Lifestyle Archives | Life with Scoliosis

5 ways to look after your back when working from home

Posted on July 26, 2020July 26, 2020 by Louise

As more people are working from home amidst the COVID19 pandemic, looking after your back and minimising resultant back pain is more important than ever. Even if you don't have scoliosis or any pre-existing back conditions, sitting down at a desk all day can cause no end of aches and pains. I've been working from home since mid March and it really does not help my back sitting down all day. I thought I'd share 5 tips that I have...Read More

Hello July! Lockdown Diaries

Posted on July 4, 2020July 5, 2020 by Louise

Well here we are in July. We've survived another month of lockdown in the UK. Month 3! Who'd have thought it? As these are strange yet interesting times, I wanted to write about how things are for me at the moment, whilst also taking part in the July Linkup from a Chronic Voice for a bit of inspiration. This involves writing my thoughts around several writing prompts. This month, the prompts are: Bothering, Demanding, Nourishing, Telecommunicating and Tolerating. Bothering I...Read More

Hello June: Lockdown Diaries

Posted on June 4, 2020June 4, 2020 by Louise

I can't believe another month has flown by, and that we are still in lockdown after 3 months. May was a funny old month where a lot happened but yet didn't. As it's a strange time, I thought I'd reflect on my current thoughts and feelings, while utilising the June linkup party prompts from A Chronic Voice for some inspiration. HOPING Last month, I completed my twopointsix challenge to help raise awareness and funds for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund. This...Read More

2.6 Challenge: Week 4 – COMPLETE!

Posted on May 23, 2020May 23, 2020 by Louise

I'm so happy! This week I completed my 2.6 challenge! I'm so proud of myself. I started the 2.6 challenge on Sunday 26th April, to raise awareness and funds for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund. Like many charities, the Scoliosis Campaign Fund has been affected by the cancellation of fundraising events due to COVID19. The 2.6 challenge was launched to save the UK’s charities, and the idea is that people can do any challenge associated with the numbers 2 and/or 6. As...Read More

My 2.6 Challenge: Week 3

Posted on May 17, 2020May 17, 2020 by Louise

I’ve just finished week THREE of my 2.6 Challenge, so I wanted to write a quick blog post to document my runs over the past week. I started the 2.6 challenge on Sunday 26th April, in a bid to raise awareness and funds for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund. Like many charities, the Scoliosis Campaign Fund has been affected by the cancellation of fundraising events due to COVID19. The 2.6 challenge was launched to save the UK’s charities, and the idea is that people...Read More

My 2.6 Challenge: Week 2

Posted on May 10, 2020May 17, 2020 by Louise

I've just finished week 2 of my 2.6 Challenge so thought I'd write a blog post to document my runs over the past week. I started the 2.6 challenge on Sunday 26th April, in a bid to raise awareness and funds for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund. Like many charities, the Scoliosis Campaign Fund been affected by the cancellation of fundraising events due to COVID19. The 2.6 challenge was launched to save the UK's charities, and the idea is that people...Read More

Hello May!

Posted on May 6, 2020May 6, 2020 by Louise

We are now in week 6 of lockdown in the UK and so April was not what you'd call a "normal" month! To start off May right, I thought i'd reflect a bit on April and also what I hope to achieve in May, aswell as how I'm feeling right now in the midst of the pandemic, For this post, I'm joining in with the May Link Party on A Chronic Voice and thought I'd use this months prompts for...Read More

My 2.6 Challenge: Week One

Posted on April 28, 2020May 17, 2020 by Louise

This week, on Sunday 26th April, I started my 2.6 challenge, to raise vital funds and awareness of the Scoliosis Campaign Fund. If you are not aware of the 2.6 challenge, basically it is an initiative launched by the organisers of the London Marathon to save the UK's charities. As part of this challenge, I'll be running 2.6 miles, every day, for 26 consecutive days. This week so far, I have ran every day - in rain or shine! Running...Read More

2.6 Challenge and Machu Picchu Trek: UPDATE!

Posted on April 24, 2020April 28, 2020 by Louise

This year marks 10 years since I had life-changing surgery on my spine to correct severe scoliosis. To raise money for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund I was planning on running Manchester Marathon in April this year, as well as completing a charity trek to Machu Picchu in October. As a result of the Coronavirus, the Manchester Marathon has been postponed, although I completed all the training including a 20 mile run just before lockdown! My Machu Picchu trek WILL be...Read More

April 2020 Link Up with A Chronic Voice: Lockdown Life!

Posted on April 19, 2020May 6, 2020 by Louise

April 2020 Link Up with A Chronic Voice: Lockdown Life! This month, I thought I'd take part in the April 2020 Linkup Party for people with chronic illnesses, over at A Chronic Voice. The link parties are a monthly get together for anyone with a chronic illness/condition. It's been a funny old month, what with the Coronavirus pandemic forcing the UK into a complete lockdown. So in light of this, I thought I'd use the prompts this month to get...Read More

Lockdown Diaries: Week 3

Posted on April 13, 2020April 18, 2020 by Louise

We have just finished week 3 in lockdown, so I thought I'd document some of the highlights of what I got up to, so I can remember years from now. Plus, writing is therapeutic to me and helps me to cope during a pretty unnerving time. During lockdown, I'm lucky enough to be able to work from, which I do in the daytime Monday - Friday. So most of my activities below I do in the evening after work -...Read More

Lockdown Diaries: Weeks 1-2

Posted on April 8, 2020April 13, 2020 by Louise

As we enter week 3 of "Lockdown" in the UK, I thought I would write down my thoughts as it helps with my anxiety and stress, but also I thought it might be interesting to look back on years from now. So this post may be a bit jumbled and there may not be much point to it, but I just needed to get all my thoughts down somewhere. At the moment we have had two full weeks of lockdown,...Read More

5 ways to look after your mental health during lock-down

Posted on April 3, 2020April 13, 2020 by Louise

We are coming to the end of the first two weeks in lock-down in the UK and honestly, at times it can be hard. I know that other people have it worse than me. I know that key workers are having to go into work whilst I can work safely from home. I know that millions are home schooling their children, whilst attempting to work full time, whilst I don't have kids. I know I'm probably one of the lucky...Read More

Hello April

Posted on April 1, 2020April 13, 2020 by Louise

Well, March, what a strange month you've been!!! At the beginning of the month, I was in the midst (and extreme pain!) of marathon training ready for the Manchester Marathon, which was meant to happen this weekend. On the 7th of March, it was my birthday, and I celebrated with my run club friends with a trip to Zielgelwiese parkrun in Germany to get the Z in our parkrun alphabet challenge. That feels like A LONG time ago now and...Read More

5 positives we can take from lock-down

Posted on March 28, 2020April 13, 2020 by Louise

It's a scary and difficult time for us all at the moment amidst the Coronavirus outbreak. The UK is now in lock-down. As of 23rd March, we can only leave the house for essential supermarket visits or to exercise. If we go outside, we need to stay 2m away from others and we are not allowed to meet friends or family. This is something I don't think any of us ever imagined would happen in our lifetimes and it felt...Read More