and then, appointments on a calendar but not everything that I went through esp the symptoms getting worse. It all ended up in my head and on hospital letters. When I wrote my memoir, I started to get an idea about creating a journal for this purpose. I actually have this in my memoir that I intended to create one to help others who have either been in my situation or could be. Well, at the beginning of this month, it came to life. I wrote it all over the last months and published it this month. The contents of the guided pages reflect all that I went through and mention in my memoir. So, if you are experiencing a serious illness, including endocarditis and any other heart conditions, then check out my journal. It will empower you to know what is going on with your health. You can find it here. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Endocarditis-My-Journey-journal-condition/dp/1915114055</p><p>Or if you know of any one else, esp hospitals, that might be interested in a copy, please let them know.</p><p>Be empowered. </p><p><br /></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-77762522199430564942023-03-26T03:06:00.004-07:002023-03-26T03:09:06.010-07:00Where has my voice gone?<p> There is one thing I do remember when I was in hospital two years ago, and I thought I had put it in my memoir, but it is not there - I lost my voice. I remember maybe it was a couple of days after I had been transferred from ICU to the High Dependency Unit, I went to talk to a nurse and nothing came out but a whisper. Why couldn't I speak? Where was my voice? I briefly wondered why I couldn't talk. I remember thinking the only way to get my voice back was to practice talking, which is what I did. Whenever I was alone, I would whisper hello to myself. After a day or two of doing this, I got my voice back and I could ask for help properly. Now knowing what happened to me after the surgery, I know why I lost my voice. I had been in intensive care in an induced coma for three days on a ventilator helping me breathe. With having that in my throat, and not being able to talk for at least a week, my throat must have dried up. That is the only time that I recall ever having lost my voice. I might have got close to it with a bad cold at one time, but not like that. If you have read my memoir, then you will know that I made up for the time I couldn't talk after that. Lol.</p><p>Find out what happened to me two years ago in my memoir out now either via my website, Amazon or The Book Dragon (in store or online). It is called 'Endocarditis - My Journey'. One journey I don't want to go through again. You can find it here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Endocarditis-My-Journey-Julie-Day-ebook/dp/B0B8VT2X1H</p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-29987821973594860862023-02-25T07:50:00.002-08:002023-02-25T07:50:25.632-08:00Resilience, Asperger's and the biggest change in my life<p> I have been talking on here about being resilient. I have also been mentioning that people with Asperger's, like me, find it hard to cope with change. I feel that resilience and change go together, especially with me at the moment as I am going through the biggest change in my life (not talking about the perimenopause which they can call the change). I am of course talking about living on my own after being with my mum all my life. There have been times over the years when I did wonder how I would be and where when I was on my own, but it is nothing like I feel now. Here is how I thought about it over time.</p><p>As Mum's health and therefore her mobility got worse and she had to walk with a stick, I did wonder what would happen to me. I imagined at the time that maybe we could live in separate houses/flats next door to each other so we would still be there for each other when needed.</p><p>Then came 2021 when I came out of hospital and Mum came home, bed bound and with dementia. I knew that my previous image of the future was out of date. I now imagined that Mum's dementia would get worse until the time came that she had to go in a home. It would be a time of transition for me, getting used to living on my own before such time Mum wasn't here any more. </p><p>Then came last year when Mum came very ill and went into hospital, twice. That was a period of transition where I would visit Mum in hospital and come home to live alone the best I could. The year and a bit when Mum was home with carers taking care of her needs, was also a time of transition I believe, as I was the one who was doing all the work here at home as Mum no longer could. </p><p>Until... the day came when I got the news she had gone. I miss her so much still.</p><p>In a way it is like I am sort of continuing life as I did when she was in hospital but deep down I know she isn't there. I get lonely. I get sad. At times it feels surreal still. My inner resilience dips at times when I cry. Thankfully I have the support of my brother and my friend to keep me going, most of the time. I also believe that Mum helped me cope with life over the years, especially the practical things such as washing etc. </p><p>So, yes, resilience and change go together, as I believe you need some resilience to cope with change, especially when you have Asperger's.</p><p><br /></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-45531312421373639192023-02-13T07:54:00.000-08:002023-02-13T07:54:04.138-08:00When robins appear...<p> Do you know the rest of the phrase? When robins appear, loved ones are near. I saw two robins together on the fence earlier today and it made me both smile and cry. They were together as they weren't fighting which robins are tend to do being territorial birds, so I guessed they were a couple. This made me wonder if they were there as my mum and dad visiting me to check up on me and see how I am coping. I do like robins. I don't normally think of robins that way, but today happens to be National Cardiac Rehab Day, a day that can be appropriate for me after what I have been through. Do you believe in the phrase?</p><p>If you want to read all about my 'inspiring' cardiac rehab journey when I was in hospital after heart surgery and when I came home two years ago (can't believe it was that long ago), then my memoir 'Endocarditis - My Journey' is available to buy as an ebook from all ebook platforms, and as a paperback from my website www.julieaday.co.uk, from Amazon and from The Book Dragon shop either on-line or in person at www.thebookdragaon.co.uk.</p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-54798675591313197582023-01-31T03:10:00.009-08:002023-01-31T03:10:54.554-08:00Resilience and Me - The 8 Firsts in my life<p> Having endocarditis in
2020-21 gave me a whole lot of firsts in my life. I have mentioned
some in my memoir but here are ones that I can recall.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1. My first CT scan.
