Sunflower Diaries

My health journey – wellness, fashion, health and more.

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about

Those who know me best, know how difficult it can be for me to speak up! So here goes: Hi, I am Joy. I decided to write this blog to raise awareness of living with chronic pain and how to keep upbeat in even the darkest/ loneliest days. I am a mother to one wonderful daughter and a wife to my very supportive husband. I met my husband during our PhD journey (story for another blog/ reflections I am sure). I knew from the moment I met him that it was true love. Our research and personal interests aligned well which made it easier to communicate and grow together. My love for him has grown stronger every day and more so since our daughter was born. He is an inspiration to fathers. We knew we wanted a small family one day but did not realise the issues I had as a young woman/ teenager would impact our fertility journey and lives to the extent it now has. So, I am 1 in 10%. I have endometriosis. There is no cure. But to add complications I also had adenomyosis (more about this below as I document my health journey). I have chosen the name sunflower diaries for my blog to symbolise #endometriosis. The sunflower is synonymous with growth, vitality and positive energy. I also love #sunflowers. I am an #endometriosiswarrior and an #adenomyosiswarrior💜. Let’s raise awareness and compassion for all women afflicted by these diseases. The struggles are real but I hope to bring you some #NewJoy by sharing my story. I challenge you to think of what makes you happy in life and keep being #strongwomen especially if you have entered a transition phase of your life. This is even more important as I watch my own daughter grow up and hope she does not suffer the same issues I faced. In summary, #believeinyourself❤️ #loveyourbody and #bekind 🤗😊❤️‍🩹 If you like this blog, please read and share. http://sunflowerdiaries.blog

Category: Wellness

  • Getting back to dance/ fitness. 🕺

    Apple fitness has a series of dance routines. My daughter and I tried one this weekend. It was a short simple routine with an excellent playlist (Bee Gees songs) Dancing to Night Fever was fun. Reminded me of the time I saw the theatre show in London.  It was great until I was the only…

  • Dear Latte ☕️

    Nothing better than a nice cup of coffee. I enjoy drinking tea and coffee and practicing mindfulness. I got the idea from a QR code on a twining’s tea bag. Since scanning the code and reading the article I have savoured the taste of tea and coffee more. Holding the cup/ feeling the warmth as…

  • Phased return – week 1

    Return to day job… Yay drainage and SuDS. My second love.  Time to reset.  Embrace new challenges? Fresh start? Day one: 8am: updates computer and tidies desk before reading emails and saving important documents I need to read. 9am: call with colleague and catch up.  10am: Oh no… what’s that my hips and legs feel…

  • Surgical menopause / metamorphosis

    Sadness / grief Anxiety / hesitation Laughter / wit Happiness / delight Renewed faith/ hope/ joy/ peace… So many emotions, hard to contain. Sometimes I feel like a toddler with too much energy/ excitement and other times I feel like an older person (brain fog has luckily reduced) with body aches and fatigue. It’s hard…

  • Letter to my younger self

    Volunteered to be part of this campaign for Michelle (@m_m_endometriosis) to raise awareness about endometriosis and adenomyosis. I also had a lot of time to reflect while healing and recovering from surgery. My journey has been difficult but I am grateful to everyone who has supported me through the agony. It feels so liberating to…

  • HRT – journey into the unknown

    Surgical menopause and HRT under 40. I am an #endometriosiswarrior and an #adenomyosiswarrior💜.  Let’s raise awareness and compassion for all women afflicted by these diseases. The struggles are real but I hope to bring you some #NewJoy by sharing my story. I challenge you to think of what makes you happy in life and keep being…

  • Delete / donate/ delegate

    Goal digger podcast! Available on Apple Podcasts. Inspiration for this blog piece. Spring cleaning tips. I would argue that spring cleaning should not be exclusive to spring. I quite often have a thorough clean/ clear out ahead of hosting guests around Christmas. The same ritual applies after a major event or end of project (…

  • Feel good vibes:

    Positive vibes and energy are needed for recovery. I could not have gone through the journey without positivity. I am told I sometimes have too much faith in humanity…I possibly do, but faith is what grounds me. Faith: Reminds me of the Bon Jovi song – Keep the Faith. Great artist and one of my…

  • Yoga and Endometriosis Surgery recovery. ❤️‍🩹

    Yoga and Endometriosis Surgery recovery. ❤️‍🩹

    I have been practicing yoga on and off for years. More so since lockdown as a way to focus on the breath/ reduce stress and build stamina and body confidence.  I am sure some women are sick of people saying it’s great for managing endometriosis or adenomyosis pain… I find it useful but in moderation.…

  • Sustainability – water and environment.

    Are there things you try to practice daily to live a more sustainable lifestyle? Water  Link to previous blog article focusing on sustainable water use. I am very passionate about water and the environment. I even featured in the CIWEM Environment article earlier this year discussing my passion for urban drainage/ career. I embed these…