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  • front cover of 'university and chronic illness: a survival guide' featuring bold typography and coloured ink dots with yellow notebook in lower left corner, complete with stickman doodles representing different disabilities

    University and Chronic Illness: A Survival Guide by Pippa Stacey

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Oh blimey. My @tedx_official talk from December ha Oh blimey. My @tedx_official talk from December has just gone up on their YouTube channel. ⠀ This photo is from the tech rehearsal and I don’t have the foggiest what was occurring here, but I’ve linked the talk in my bio if anybody wants to give it a watch. It’s called ‘Redefining Success as a Disabled Person’ and it’s all about how disability and ableism in the media can affect our perceptions of what achievement and success actually look like. ⠀ ⠀ This was my first time doing anything like this and there’s so much room for improvement, so please be gentle! And do not even get me started on my face. I’ve watched it once myself and that’s that, if I watch it any more I’ll start ripping myself apart, but I will say this...⠀ ⠀ Yesterday I had quite a bad day, and I felt the lowest I had in ages. It felt as though nothing I was doing would ever be enough, and that I’d never be worthy of feeling proud of myself. So for this video to coincidentally go live the very next day, and to be reminded that all the things I said apply as much to myself as they do to anybody else... that was quite something. And now I’m ready to pick myself back up and keep on taking those baby steps forward. ⠀ ⠀ We’ll all get to where we want to be, if we do it in a way that works for us, rather than what we think we should be doing. As I said in the video, it’s time we stop *fighting* our disabilities the way the general public seem to think we should, and start fighting the ableism we see in the media instead. ⠀ ⠀ Gimme a day to look after myself and finish this pack of emergency biscuits, and then normal service shall resume. We got this, gang 🥰💃🏼
[#AD] “The sample wanted to see people embracing [#AD] “The sample wanted to see people embracing their mobility aids as a mark of independence, rather than as something inherently negative or associated with failing health. There’s a clear desire for people being shown going about their daily business and living their typical lives… who just happen to use mobility aids.”⠀ ⠀ February’s post for @careco_mobility is one that’s particularly important to me, and one that I *loved* writing. We all know I have A Few Issues with how mobility aids are marketed and the way this often excludes the younger generations, so I conducted some market research into the opinions of mobility aids users under the age of 30... and let’s just say the results gave plenty of food for thought.⠀ ⠀ You can find the full piece linked in my bio, and I’d love to hear your own opinions on the subject: not only on how you’d like to see mobility aids marketed, but how you think we can push for that change and see it begin to happen. Believe me, I’m doing what I can (🙈🙈) but it’s a cause that really could be a game-changer for disability representation in so many ways. ⠀ ⠀ And in the meantime, you’ll find me chilling (quite literally in this weather) with Janice and thinking of increasingly passive-aggressive answers to the “what happened to you, then?” question. Such fun. 👩🏼‍🦼😂⠀ ⠀ IMAGE CREDITS: @s.o.p.h.j.e
A little throwback to #TEDxHolgateWomen in Decembe A little throwback to #TEDxHolgateWomen in December because this photo made me smile. Just happy to be there 😆😂⠀ ⠀ There’s a new post up on the blog today and I feel like it could potentially be a risky one in the disability community, but we’re going for it: On The ‘But They Didn’t Let It Stop Them’ Narrative.⠀ ⠀ Rather than attempt to summarise here, let me leave this short extract with you instead...⠀ ⠀ “The example that prompted this particular blog post is a phrase I’ve seen used in the reporting of disabled people’s achievements time and time again: “… but they didn’t let it stop them.”⠀ ⠀ They didn’t ‘let’ it stop them. They didn’t consciously *decide* to let their disability win, and went on to accomplish something remarkable. Good for them. Genuinely no sarcasm intended; I wholeheartedly agree that we should celebrate disabled people’s achievements and give individuals the acclaim they deserve, no questions asked.⠀ ⠀ The thing that gets me, however, is the idea that the person in question had any conscious control over whether or not their condition prohibited them from setting out to do something. They didn’t ‘let’ their disability stop them; does this mean they simply chose not to allow it, that it’s purely a matter of mind to overcome such challenges?⠀ ⠀ Moreover, if somebody reportedly didn’t ‘let’ their condition stop them from fulfilling a passion of theirs, does this imply that consequentially, I’m ‘letting’ my disability stop me from doing the same?”⠀ ⠀ Link to the full post and further elaboration is in my bio, and I’d really love to hear your own opinions on this one. Where do you stand with statements like these? Harmful or empowering? Any similar examples? 💭⠀ ⠀ IMAGE CREDITS: @alicelodgephotography
