Clare
@smilingclare.bsky.social
ME since 2005, POTS, hEDS & some other complex stuff. Open University Graduate Often found with my Yorkie X, knitting, laughing, blogging or reading
Also sorry for being so quiet, especially with ME Awareness Day yesterday. Still got a fair bit going on here & despite good news yesterday it might be even more hectic in the coming weeks/months but hoping to be back catching up with everyone soon. Miss my friends in my phone 🩷
May 13, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Also sorry for being so quiet, especially with ME Awareness Day yesterday. Still got a fair bit going on here & despite good news yesterday it might be even more hectic in the coming weeks/months but hoping to be back catching up with everyone soon. Miss my friends in my phone 🩷
20 years since my ME diagnosis today. And in typical brain fog fashion I forgot to put cake on the shopping list! 🤦🏼♀️ So it’ll be the remaining Easter Egg instead… 😂
www.smilingclare.co.uk/2025/05/13/2...
www.smilingclare.co.uk/2025/05/13/2...
20 Years… | Smiling Clare
Well today is a milestone day, one of which will be marked with cake! You see today marks 20 years since I got diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. In the years since, I’ve gained numerous new di...
www.smilingclare.co.uk
May 13, 2025 at 1:34 PM
20 years since my ME diagnosis today. And in typical brain fog fashion I forgot to put cake on the shopping list! 🤦🏼♀️ So it’ll be the remaining Easter Egg instead… 😂
www.smilingclare.co.uk/2025/05/13/2...
www.smilingclare.co.uk/2025/05/13/2...
The masked face of someone beginning to think they were spending the weekend in an empty hospital waiting room because transport took 2 hrs to arrive & the therapies department was beginning to close up for the night/weekend 🙈
But I am home. Utterly exhausted but home.
But I am home. Utterly exhausted but home.
January 10, 2025 at 6:12 PM
The masked face of someone beginning to think they were spending the weekend in an empty hospital waiting room because transport took 2 hrs to arrive & the therapies department was beginning to close up for the night/weekend 🙈
But I am home. Utterly exhausted but home.
But I am home. Utterly exhausted but home.
Happy New Year Everyone! I hope 2025 is a gentle one for you.
Dolly & I spent New Year’s Eve on the sofa and my bed with a book. And today we’ve been to family for the afternoon ❤️
Dolly & I spent New Year’s Eve on the sofa and my bed with a book. And today we’ve been to family for the afternoon ❤️
January 1, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Happy New Year Everyone! I hope 2025 is a gentle one for you.
Dolly & I spent New Year’s Eve on the sofa and my bed with a book. And today we’ve been to family for the afternoon ❤️
Dolly & I spent New Year’s Eve on the sofa and my bed with a book. And today we’ve been to family for the afternoon ❤️
Merry Christmas from my little house to yours. I’ve had a lovely but exhausting day at my parents ❤️ Still got a few gifts left to open but don’t mind spreading the magic over a few days 😊
December 25, 2024 at 9:23 PM
Merry Christmas from my little house to yours. I’ve had a lovely but exhausting day at my parents ❤️ Still got a few gifts left to open but don’t mind spreading the magic over a few days 😊
So fed up with Amazon UK supposedly handing my parcels to the resident when I am in and have not received said parcels. It’s not outside my door or around the building. And now I have to wait 24hrs before I can report them as missing!
December 3, 2024 at 4:37 PM
So fed up with Amazon UK supposedly handing my parcels to the resident when I am in and have not received said parcels. It’s not outside my door or around the building. And now I have to wait 24hrs before I can report them as missing!
Any recommendations for gloves as a manual wheelchair user? My push rims are freezing & so are my hands but so far all the gloves I’ve tried don’t provide enough grip or are too loose on my hands they slide down making it difficult to self-propel.
November 22, 2024 at 8:11 PM
Any recommendations for gloves as a manual wheelchair user? My push rims are freezing & so are my hands but so far all the gloves I’ve tried don’t provide enough grip or are too loose on my hands they slide down making it difficult to self-propel.
