By Denise Watson When eyesight goes wrong, it leaves you with a myriad of changes and, though it is impossible to generalise, you are almost always left with a need to re-assess your lifestyle. Doing so may also affect the lives of those close to you, as shared responsibilities become less accessible or you find [...]

By Denise Watson The five senses – sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell.  Though we can’t imagine life without them, we probably don’t know how valuable they are until they’re not there anymore.Sight is so very important.  They do say that only five per cent of people registered blind can’t see but we’re still talking [...]

Have you ever been caught short? I have but it’s always been my own fault. ‘I must finish what I’m doing, before I go to the loo’ or ‘ten minutes and I’ll be home’ – that kind of thing. And there are certain trigger points too, like when the key goes in the door lock, [...]

By Denise Watson Denise explores Sciatica, the problems it causes, and the solutions and aids that can help. Have you ever had a trapped nerve in your leg – you know, at the point where that ball of the femur bone fits into the hip socket? If you haven’t, let me tell you that it [...]

Denise, her battle with chronic COPD (compulsive obstructive pulmonary disease), and the aids that helped. By Denise Watson Doctor to Patient – “Mrs. Smith, you have acute angina.” Patient’s response – “Now doctor, I haven’t come here to be admired.” Just what does ‘acute’ mean and is ‘chronic’ better or worse? When my doctor told [...]

The majority of us go through life as independent human beings, doing most things for ourselves and paying for those ‘out of the norm of home life’ things, such as getting the car repaired, replacing the roof and even having a haircut. Those born with disabilities will have differences in their lifestyles that have been [...]

By Denise Watson It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it? Your whole bone structure comes together to allow you to do what you do – sit, stretch, walk, run, work, play – and someone comes along and removes one of your hip bones.  We all the know the song ‘your hip bone’s connected to your thigh [...]

By Denise Watson Have you ever thought of being a volunteer – not where you are only doing but where you are giving, as well?  Today, our lifestyles mean that we have little time to think about anyone but ourselves.  Ok, that will stretch to our immediate family and doing what is necessary to get [...]

Party advice for people with disabilities and chronic pain By Claire Hovey Whether it’s your own birthday looming, the wedding of a friend or the divorce party of another, try not to give in too easily to all those thoughts telling you to let the occasion pass by and leave the celebrating to others; you [...]

If you’ve got a friend or relative with a disability, it can be difficult to figure out what to get them. Speaking as a blind person, I can’t tell you how many birthdays people have said to me “I got you this but I’m not sure if you can read it …” or “I didn’t [...]