This evening, as I wobbled along the hall with my carer who’d done just about everything I needed for the evening, I was suddenly hit by a blast of inexplicable sadness. I quickly said goodbye to her and went into to my bedroom.…

This morning Leftwing Idiot and I headed to the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery for an appointment with a specialist in treating Dystonia with Botox injections!

Some hours later we emerged in a slight daze into the afternoon sun. I’d gone in with two painful contorted shadow puppets and I came out with recognisable and functioning hands.…

It’s thirteen days since my brain decided that instead of hands and wrists I should have two very rigid shadow puppets. The night my hands first locked up I described them as an elephant and a swan. Right now I think they’re more killer whale and rooster.…

1. How to take my trousers off with one finger
2. How to unwrap a tampon with my teeth
3. How to apply my wheelchair brakes with my elbows
4. That everybody ties a ponytail differently
5. That it’s shocking when things suddenly change but there’s nearly always a way through
6.…

As my hands have stopped moving it’s time for some other movements to start in compensation. Yesterday Claire and I began making adjustments to the way things are organised at the castle and I’m sure more will be needed in the next few days.…

For the first day or so after losing the use of both my hands I continued to shower in the same way as I have for the last two years. I do this alone, with someone nearby to call if I get stuck or have a ‘ticcing fit’.…

Firstly, Happy New Year! I hope that whatever you did to celebrate was wonderful. I stayed at the castle and saw in 2014 with friends. Anything else would’ve been too much because I’m in quite a lot of pain from my locked-up hands that, despite a powerful mix of drugs, are yet to show any improvement.…

Whenever I’m faced with a new challenge I spend the first few days working out what’s possible, what’s not, and how things can be adapted to make a task or situation easier.

Two days ago I lost the use of both my hands in the course of a single day.…

I’ve just settled down at Fat Sister’s after an amazing and relaxing time eating, drinking and opening presents. I spent the first part of the day with Leftwing Idiot and his parents before braving the stairs up to Fat Sister’s flat.…

Last Christmas I wrote a post about my accessible Christmas essentials. One of the discoveries I shared was paper tape. This easy-to-tear alternative to regular sticky tape eliminated the need for scissors, which I can’t use safely, and meant I could wrap presents much more independently.…