Reposted by Clare
Happy Christmas Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve! #NeverTooEarly
November 11, 2024 at 7:38 PM
Happy Christmas Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve! #NeverTooEarly
Picked my new glasses up last week. Having a few issues with them so will need to make yet another trip back to see what can be done. But otherwise pleased. (Got transition lenses this time so they’re sunglasses too!) Won’t be going back this week as have 2 appointments already 🙈
November 10, 2024 at 4:56 PM
Picked my new glasses up last week. Having a few issues with them so will need to make yet another trip back to see what can be done. But otherwise pleased. (Got transition lenses this time so they’re sunglasses too!) Won’t be going back this week as have 2 appointments already 🙈
Question for fellow wheelchair users: how do you get a mug of hot drink from 1 room to another? I currently rely on my only travel mug which fits in my quokka cup holder but needing my wheelchair a bit more lately so do I need to buy more travel mugs? Or is there a solution for moving standard mugs?
March 29, 2024 at 9:44 PM
Question for fellow wheelchair users: how do you get a mug of hot drink from 1 room to another? I currently rely on my only travel mug which fits in my quokka cup holder but needing my wheelchair a bit more lately so do I need to buy more travel mugs? Or is there a solution for moving standard mugs?
When your lovely sister gets you a Mother’s Day card from your Fur Baby 🥹
She couldn’t get Dolly to deliver it herself though 😂
She couldn’t get Dolly to deliver it herself though 😂
March 10, 2024 at 8:03 PM
When your lovely sister gets you a Mother’s Day card from your Fur Baby 🥹
She couldn’t get Dolly to deliver it herself though 😂
She couldn’t get Dolly to deliver it herself though 😂
A little round up of 2023 on my blog today. Hoping to get back to blogging more regularly this year!
www.smilingclare.co.uk/2024/01/01/g...
www.smilingclare.co.uk/2024/01/01/g...
January 1, 2024 at 12:21 PM
A little round up of 2023 on my blog today. Hoping to get back to blogging more regularly this year!
www.smilingclare.co.uk/2024/01/01/g...
www.smilingclare.co.uk/2024/01/01/g...
Happy New Year! I hope 2024 is kind to you all.
2023 certainly had its challenges for me, still can’t believe how quickly it went. Hoping for a quieter, kinder 2024.
2023 certainly had its challenges for me, still can’t believe how quickly it went. Hoping for a quieter, kinder 2024.
January 1, 2024 at 11:56 AM
Happy New Year! I hope 2024 is kind to you all.
2023 certainly had its challenges for me, still can’t believe how quickly it went. Hoping for a quieter, kinder 2024.
2023 certainly had its challenges for me, still can’t believe how quickly it went. Hoping for a quieter, kinder 2024.
(What should be the) Final medical appointment of the year complete 😊
Just one more bag of meds to pick up from the pharmacy this week and medically I think I’m sorted for the festive period & ready for a little break from appointments until the new year!
Just one more bag of meds to pick up from the pharmacy this week and medically I think I’m sorted for the festive period & ready for a little break from appointments until the new year!
December 19, 2023 at 5:09 PM
(What should be the) Final medical appointment of the year complete 😊
Just one more bag of meds to pick up from the pharmacy this week and medically I think I’m sorted for the festive period & ready for a little break from appointments until the new year!
Just one more bag of meds to pick up from the pharmacy this week and medically I think I’m sorted for the festive period & ready for a little break from appointments until the new year!
Blood test this afternoon went well (i.e. I didn’t faint 😉) Doubt it will show anything but glad the docs are being thorough. Managed a little shopping trip afterwards too which was lovely after being cooped up only going to hospital appointments for so long 😊
November 17, 2023 at 9:39 PM
Blood test this afternoon went well (i.e. I didn’t faint 😉) Doubt it will show anything but glad the docs are being thorough. Managed a little shopping trip afterwards too which was lovely after being cooped up only going to hospital appointments for so long 😊
Left home at 11am, for a 1pm appointment, spent just over an hour with the physio (all went well) then 90 minute wait for transport home. Got home at 6:10pm because the traffic was horrendous. Utterly exhausted & sore now.
November 10, 2023 at 7:03 PM
Left home at 11am, for a 1pm appointment, spent just over an hour with the physio (all went well) then 90 minute wait for transport home. Got home at 6:10pm because the traffic was horrendous. Utterly exhausted & sore now.
