Chapter 8: The tortoise and the bear

With a significant proportion of the world’s population currently in some kind of “lockdown”, many people are experiencing new and unwelcome challenges - from the denial of their usual freedoms through to loss of income, illness - and of course, ultimately for some - loss of life. As we have all struggled to adapt to … Continue reading Chapter 8: The tortoise and the bear

Chapter 7: A different kind of bear?

Over the last 18 months or so, my physical condition has deteriorated. Walking has become increasingly difficult – when my brain is tired, my legs feel like they belong to someone else and I have difficulty controlling them. When my brain is particularly fatigued, my legs feel like they are “full up” with fluid, with … Continue reading Chapter 7: A different kind of bear?

Chapter 6: Making the bear work for me

Over the festive period, I had relatively little planning, information processing and decision making to do - just interacting with family and playing the odd board game, interspersed with frequent breaks to rest the brain. That made getting back into the swing of things after Christmas all the more difficult. I had got out of … Continue reading Chapter 6: Making the bear work for me

Chapter 5: One more go at beating the bear (November 2019)

Whilst I had observed several positive developments in the form submitted to my income protection provider, I had also been quite surprised by how little I was doing each day. Somewhat predictably perhaps, over the next couple of months I found myself trying to find a way of fitting more into my day. I tried … Continue reading Chapter 5: One more go at beating the bear (November 2019)

Chapter 4: Living with the bear (September 2019)

In September, I was asked for an update on my condition by my income protection provider. Below is what I submitted: /***Start***/ Activities of daily living Whilst I am able to carry out the majority of the individual activities involved in daily living, the cognitive load involved in doing so is very high, resulting in … Continue reading Chapter 4: Living with the bear (September 2019)