I’m writing this post with a smile on my face, a stark contrast to the emotions I was feeling in my last entry. My health has always been unpredictable, but recently, I’ve been experiencing a different kind of exhaustion—one born out of joy and activity rather than setbacks. The gap in my entries isn’t due to any nasty falls; instead, I’ve been busy enjoying my life!

After my recent struggles, I promised myself I’d try hard to make the most of the positives. Despite moments where I nearly canceled plans, I pushed myself to go out, and I’m so glad I did.

So where do I start? For once, I’m not cramming in tales of my battles. Instead, I’m figuring out how to pack in all these positive memories and share my happiness.

I’ve completely let myself be loved. I’ve surrounded myself with my favourite people and allowed myself to just enjoy it, rather than worrying about ruining everything.

One of the highlights was living out a teenage dream with my longest friend. She’s always put others first and made the best memories possible. She encourages and supports me in ways she might not even realise. Seeing Nickelback live with her was out of this world, and I’m still smiling at the thought. For the first time, I stopped worrying about my walking stick in photos. Normally, I’d hide it or remove it, but this time, I kept it firmly by my side. Accepting the stick as part of me felt kind of almost liberating.

Of course, an activity like this left me unable to walk and in a wheelchair for the following days. But for the first time, this was okay—it was worth it for the memories.

My week didn’t stop there either! Normally, a long bank holiday weekend would mean an extra day in bed. Instead, I went to a bottomless brunch. I don’t drink often due to my medications, but this was worth it! Good food, unlimited cocktails, and most importantly, amazing company. Another two special people in my life who help me fight my battles just by being themselves. A day full of smiles, laughter, and terrible karaoke singing (may have murdered teenage dream sorry not sorry) left me smiling even now.

If that wasn’t enough, I also celebrated my incredible friend’s birthday. An evening of awful attempts at pool and more karaoke! I used to hide away at events like this, sitting quietly in the corner. But this time, I was surrounded by my closest friends and sang my heart out! More renditions of “Teenage Dream”, a duet with the birthday girl, and so much laughter I actually cried. By the end of the night, I’m sure even the cats outside were joining in, but we didn’t care!

Looking back on the last few weeks, I’m so proud of myself. The easiest thing to do is stay in bed, and my entire body was screaming at me not to leave the house. My anxiety nearly took hold multiple times. I’m not going to pretend everything is okay. I’m in agony, outside of these plans I needed sleep and relied on pain medication. It’s sad when there are consequences to enjoying my life. I’m also aware not every week will be like this (my last post being an example). I need to take each day as it comes.

The most important takeaway for me is just how much of a difference the people in my life make. I feel so lucky to have my favourite people who support and love me genuinely. They don’t feel sorry for me or make a fuss; they treat me the same as they always have. For the first time, I wasn’t apologising for my limitations. I accepted their support and enjoyed every moment. Not every day will be like this, and it won’t always be easy, but step by step, surrounded by the best support network, I will continue to fight each day. I will be okay.