Alarm set for another early start tomorrow, for yet another hospital appointment - this time physio & a hour or so journey each way, which will be the longest/furthest I’ve travelled since surgery. Really nervous about that but hoping it will all be okay 🤞🏼
November 9, 2023 at 9:37 PM
Alarm set for another early start tomorrow, for yet another hospital appointment - this time physio & a hour or so journey each way, which will be the longest/furthest I’ve travelled since surgery. Really nervous about that but hoping it will all be okay 🤞🏼
Another day, another hospital appointment. This time a nuclear scan to check my kidney drains properly now it’s had time to settle after surgery. And I’m happy to report it all looks good - it drained in the expected timescale unlike last time! I’ll find out more when I see my surgeon.
November 6, 2023 at 8:50 PM
Another day, another hospital appointment. This time a nuclear scan to check my kidney drains properly now it’s had time to settle after surgery. And I’m happy to report it all looks good - it drained in the expected timescale unlike last time! I’ll find out more when I see my surgeon.
Early start today for a long awaited appt with the pain clinic. Pleasantly surprised at how well it went - I’m doing all the right things in terms of working with physio & OT, so the goal is to try minimise how frequently my pain flares & how it affects my sleep.
November 3, 2023 at 7:46 PM
Early start today for a long awaited appt with the pain clinic. Pleasantly surprised at how well it went - I’m doing all the right things in terms of working with physio & OT, so the goal is to try minimise how frequently my pain flares & how it affects my sleep.
Alarm set for 06:15am tomorrow for an early hospital appointment 🥱 Ever so nervous about this one but hopefully it will go better than I anticipate 🤞🏼
(It’s not kidney/surgery related - part one of that is next week 🙈)
(It’s not kidney/surgery related - part one of that is next week 🙈)
November 2, 2023 at 9:26 PM
Alarm set for 06:15am tomorrow for an early hospital appointment 🥱 Ever so nervous about this one but hopefully it will go better than I anticipate 🤞🏼
(It’s not kidney/surgery related - part one of that is next week 🙈)
(It’s not kidney/surgery related - part one of that is next week 🙈)
It was third time lucky! Managed to get my flu jab today. Exhausted now - 3 trips out in 4 days (however short) have taken their toll. Now to rest up for the start of a busy month next week.
October 26, 2023 at 4:16 PM
It was third time lucky! Managed to get my flu jab today. Exhausted now - 3 trips out in 4 days (however short) have taken their toll. Now to rest up for the start of a busy month next week.
Take two of getting my flu jab today, this time with an appointment. Pharmacy was quite empty so thought it would be nice & quick. Well it was quick…they hadn’t received their delivery of flu jabs so couldn’t offer any. 🙄 Shall we hope it’ll be third time lucky when I next try?
October 25, 2023 at 3:09 PM
Take two of getting my flu jab today, this time with an appointment. Pharmacy was quite empty so thought it would be nice & quick. Well it was quick…they hadn’t received their delivery of flu jabs so couldn’t offer any. 🙄 Shall we hope it’ll be third time lucky when I next try?
Had a lovely Chinese with my parents & sister tonight. And my fortune cookie was a laugh and a half. “You will enjoy good health, you will be surrounded by luxury” 😂😂😂
If that’s what this is, I want a refund 😆
If that’s what this is, I want a refund 😆
October 23, 2023 at 7:27 PM
Had a lovely Chinese with my parents & sister tonight. And my fortune cookie was a laugh and a half. “You will enjoy good health, you will be surrounded by luxury” 😂😂😂
If that’s what this is, I want a refund 😆
If that’s what this is, I want a refund 😆
Doctors today for smear test & other tests, had hoped to get my flu jab as well but the pharmacy next door was far too busy. So got it booked for Wednesday instead (need it done before busy hospital November begins) Me & my Mum were the only people wearing masks in the doctors & pharmacy 🙈
October 23, 2023 at 4:00 PM
Doctors today for smear test & other tests, had hoped to get my flu jab as well but the pharmacy next door was far too busy. So got it booked for Wednesday instead (need it done before busy hospital November begins) Me & my Mum were the only people wearing masks in the doctors & pharmacy 🙈