Hi pals

I’ve been working on a Christmas gift guide for disabled people but honestly the last few months of this year have been so hard on me I’ve not found enough time or capacity to complete it. I had wanted to post it at the end of November with plenty of time for everyone to buy things for their disabled loved ones this winter season, but I couldn’t. I then planned to get it out early December and I still couldn’t. I think by the time I’ve actually finished it, it will be a pointless post so for now it will remain in the drafts either for next winter or some other time in the year if it is appropriate.

2023 has been a hell of a year, good and bad. I did my first live performance in a long time, then left that group. I did Brighton Fringe which was very stressful. I did my first year of markets selling my art (6 total, some were complete flops, some not but at least I learned what to look out for). I had my art on display in a small gallery in Brighton. I did my 100 opportunity submissions and had loads of great acceptances, many rejections. I’ve been working as my friend’s digital PA and slowly developing my small art business, including getting the right insurance and my own business cards! A few videos on my youtube channel really went off and I got very close to my goal of 1k subscribers and partner for 2023 (but didn’t quite make it there). I’ve been in some great zines like Aghh! zine and Rally Mag. I travelled alone to Norway (however it was really hard) and then got to have a more relaxing holiday for my birthday (where I couldn’t eat anything but that’s also nothing new). I left COSY and started working with rrramble who are super great and understanding about disability stuff and autistic access needs, trying something a little different editing wise as well has been fun. I did a collaging workshop with the Brighton Dome. And my sick online friends finally found our home together in a space where we can respect each other. (and created the sick bitchez ig account to share our art projects etc) I met Lisa in person early in the year and then met Evie TWICE. I found a group of people who I can be myself around without worrying they will take me the wrong way.

I’ve had a lot of medical appointments and issues to solve that I mostly documented on my youtube. I finally got my mercaptopurine sorted by adding allopurinol into the cocktail. I’ve been having worsening anxiety and am awaiting my cardio appointment so they can okay propranolol being prescribed for my high heart rate (that gets scary high with anxiety like 150 dude). I’ve been on medical cannabis this year which has helped when nothing else was helping but still isn’t that great either, plus fucking expensive. I saw the Takayasu’s experts in the UK and felt SEEN for the first time in a long while. I had a mental health reassessment where my BPD was reconfirmed and my anxiety was noteable… I’m now going to start a course of BPD specific therapy workshops starting end of January 2024. I changed my ADHD meds which seem to be agreeing with me better so far. I saw some pain management staff who were actually useful, I have a referral for their doctors on team and should be restarting pregabalin soon for pain. I had to come off my lanzoprasole for a test and had the worst acid reflux that was causing allergic reactions… I should have a referral for hydrotherapy from physio. I have been referred to the allergy department to begin investigations into my weird allergic reactions. STILL WAITING ON CARDO WHO STILL HAVE NOT CALLED ME TO BOOK ME IN OVER A YEAR AFTER MY INITIAL REFERRAL. (lol update. just called them. They have been telling me the wrong date for months. im expected to be seen in MAY 2024 WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?) I’ve been getting help from the Switchboard TNBI social prescribing service, an advocate from POhWER for adult social care, and am waiting for an advocate from Advocacy People for a complaint I’m making… My GP practice has combined with another and kind fucked everything up, and my phlebotomist left so… I’ll need to find someone else who is actually capable of taking blood from my shitty veins. I had my PIP reassessment. Don’t ask, but I also paid for an advocacy service to help this time after trying free services who were just super ableist to me (cough cough Citizens Advice). I did online yoga classes but my motivation was flagging and then they had to be cancelled. My blood pressure keeps creeping up, especially during periods of high stress. I’ve had numerous breakdowns from trying to keep on top of medical admin and departments never speaking to each other properly and changing up what they are willing to do. I finally got an appointment for breathing tests, to then have it cancelled two days before… And kept getting other appointments booked last minute and cancelled last minute. It has been exhausting trying to keep up with it all.

Things are winding down a LITTLE bit but I still have a lot to do and prepare for christmas and for what’s coming in the new year. I have one video left to edit for the year and already have one scheduled, so if I can get that sorted soon then I have less to think or worry about when it comes to videos and I can think about filming more another time! AFTER A REST!

I have a couple outings planned which I really need (for my menty helf) but they will be tiring. And there is a lot of prep work I have to do for January when it comes to art stuff! I’ve been buying up secondhand frames to paint to display work in, but it’s been a bit of a mess at times with the quality the paint comes out like so have to redo some. Doesn’t help I don’t have a workshop space to be able to spray paint some and leave them out to dry. Spray paint will make too much mess in my room ! I am also trying to catch up on my reading to reach 50 books… got a ways to go tbh.

So yep this is my life update for now. I didn’t want to just not post anything when I had this big post planned… Life of a sick person is tough. I hope I’ll get some better support in 2024 so some of the medical admin can be taken off my shoulders.

Don’t forget to check out my depop shop if you want to buy art, subscribe to the blog and my youtube channel! Check out my IG and I’m on bluesky now as twitter seems to fall apart more and more (I am still on there for now but I definitely don’t use it as much)

Here’s to a better 2024 for everyone

~ Artie

they/them