Where to start?

About 10 years ago I started my first blog – a personal one – and it was fun while it lasted. However, I felt that it did not fit my needs as I wanted to create my own little space in terms of theme and content. Good old LiveJournal – like a strong iron stake – fits its purpose in a simple way but does not bend easily.

On to Tumblr- I have a few Tumblr… Pages? Sites? Tumbles? Who knows! I loved the extreme customisation some talented folks managed to achieve as well as the content – lots and lots of beautiful imagery but lacking… Lacking in the written word and also lacking in substance. Yes, the collection of images were beautiful and the customisation fun but it was just missing something. Do I still use Tumblr? Yes. But only as an area for artistic inspiration, rather than an area to chat about why we can smell or my favourite recipe for Thai soup.

I have another WordPress – GlutenFreeGirlie.com – It serves its purpose for what I need. It is a platform on which to build bonds with other coeliac/ food intolerance people and share the learning curve that is avoiding cross contamination. But it is just too specific – to narrow. Perfect for its purpose but I need a broader space to empty my mind.

So, that brings me to where you are now. Reading blog post number one on Mieliboo.com.

Mieliboo is my handle on everything – from Xbox live to Twitter. I have always gone by that alias. Where does the alias Mieliboo come from? Well. Back in the day, I modelled but I was also an aspiring scientist so I didn’t want the two worlds to intersect. So I needed an alias to model under. My pen friend at the time would open each letter with “¡Hola Miel!” I have no idea why – but my Spanish teacher translated this as “Hello Honey!” So I adopted Miel as my modelling name. Subsequently, life became a place where I needed a username for social media – so “iboo” was added. 

What about me? Who am I? Why should you read what I write? Why can we smell? Well, the answer is both simple and complex.

I am not a well person at the moment and therefore currently not employed. Some may even say disabled (I hate that label though). It’s strange that I feel that is the first thing I should tell you about me – but this blog will also serve as a place for me to vent frustration, ruminate on a new treatment or seek guidance from others. My list of ailments is varied and long, but the main headlines are:

My spine is not a happy spine – I have Spina Bifida Occulta with complications which I will cover at some point – but they range from pain and migraines to lack of functional nerves.

I have IBS (which my doctor and I are still trying to find a suitable treatment for). My main issue is what is called slow transit constipation (TMI? Nope in this family we celebrate bowel function) – so I spend a lot of time not being very productive (literally!) in the bathroom. STC also makes me bloated, almost constantly nauseous in pain and very, very, uncomfortable.

And lastly, the final headline is my mental health is currently not good. But I’m working on it. I have “Generalised Anxiety Disorder with obsessive and depressive episodes.” Yup. That tells you a lot. I will elaborate at a later date – but I am trying to get well as best I can. I am also now a patient of the community mental health team focusing at the moment on self-compassion and self-care. Unfortunately, my anxiety also causes me to have seizures called “non-epileptic attacks”.

Here is where I rhyme off some facts about my life:

My partner, James, amazes me every day. We have been together nearly 6 years and we just bought our first house together. Ravage and Ezio is our two kittens and we also have our old ladies – my degu – who are both 9!

My mum is my biggest support besides James. Without her, I wouldn’t be able to go out to my appointments and such as I am currently not allowed to drive due to the seizures I take. Grateful doesn’t even start to explain how I feel about her.

Hobbies in a nutshell: crafting, art (both appreciating and creating), photography, science, fitness, learning, cooking, baking, gaming, internetting, babysitting my little cousins, cleaning and homemaking, DIY… I can’t think of much more at the moment…

So, that’s me – I think. If you would like to know more feel free to ask me any questions!

Mieliboo xx