These are fine just as long as they don't involve a cannula, which
the first couple I had to have did. If you hate needles as much as
me, do ask if they could put it in your arm when you are lying down.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2. My first MRI scan. I
think my mum told me at the time about the loud noises you
experience. They are loud even wearing ear plugs and headphones which
are given to you. If you have music going on the machine, try to tune
into that. It does help. Another tip is that you can't usually wear
metal during the scan so if your shape allows go without a bra and
wear a crop top and wear joggers/trackies or a skirt (weather
permitting).</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">3. My first blood
transfusion. I never want one of those again. It takes 4-5 hours to
complete, even longer if you are like me and need the toilet often.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">4. My first major
surgery. One I hope to never repeat in my life. My mechanical heart
valve is meant to be for life. This is why I chose this instead of a
tissue valve.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">5. My first pacemaker.
I never expected to have one of those at all in my life. If you have
read my memoir, then you know why I was fitted one. I might have to
have it replaced later in life as they don't last as long as a valve.
I do know that I will probably this year have to have one of the
leads replaced as it is making extra noise (my body has always been
complicated).</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">6. My first time having
carers. I never thought I'd have them until I was much older. They
did help me to recover at home, knowing that I wasn't alone all day.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">7. My first time using
hospital transport. I didn't even know that it existed until I was
transferred to my second and third hospitals, and then when I came
home could use it to attend my appointments. I still use it today
especially to go to my main appointments at Guy's and St Thomas's
hospitals. It involves waiting around for them to come and collect
you both at home and at hospital but it is a door to door service.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">8. Saying that, the
above is another first for me – attending hospital appointments on
my own. Before the surgery I always used to go with my mum as I was
afraid of getting lost and not knowing what to say to medical staff
due to my Asperger's. I now go to all my appointments on my own,
something that I am amazed I do. I believe that it comes from no
longer having a hole in the heart which made me nervous. So, one good
thing did come out of that period of my life.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">BTW my memoir 'Endocarditis - My Journey' got a 5 star review from The Book Dragon store, which you can read on their website. It is available to buy there as well as my website, Amazon and other ebook retailers.</p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-4111515392242072892023-01-09T07:36:00.007-08:002023-01-09T07:36:35.646-08:00Resilience and Me<p> I have started blogging about being
resilient, which I feel has come out in my memoir 'Endocarditis –
My Journey' (available as an ebook from all good eretailers and
paperback from Amazon or my website). Much of what has made me
resilient is documented in there but there are other factors which
aren't, namely what happened to me last year. Here are the main
things I believe have made me more resilient in life over the last
few years.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2020 – The year I had endocarditis
and didn't know it. I just knew something was wrong with me.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2021 – My mum was ill herself, then I
had to go into hospital to be treated, followed by surgery and
recovery. Following my discharge and start of recovery at home, Mum
came out of hospital herself and it became clear that she was
changed. She had become bed bound and developed dementia. Although
she had carers to help her, I became her main carer. This along with
recovering mentally and physically from what I had been through,
attending hospital appointments, and learning to cope with a loved
one with dementia, was tough. With my Asperger's I did find it hard
to deal with the carers at times.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2022 – Mum's dementia had got bad
with her being nasty to me at times. Mum had an unusual stroke and
went into hospital for three weeks. When she came out she had changed
again to a more subdued person. So sad. Five weeks after she had come
home, she caught sepsis and went back to hospital. The treatment for
that cured her but caused another medical problem. The ongoing
treatment and monitoring proved too much for her already frail body
and she sadly passed away in August 2022. I had to cope with dealing
with arranging the funeral and all the other things that go with a
death in the family (but thankfully I had support from my brother and
my best friend). I am now living on my own. Christmas was hard as it
was the first one without her.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2023 – A new year, a different life
being on my own. I plan to blog and talk about resilience in a
medical capacity from this year on, based on my memoir and what
