blog - JULIE FARRELL

S E Smart - Brace Yourself - a guest post for Ehlers-Danlos, ME, Fibromyalgia, and Mental Health Awareness Month

5/10/2019

Thank you to Julie for inviting me to share this story about my life (so far) with chronic illness.

I’ve been chronically ill all my life, with a diagnosis only relieving me of the ‘hypochondriac’ label a few years ago. It was not for want of caring – my mum did take me to the Drs when I complained about painful legs as a child (tests showed it was not juvenile arthritis), and when I blacked out as a teenager (tests showed it was not epilepsy), and when I had unexplained fevers. She’d pick me up from school when I was crying about painful ears, and she took me to casualty when I broke my arm.

A series of guest posts for Ehlers-Danlos, ME, Fibromyalgia, and Mental Health Awareness Month

5/9/2019

This month is Ehlers-Danlos Awareness month, this week is ME Awareness Week, and Sunday is Fibromyalgia Awareness day: so I wanted to write a little here about my illnesses, and how living with chronic fatigue (CF) goes hand-in-hand with them. I’ve asked a couple of fellow sufferers (and creatives) to also share their experiences of living with CF and how their various disabilities impact it, and will be sharing those on here as guest posts over the next few days.

The zebra represents rare medical illnesses. Artwork by Brian Tyrrell

Community is Progress

2/4/2019

My third article for Fearlessly magazine considers the power of community and how it gives us the impetus to make change within ourselves. The gorgeous illustration is by Lauren Drinkwater.

Renewal: It's not just for New Year

1/21/2019

The Super Blood Wolf Moon, captured from my living room at 4.45am (on a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ70)

January: a loaded word. It strikes fear into the heart of many, as we feel the mounting pressure to kick old habits and be our very best selves – better than we were last year. And the year before that. We will be fitter. Healthier. More successful. Won’t we?

Work Sleep Repeat

1/9/2019

My latest article for Counterpoint magazine explores the idea of sleep (or lack thereof) as a commodity in our modern world. It's beautifully illustrated by Ollie Silvester and is hand-printed by Out of the Blueprint in Edinburgh, using a risograph machine - meaning each copy is unique. You can buy it here.
Here's a Twitter thread showcasing some of the amazing illustrations for the issue.

Chronic Illness: Faking It to Make It

11/20/2018

My second article for Fearlessly magazine, discussing the stigma around chronic illness in the workplace. Photograph by Elizabeth Lies Via Unsplash.

Self-Care for Writers

11/2/2018

My Pain is Bigger Than Yours

10/26/2018

Written not too long after getting my diagnoses, this article for Fearlessly magazine discusses the sugar-coated stigma and toxic hero-worship of the 'recovered'. Illustrations by Ida Henrich.

The Emotional Side of Writing When You're Chronically Ill

10/19/2018

In this post for allthewayya.com, I discuss the emotional investment we make as writers, and the dynamic between this and my disabilities.

In A Nutshell...

10/17/2018