Hi there, how are you? Good I hope! Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Sheen. I am a British expat wife currently living in Singapore with my hubby.
After ten years in a career that I was lucky enough to enjoy,
I've been forced to take a career break due to health reasons :o( About a year
before we moved out to Singapore I was diagnosed with my third and most debilitating
chronic illness, arthritis (psoriatic arthritis to be precise). Having suffered from psoriasis and migraines since my teenage years I was now
faced with a condition that affected me in a way that the other two had not.
Whilst I suffered from quite horrific migraines, I wasn’t suffering from them
continuously (although it did feel like that at times), and whilst
the psoriasis was there all the time there were times, albeit very
occasionally, that I would forget about it, but this arthritis was there all
the time and there was no way this disease was ever going to let me forget who
the boss was (not me that’s for sure!).
Eight months after we left all our friends and family and
everything that was familiar behind to begin our Asian adventure I hit one of
the lowest points in my life. My arthritis was very aggressive, I was in
constant pain, I gained so much weight due to the steroid medication I was taking
that I no longer recognised myself in the mirror, I was suffering from regular
migraines that were so severe they prevented one of my eyes from opening
fully, my psoriasis was going nuts again but most alarming of all,
I felt complete and utter despair – I was sooo unhappy! So at the end of 2011,
with the support of my amazing hubby, I made the decision to give up work so
that I could gain some sort of control over my life and most importantly my
health – both physical and mental.
I spent 2012 getting healthy again and it sure worked a
treat :o) My migraines have practically disappeared (more on this later). My psoriasis is the
most controlled it’s ever been in the last 17 years and my arthritis, whilst
it’s still very much ‘alive and kicking’ it is no longer making me as miserable
as it did in 2011 (even though I now have more joints affected). You see, I’ve
learnt to live with it in a more ‘harmonious’ manner. It no longer feels like
the ‘boss’ of me, rather we have developed an understanding, and now it feels
more like a long term ‘companion’.
After ten years in a career that I was lucky enough to enjoy,
I've been forced to take a career break due to health reasons :o( About a year
before we moved out to Singapore I was diagnosed with my third and most debilitating
chronic illness, arthritis (psoriatic arthritis to be precise). Having suffered from psoriasis and migraines since my teenage years I was now
faced with a condition that affected me in a way that the other two had not.
Whilst I suffered from quite horrific migraines, I wasn’t suffering from them
continuously (although it did feel like that at times), and whilst
the psoriasis was there all the time there were times, albeit very
occasionally, that I would forget about it, but this arthritis was there all
the time and there was no way this disease was ever going to let me forget who
the boss was (not me that’s for sure!). 
Eight months after we left all our friends and family and
everything that was familiar behind to begin our Asian adventure I hit one of
the lowest points in my life. My arthritis was very aggressive, I was in
constant pain, I gained so much weight due to the steroid medication I was taking
that I no longer recognised myself in the mirror, I was suffering from regular
migraines that were so severe they prevented one of my eyes from opening
fully, my psoriasis was going nuts again but most alarming of all,
I felt complete and utter despair – I was sooo unhappy! So at the end of 2011,
with the support of my amazing hubby, I made the decision to give up work so
that I could gain some sort of control over my life and most importantly my
health – both physical and mental. 
I spent 2012 getting healthy again and it sure worked a
treat :o) My migraines have practically disappeared (more on this later). My psoriasis is the
most controlled it’s ever been in the last 17 years and my arthritis, whilst
it’s still very much ‘alive and kicking’ it is no longer making me as miserable
as it did in 2011 (even though I now have more joints affected). You see, I’ve
learnt to live with it in a more ‘harmonious’ manner. It no longer feels like
the ‘boss’ of me, rather we have developed an understanding, and now it feels
more like a long term ‘companion’.
This year (2013) has been spent exploring and contemplating
about what I want to (and can physically) do with my life now that going back
to my old career is no longer an option. And so here we are! I’ve
decided to use this blog as outlet for my lifelong passion... colour, in its many different
manifestations, because colour is the one thing that has ALWAYS made me happy
and I want to be happy because life’s
no fun otherwise! No doubt I'll also be talking about the ups and downs of living life with chronic illnesses, especially arthritis. I will probably throw in a few other bits and bobs for good
measure like aspects from our lives in Asia and anything else that takes my
fancy. So why don’t you come along for the ride for you never quite know what’s
around the corner –ooooh how exciting!!!
Love Sheen xxx
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