happened to me.</p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-6946736798372097992022-12-28T07:15:00.004-08:002022-12-28T07:19:34.725-08:00A whole new world - learning resilience<p> Staying in hospital for a long time is a whole new world. You tend to wonder what the outside world looks like, well I did. I briefly mention in my memoir each view I got with different hospitals I stayed in last year. The recent snow in the UK (nowhere near as bad as the US) reminded me of my stay in Lewisham Hospital during the Beast from the East 2. The whole park outside was white, and the houses in the distance were too. It's why I don't like snow that much now. I got another glimpse of the outside world when I was transported from one hospital to the next. Each time I was I said to myself, 'Oh, so that's what the outside looks like.' I am not sure how I managed to cope with going from hospital to hospital last year. All I know is that I just went with it. Probably knowing that I needed to go to one for this to happen, and the next for something else to happen for me. Maybe deep down all I wanted was to get better so I could go home.</p><p>It was night time, so dark, when I finally got home end of March 2021, so I couldn't see outside properly, as I knew it. I didn't see it again until the next day, and boy was I pleased to, especially my street and my garden. The familiarity was a balm to me after all the noise and busyness of hospitals. Two weeks later, when my mum came home from hospital herself, it was to lead to another new world for me, and one that took my resilience to another level.</p><p><br /></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-1795007031339389132022-12-04T06:56:00.000-08:002022-12-04T06:56:07.481-08:00Want a bit of magic in your life?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSml8HpSmuqp39_CXTuXikrwJKQkb1eroFsBvqGK-wMzEMPhDrpbBtTWJKXJODhuP6pZFWiAIk36ndAQmKw1nQiGvMksXCNQ0WSGG3tS9gziPz2AVancgGlXxrWVnr2FPGm5O4sO1EGaavCun4IZJn8srZ3w_cLFf7ocVNG8ABlZ8NBbVKo9GJD_4aQ/s1418/Modern%20Magic%20Cover%20Laura%20v.2%20small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1418" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSml8HpSmuqp39_CXTuXikrwJKQkb1eroFsBvqGK-wMzEMPhDrpbBtTWJKXJODhuP6pZFWiAIk36ndAQmKw1nQiGvMksXCNQ0WSGG3tS9gziPz2AVancgGlXxrWVnr2FPGm5O4sO1EGaavCun4IZJn8srZ3w_cLFf7ocVNG8ABlZ8NBbVKo9GJD_4aQ/s320/Modern%20Magic%20Cover%20Laura%20v.2%20small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Yes, I think we all
need a bit of magic in our lives at times, especially during tough
periods. I for one feel that I do a lot of the time now. It is why I
haven 't been here a lot this year as I have had a lot of personal
and upsetting days especially since the end of August when my mum
passed away in hospital. With Christmas coming up, it will be harder
still for me as it will be the first Christmas without her.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Anyway, here is a bit
of magic for you to read, especially for us authors. I have a short
story in this anthology 'Modern Magic' called 'The Dragon Pen' which
helps an author meet her deadline. Don't we all want one of those. It
is available to order as an ebook or paperback here
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mvXpQz?fbclid=IwAR1MELiERvNGJQPDi2jL55BxbPSQ_ZUs3fAqEWrScEYCnQSkVfKyD8560XA" target="_blank">https://books2read.com/u/mvXpQz</a></u></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Have fun reading it
all.</p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-53011224913495123382022-11-16T07:30:00.003-08:002022-11-16T07:30:19.899-08:00Billy is having a book tour<p> Who is Billy, you might ask? He is Billy from my first Rainbow School children's book called 'Billy and the Sparkling Socks.' He, and the others in the series, are all in stock at a bookshop called The Book Dragon based in Stockton on Tees. This week Billy's story is having a book tour. There is a great window display promoting the book (check the website www.thebookdragon.co.uk) and see for yourself. So far this week reviewers have mentioned their favourite quotes and character summaries from the book. Here are a few</p><p>Quotes: </p><div class="jet-listing-dynamic-repeater__item" style="background-color: #fffbf4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2b300b; font-family: Inter, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; justify-content: flex-start;">“I am good at something!” Billy shouted. He stood up, scraping his chair back. “What?” Casper challenged him. “Don’t know. I will find out.” (Andrew Bell)</span><br style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; justify-content: flex-start;" /></div><div class="jet-listing-dynamic-repeater__item" style="background-color: #fffbf4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2b300b; font-family: Inter, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; justify-content: flex-start;">Even though his socks hadn’t acted strange, he had done amazing things today. (Deborah Barwick)</span><span style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; justify-content: flex-start;"><br /></span><span style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; justify-content: flex-start;">“So my motto is, to find out what makes you happy and what you can be good at and work on that. Only then will you be happy with who you are.” (Tania Marshall)</span><span style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; justify-content: flex-start;"><br /></span><span