Firstly I wanted to thank each and every one of you, for everything. For all your support, reading my blog posts, commenting, sharing and just being all round good friends to me over the many years I’ve been waffling away on this blog.
Thank you all
Thanks to those who came and visited me on my stand at The Allergy Show this year. What an incredible experience. I loved having my own stand and meeting so many of you in person so much. If you came along to London or Birmingham, thank you!
I meant to write a blog about all the amazing products and brands I discovered there but I never quite got around to that. If you’d like to hear about it let me know in the comments below and I’ll get that remedied ASAP! You know when you could have sworn you wrote the blog but you definitely didn’t write the blog!
Spot the deliberate mistake and win a free book
As a thank you to you all I’m giving away a free copy of one of my books to one lucky winner. If you can share below in the comments what the glaring deliberate (aherrm) mistake in this photograph is, I’ll be choosing a random winner in the new year.
So much happened this year
In January I will reach four years in topical steroid withdrawal and I am so pleased with my healing. I think I’m experiencing some very mild cycling of TSW symptoms; sore redness, itching and then very gentle flaking. I think my skin now looks more like mild eczema, in fact one GP visit the doctor commented, “it just looks a bit dry.” I’ll take that as a huge win thanks!
What I’m most proud of is all that I’ve achieved this year, so here’s to 2022:
- Visiting friends – I’ve caught up with so many friends over food, coffee and walking and it’s all been about living in the moment and not getting through the experience. My skin is not affecting my quality of life any more.
- Organised an Topical Steroid Withdrawal Retreat – this was incredible and I am so proud of what we achieved. Thanks to Izzy, Sasha and Steph, my co organisers and to everyone who came along. It was such a special day.
- Spoke at events – I spoke at two Food Allergen Service conferences, a local writing group and at the Allergy Show. I both dread and love public speaking and that’s something I really want to do more of in 2023.
- Went to two special weddings – All weddings are special but the two I was invited to this year were so incredible. Both very lovely friends who have both been through and achieved so much. I am so proud to call you both my friend and really very grateful to be invited to share your special days. Thank you Caroline and James and Rash and JP.
- Basked in the Lakes – I love the lake district and this year I was so lucky to be able to visit three times. Once with a huge bunch of friends, once with my family and the final time on my own. It’s a very special place for me with so many memories and I am looking forward to more lake swimming in 2023 now I have my own wetsuit.
- Eaten out at loads of places – I’m not letting my allergies stop me joining others in the joy of food and eating out. There are enough places who are able and willing to cater for me and I now have a good, robust process in place to keep myself safe.
- Kitchen renovations – I now have a new fancy kitchen which I love so much. It cost so much more than my original calculations but I’m so pleased I did it, went for it and chose things I loved and not went for the cheapest things. I spend a lot of time at home alone, I love my own company, cooking and giving my body the fresh healthy food it needs to heal so I deserve this lovely new kitchen. I am now never going out again though as it’s emptied the savings but I don’t regret it for a second.
- Guest blogs galore – You all know I love blogging and I’ve been feeding that passion this year. I’ve written lots of guest blogs, including:
- How to get the most out of your dermatology appointment – this would apply equally to any complex medical condition so do read it if you are struggling with any element of your health.
- Allergy disclaimers when eating out – have you signed one?
- And more… for a full roundup of guest blogs click here
I probably haven’t even mentioned half the things I did. I also read a tonne of books, listened to a zillion pod casts and audio books, rekindled my love of doing a jigsaw. I walked loads and just enjoyed my house and garden and building real connections with the wonderful friends I am so lucky to have.
Throughout it all I’ve blogged. This blog is my happy place, where I can share what I’ve learnt and rant about things that make me mad.
Thank you for joining me for the journey. Here’s to many more years of blogging, sharing, learning and adventures with allergies, asthma, eczema, anaphylaxis and topical steroid withdrawal.
I wish you all a happy, healthy, peaceful and restful Christmas with friends and family. See you in 2023!
ALLERGY SPELT WITH ONE L NOT TWO ON – NEAR YOUR ELBOW ON THE PICTURE.
I mean of all the words to get wrong
Don’t worry Ruth, it wasn’t so glaringly obvious, quite subtle in fact! I was staring at picture for almost an hour before I noticed it.:)
I am so sorry… an hour of your life you will never get back LOL. I did actually correct that spelling but then sent the old art files to the printer… duh!
Well done Angela! Sorry it took me so long to remember I did this competition. I just randomly picked your name so it’s kind of karma that you were also the first to guess! Please let me know which of my books you’d like as your prize. I’ll try to email you too if you registered with an email address.
Alergy instead of ALLERGY I wasn’t expecting to see this spelling mistake but there it is….. you have a missing L
I would expect I could spell this word tooooo LOL. at first I was so cross with myself but now I can look at that banner and laugh. I was going to correct it but now it’s a talking point with kids who visit the stand and I make them try and spot the mistake.
Hi Ruth the mistake is the word allergy next to you it’s been spelt with only one l
Well spotted! How on earth did I get my favourite word wrong? I must type that word so many times. LOL
Lovely photo but allergies only has one L 🙂
I have your Anaphylaxis book and it has really helped me so I would like to thank you for that.
Have a great Christmas.
I couldn’t believe when I saw that error… spotted it as soon as it was out of the packaging. Of all the words to get wrong, and it’s in such a large font… heh heh. I am so glad you have found my book helpful. It helped me even writing it. I learnt more in the process, rethinking and reframing and just unpacking all those negative feelings of shame and fear. If you have the time to write a review on Amazon I would be ever so grateful https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1912798247/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_glt_fabc_QZ7N8721TAY5T3BABTS2
I thought I was allergic to dairy and soya, then discovered if I consumed pasture for life dairy or French dairy I had no problem. Then I discovered I reacted to chick peas, coffee etc. I have now connected all of these to high glyphosate residue foods and that if a cow has consumed high glyphosate residue foodstuffs (gm soya) it goes through to the milk. Glyphosate is a weed killer but also an antibiotic which therefore can kill all your gut bacteria which would then makeyou susceptible to allergy development. My friend has swapped to organic foods and restricted her diet to avoid processed foods and her ibs is in total remission. Worth a look. It’s changed my life avoiding this substance as far as it’s possible in this country where the substance is so hidden and widely used.
There is definitely something in this. Where I can I also avoid processed foods and it definitely helps me a lot. Thanks so much for sharing. So complex what we react to and all these unnatural pesticides etc. are not good for us at all!
Thanks to everyone who entered, Angela has won, so well done Angela. And thanks to all of you for your continued support. Getting comments on blogs is so hard these days so really appreciated.