What I did this year

To be perfectly honest, I started to write a post about how much I hated this year and how annoyed I was with my health, etc. However, I deleted it because I want to actually post something meaningful at the end of the year/decade.

To start of with reminiscing a year in which I cannot describe, I want to talk about health.

Specifically my health.

This year has been thoroughly involved with hospitals, doctors and all sorts of cannulas and medication mishaps. It has been busy and hateful to me, leaving physical and mental scars on me. Whilst coping with HSP earlier this year I began feeling symptoms of something called Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS).

PoTS is very unheard of and is one of the most annoying things I have ever had to deal with. It is technically untraceable without proper and thorough testing. The effects of this problem/illness is that I am unable to stand for long periods of time, I can faint whenever my body feels like it, certain areas of my body (legs) do not get enough blood flow (which affects the above) and I lack in salt and H2O.

What this means is that I have to drink (figuratively) my entire body weight in fluid (preferably water), have a higher than normal salt intake, monitor my exercise time, make sure I do not faint and have my walking stick with me at all times.

Not really what you want when you study Animal Management....

However, after testing for various things (PoTS, Hormones, etc) I did get a few amazing opportunities this year.

Firstly, college. I am actually a full-time student (which does not help any of my problems!) who has obtained the highest marks of the class so far! My friend group has grown slightly which is pretty good and and have come on leaps and bounds from where I was last year. I am very proud of myself for getting this far, with the help of friends and family.

Next, I managed to go to the Grand Prix! Now if you have no idea how much I love Formula 1 sit down for a four hour talk about the teams and which ones are guaranteed (with mathematics) to win. I was invited by Great Ormond Street Hospital to go around Silverstone race track, meet players, go to the pit lanes and even see Razorlight at night. Throughout the whole day I was constantly in my element. With players walking around and talking to me it felt so natural to geek out. I even managed to meet Sir Chris Hoy (who let me sit in his car!!!!!) and Lewis Hamilton (technically)!

Mentioning concerts, I went and saw my idol P!nk. Going to her concert was the highlight of June/July. Me and my family went to see her and she did not disappoint with her amazing acrobatic skills and singing. It was a night I do not want to ever forget.

Lastly, one of my annual traditions for the past year has been to attend the Hazlitt Theatre's Christmas Pantomimes. This year the story was Beauty and the Beast and I cannot rant and rave about it enough. Their productions year on end are ones I look forward to the most and love watching. They have an amazing cast and production team and I was honoured to attend the opening night earlier this month. Thank you Hazlitt!

Sure the year seemed bad in some places, but when looking at all of this effort I have put into technically living I am so please at how far I come. Never in a million years did I believe I would get top marks at college, got to the Grand Prix and meet some people that I am proud to call my friends. My life has opened up a whole new bunch of chapters to which I am happy to talk about and document.

I am still that quirky, disabled nerd who enjoys life when it involves pretzels (good tip for any PoTS people keep a stash in your cupboard for during an episode! Works wonders!) and adorable dogs!

I hope you have a amazing Christmas wherever you are and enjoy the New Year!

Molly-Tastic Treves