style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; justify-content: flex-start;"><br /></span><span style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; justify-content: flex-start;">Character summaries</span><span style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; justify-content: flex-start;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="background-color: #fffbf4; color: #2b300b; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Billy is a delightful young boy who blossoms throughout the course of the story. Initially he feels frustrated by the limitations he feels due to his condition of Autism. He has an older brother who seems to be good at everything and classmates that make fun of him. As he starts to focus on what he can do and where his talents lie, a transformation starts to happen. By looking for the positives and gaining confidence and faith in his abilities, he starts to shine and gain respect from his mother, teachers and peers. I felt moved by Billy’s realisation that what he really lacked was self-belief and the courage to be who he truly was. As this dawns on him he starts to fly and fulfill his full potential. I could just picture him telling his stories in class and I could relate to the joy he felt from creating them, as I too loved to do this as a child. I loved how Billy showed warmth and kindness to others, even though he hadn’t always received them himself. He’s willing to help out his brother when he starts to struggle, despite how his brother has mocked him for his own difficulties in the past. (Michelle Marshall)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #fffbf4; color: #2b300b; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I related with the character, Billy. Being disabled myself, I know just how hard it is to find something you’re good at. Also, being disabled I can relate how hard it is to fit in, I know what it’s like to be laughed at, I also know the challenge of finding something you’re good at. Being autistic, Billy would’ve had a much bigger challenge in this. </span><span style="background-color: #fffbf4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2b300b; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I was so impressed with his finding that he could tell stories, act them out, and make people laugh. He didn’t think Miss Murray and his classmates were laughing at him. Good job, Billy! (Deb Hockenberry)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #fffbf4; color: #2b300b; font-family: Lora, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">So, I hope that the above will get you interested to either read the book yourself, or buy it for a small relative (7-9) that might want to read it for Christmas. There are now three places you can buy the books: The Book Dragon shop (in store or on line), Amazon or my website. </span></p><p><br /></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-29939213536467955632022-10-01T07:46:00.003-07:002022-10-01T07:46:42.585-07:00Me and my heart<p> Thursday 29 September (two days ago) was World Heart Awareness Day, it also happened to be my mum's funeral. My heart was aching with grief then and still is. </p><p>Although a lot of bad stuff happened to me as I have put in my memoir 'Endocarditis - My Journey' there is one good thing that came from it. Here is what I wrote near the end of the book.</p><p><i>On the good side is
that when I had the surgery, I also had my VSD closed, and having
that done and/or what I had been through on my own made me able to go
to all these hospital appointments on my own, something I had never
done before. I feel that it is probably more to do with having the
VSD closed that's made me like I am now. I was quiet and not so
confident before the surgery, but after it I was able to speak out
more, and go to these appointments by myself.</i></p><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I still believe that this is true. I recall when I was in hospital, maybe because I was feeling very weak still, that I didn't want to walk too far in case I got lost. When I get lost, I get flustered and can have a meltdown. Since I came home last year I have been to many hospital appointments; at Lewisham Hospital, Guy's, and St Thomas's Hospitals. All to different departments and different buildings and zones. Before I had the surgery, I feel there would have been no way that I would have coped doing that on my own. It is a case of having to now, being on my own.</p><br /><p></p><p>Onwards and upwards I say.</p><p>If you would like to read a 'very honest and inspiring' book then my memoir is available here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Endocarditis-My-Journey-Julie-Day-ebook/dp/B0B8VT2X1H</p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-26298925506409635422022-09-10T07:06:00.000-07:002022-09-10T07:06:05.690-07:00Endocarditis - My Journey <p> <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B8VT2X1H">https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B8VT2X1H</a></p><p>I tried to post above the cover image for my memoir but it wouldn't let me for some reason, so I have put the link instead. </p><p>I know we are all feeling such sorrow at the moment (me more than most as my mum passed away in hospital the end of August) after the Queen dying. I thought I would post something could, and that is a review of my memoir all about coping and surviving endocarditis (infection of the heart).</p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">AUTHOR- Julie Day</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">PUBLISHER- Happy Day Press</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">PUBLISHED ON- 5th Aug, 2022</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">GENRE- Autobiography</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">RATING- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">" ENDOCARDITIS IS ALIVE AND WELL, UNFORTUNATELY "</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">ABOUT AUTHOR- Julie Day writes realism for adults and children featuring helpful ghosts and magical things.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">BOOK DESCRIPTION- Julie's Journey of endocarditis from symptoms to recovery.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">BOOK REVIEW-</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Book is the Journey of Author's serious heart illness and her struggle to recover it. Endocarditis is a heart disease when bacteria or other germs enter the bloodstream and travel to heart to stick to damaged heart valves or tissues. It is rare and potentially fatal infection of endocardium.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">On the basis of rough statistics, the mortality rate of endocardium is 29% and this issue of concern.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Endocarditis has challenged clinicians for centuries. Despite recent advances in diagnosis $ therapy, the risks of major complications $ death remain unacceptably high. This is a major public health problem. The solution to this conundrum is not easy. It is unlikely that we will be able to eradicate this illness at any time in the near future. However, we can certainly make greater efforts and prevention.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Julie shared her journey of symptoms like weight loss, muscle pain, tiredness, breathlessness,chills $ many more from 2020 to 2021. Struggle she faced throughout the recovery process, the tests, the hospital stays and switchs, the surgery, post recovery at hospital $ home. All during pandemic which turned her life upside down. She inspires all of us to cope any situation and book guides anyone who wants to learn about heart condition personally or medically.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life. Just because you can't control what life throws at you doesn't mean you can't control how you handle it and this is very well thought by Julie in her book.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">To author- The strongest hearts have the most scars.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I'm glad I came across this inspiring journey.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">SALUTE TO AUTHOR FOR HER BRAVERY 🙌</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">************************************</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">JOURNEY | STRUGGLE | INSPIRING</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">************************************</span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">I hope inspires you to want to read this too. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">I have a question to ask you all. I am planning to create a talk with a workshop based on this, and am wondering what you would like to learn or know either about endocarditis and/or coping with a serious illness. Please let me know in the comments so I can work on this talk. Thanks.</span></span></p><p><br /></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-32462537198211838762022-08-24T06:57:00.000-07:002022-08-24T06:57:35.506-07:00Books at Beckenham - Meet local authors<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwOfn5SsVuRP1nQbTflTmMLPd5tGvlevXGumqMoHm_aXcLT6fACTTZ9WEco3z0s91fA9IpdFlP3uzgnd-BFPU7zBaYwg3OXRNcWio38jgadotIsrb_uCYI6TSWmf5Rw1Eh75BDdxlrnEOHrOHonTxExHEZEgvguUC4c8tTIz5004U8G7cwuCE8NfTUuQ/s940/B.%20BECKENHAM%20thumbnail%20meet%20the%20authors%207.8.22%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwOfn5SsVuRP1nQbTflTmMLPd5tGvlevXGumqMoHm_aXcLT6fACTTZ9WEco3z0s91fA9IpdFlP3uzgnd-BFPU7zBaYwg3OXRNcWio38jgadotIsrb_uCYI6TSWmf5Rw1Eh75BDdxlrnEOHrOHonTxExHEZEgvguUC4c8tTIz5004U8G7cwuCE8NfTUuQ/s320/B.%20BECKENHAM%20thumbnail%20meet%20the%20authors%207.8.22%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>If you are in or around Beckenham this Sunday, come and meet some local authors including me. As well as books being sold, there will be hopefully a storytime happening for children aged six upwards. I will be there selling my children's books and my new memoir 'Endocarditis - My Journey' all at special prices. You will get a free coloured paper bag of your choice (blue, black, green or red) and a bookmark to go with the memoir. Here is an excerpt of my memoir: </p><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><u><b>September 2020</b></u></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I can't remember what
happened in this month, except I was still losing weight. It might
have been this month that I started to experience another unpleasant
symptom. I have never liked finding loose hairs in places they
shouldn't be such as on soap bars or places where I eat. I can't
recall how it started, but one day I found a loose hair and OMG, I
felt ill! I wanted to be sick. I actually retched. This would happen
quite often, and on a few occasions I was actually sick. I hated it.
It put me off my food if I found one on the table as I was about to
eat. I googled this. There is a name for it, but I can't recall it.
What I do remember seeing is that one of the causes was infection. I
didn't think anything of it. When I mentioned it to my mum, she said
that she used to be like that when she was younger, so I thought that
I had taken after her, like with a lot of other things. I didn't know
that it was part and parcel, as they say, of a bigger health issue.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I hope to see lots of people there. </p><br /><p></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-90563490941118305472022-08-12T02:40:00.002-07:002022-08-12T02:40:42.986-07:00What happened to me in 2020 and 2021<p> So what happened to me in 2020 and 2021? What did endocarditis do to me? Find out in my memoir 'Endocarditis - My Journey- either as an ebook or paperback here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Endocarditis-My-Journey-Julie-Day-ebook/dp/B0B8VT2X1H</p><p>I can reveal that it was a shock to me what happened, and it still makes me emotional when I think about it. I can also reveal that the heart beat line on the cover runs through the book, and the colours of blue and red have a meaning which is on page 110.</p><p>The ebook is also available from all good ebook platforms.</p><p>I hope you like my writing.</p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-84456157626203153442022-07-24T02:58:00.000-07:002022-07-24T02:58:04.960-07:00Aspie and change number two<p> Sorry I haven't been on here lately. So much has happened since Mum came home in June after her stroke. She was more subdued and quieter than before. Then a couple of weeks ago she caught a chest infection leading to sepsis. She is on the mend now and possibly coming home sometime next week.</p><p>Anyway, coming home from hospital was the next change in my life. I would be on my own as Mum was still in hospital herself then. Time to recuperate by myself. One change that was immediate was the layout of downstairs. Mum and I both had our beds brought downstairs by my brother. Here is what I wrote in my memoir coming soon.</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"> Alone, I sat down, put
my head in my hands and said, “I'm home.” It was a different home
to when I had left back in February. The living room was now a
cum-bedroom with both my and my mum's beds in there. The sofa was now
in the dining room with Mum's clothes on it. The dining table had
been dismantled and put upstairs. All done by Ian. What an amazing
brother!</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The second change was me having carers coming in to help me. I never thought I'd have carers, not until I was older anyway. It helped me a lot. But being on my own, having to do things by myself, was a major change for me. It was the longest I had been on my own in the house for ages. Up until then the longest I had been on my own was a weekend in 2016 when Mum was in hospital. It really helped me find my feet, and I feel now that it stood me in good stead for future times when I have to be on my own, like now. At least I know now that I can and am able to live on my own when the time comes, which I know it will sooner than later.</p><p><br /></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-86855812480788061512022-06-18T07:35:00.001-07:002022-06-18T07:35:38.531-07:00Aspies and change<p>One thing that people with Asperger's find hard to cope with is change. Well, I certainly went through a lot of that last year when I went into hospital. That was the first major change to my life. I think it helped me because I knew in advance (the day before) that I was going in, and I knew that I had to go as it would help me and my health. Then came more change as I went from one hospital to another to find out what was wrong with me. Again I knew it was to help find out what was wrong with me. I somehow managed to cope with all of that change until there was one change too many for me. I have described it my memoir like this</p><p align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"> I went from the quiet of ICU to the noise, lights and busyness of
Doulton High Dependency Unit. The contrast was amazing. One thing us
Aspies do find hard to cope with is change. This change was hard for
me. I had coped well with going into hospital, then from one hospital
to another and another, but this was something else. I think now it
was that plus being in a strange environment that made me unable to
sleep for three nights.</p><p align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Once I got used to the routines and everything happening to me in that ward, I calmed down.</p><p align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">There was more change to come when I got home, and then Mum came home too. I shall tell you about that in the next post.</p><p align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><p><br /></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-38931720019546395322022-05-02T07:42:00.003-07:002022-05-02T07:42:13.840-07:00Happy May Day holiday<p> To all of you who read this from the UK, Happy May Bank Holiday. The sun might not be out but at least it's not raining, yet. </p><p>Sorry I've not been on here recently but life gets busy when you're a carer for your parent who's bedbound and has dementia, and has their own health matters to deal with including lots of appointments to attend. Thankfully the appointments seem to have decreased at the moment now that I've been out of hospital over a year. Where did that year go?</p><p>So, what have I been up to? Well, I have recently published a children's colouring book to go with my Rainbow School children's series. It's an A-Z of Autism and you can find it here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rainbow-School-Autism-Colouring-Book/dp/1915114012.</p><p>Also, I have had a short story accepted for an anthology about modern magic in life. My first story in an anthology and I am super excited about it. It means that my writing has merit with someone else. I will let you know when that comes out. It won't be yet as there will be edits to work on and then a contract to sign.</p><p>I am also working on my memoir still about having endocarditis. I am reading through it to make sure there aren't any more things I can remember to add in it. Then I will check through it with my diaries and calendars. I hope to have that out by September. The cozy mystery I hope to have finished and ready to publish for Christmas.</p><p>Meanwhile I am going to Sydenham library most weeks to take part in craft lessons, and have copies of my books with me. So, if you are near there on a Thursday lunch time, then come and say hello.</p><p>I think that is my current news for now. Any more and I will let you know, sooner than later.</p><p><br /></p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174538109415913794.post-85080145608437145912021-11-14T03:15:00.003-08:002021-11-14T03:15:49.661-08:00An Aspie in hospital - sleep<p> I don't know about you, but I can never sleep properly in another bed. So being in a hospital bed was no exception. I didn't sleep too bad to start with despite the sensory challenges of noise and lights about me. I slept in normal beds with controls at the side in both Lewisham and King's which was OK. It was when I got to St Thomas's that I had problems. I was able to sleep on my side like I do here at home but when I was at St Thomas's I had a portable heart monitor wired to me which was connected to the monitors in the corridor outside. I was unlucky and got a faulty monitor. It kept on going wrong and the batteries kept running out, especially when I was in bed asleep. I was often woken up by a nurse asking me if I was OK as the monitor wasn't showing up. There was even a time when I was fast asleep and I was woken up about it. Yes, I was fine until you woke me up. Grr... There was a time that I slept so soundly that I didn't hear the blood transfusion IV machine beep to let me know it had either stopped or run out of battery. The lady next to me had to get out of bed and find a nurse to turn it off. I knew nothing about this until I woke up that morning.</p><p>Then I had my surgery, was in ICU (don't remember much about that, thank goodness), and moved to the High Dependency Unit. Oh my. The noise, the lights, the busyness, that bed. The strangeness of it all. I couldn't sleep at all the first few nights (more in my memoir to come). The bed was a special one that helped to prevent bed sores and went up and down under you. Not good when you have diarrhoea due to the antibiotics you are on. Oh, and yes the tubes all about me stopped me from lying on my side. I had to sit up, facing up to go to sleep. A position I wasn't used to. After the fourth night I started to doze off now and then and slept better. When I finally returned to the first ward I was in, I slept much better. No tubes, no monitors and quieter. I recovered more there as I was told I would do. </p><p>But nothing is best than my own bed. Who agrees?</p>Julie Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10370540030678282595noreply@blogger.com1