A little throwback to my happy place at @plush_caf A little throwback to my happy place at @plush_cafe... I know where I’d rather be right now!⠀ ⠀ It’s a bit blummin’ chilly outside, isn’t it?! It was deceptively sunny here today so this morning I braved a little trip out in Janice the power-chair and honestly thought I was going to just cease existing after an hour. Nyaghhh.⠀ ⠀ I’ve said this so many times and I always worry it makes me sound like a precious little princess, but feeling the cold is honestly one of my most debilitating symptoms. It’s actually physically painful: even if it doesn’t seem that cold to other people (the muggles, if you will), it makes my symptoms so much worse and leaves me completely drained. It’s as though everything shuts down and stops functioning until I can somehow warm up again, which can take hours and hours. ⠀ ⠀ I’ve found a few things that somewhat help over the years (thermal leggings, blankets, hand warmers, hot drinks, approx 355356 layers of clothing) but one of these days I really do need to invest in some better supplies… ⠀ ⠀ I know it’s a funny time of year to ask, but any recommendations? Do you struggle with the cold as well? I know lots of people actually have the opposite problem and are perpetually too warm, which I imagine is juuuust as frustrating👩🏼‍🦼🌦
[#AD] For any young person, the move to university [#AD] For any young person, the move to university can feel exciting, overwhelming, and a squillion other emotions in between... and it's safe to say that going through the process as a disabled student adds a whole other dimension of challenge.⠀ ⠀ I’ve been a regular user of @AccessAbleUK ever since I first became aware of the App; you can use it to browse accessible venues and locations to suit your personal needs, and it’s my absolute go-to for finding level-entrance emergency tea locations when out and about. Priorities, priorities.⠀ ⠀ Something you may not know, however, is that the AccessAble team also work with hundreds of universities and colleges across the UK, to produce Access Guides for disabled students. They’re well worth a look if you’re a prospective or current student, so I’ll pop a link to their website in my bio where you can download the App for yourself.⠀ ⠀ My best advice for any disabled students is to take advantage of any and every source of information out there, and learn from those who’ve experienced university first-hand. So with that in mind and in collaboration with AccessAble, I’ll be answering any of your own questions about university and chronic illness for the next 24 hours, whether they’re factual information-seeking or about my personal experiences. Nothing is off limits!⠀ ⠀ I’ll pop the questions sticker on my Stories this evening, and begin answering tomorrow... anything goes, so bring it the heck on. 😋📚 #KnowMoreGoMore
First observe the ‘bossed this packaging session First observe the ‘bossed this packaging session’ face, then swipe to see the moment I realised I had to somehow get them all to the Post Office... this could be interesting once Janice the power-chair gets involved. 😂😅 ~ All book orders from Thursday and Friday were dispatched on Saturday morning and should be with you soon! EEK. Please do let me know when you receive them and any first impressions; maybe that’ll finally make it sink in! Also wanted to take the opportunity to ask a question that’s been on my mind recently... any killer tips for dealing with feeling a bit overwhelmed? It’s something I’m experiencing more and more frequently, almost exclusively in a work-y context. It’s definitely not the same as burnout and it’s genuinely all good things... which sometimes can actually make it more difficult. Like, I *know* I’m at capacity at the moment and yet still have to proactively stop myself jumping into new ideas and allll the things. And I know I won’t be the only one who experiences that. Even when I know things are realistically achievable if I’m sensible and fully commit to them, without compromising my health, the thing I struggle with is just getting that constant feeling of unease off my mind and not letting it become an additional barrier in its own right. If that makes any kind of sense... I’m 99.9% sure I won’t be alone in this and you lot give stellar advice, so I’m throwing it out there... any tips for dealing with overwhelm? Bonus points for chronic illness-friendly suggestions! 💫
Possibly not the photo you were expecting to see t Possibly not the photo you were expecting to see today but when your publishers are next to the Humber Bridge and you have your new book in your hands, whyyyy not? You’d think it would have sunk in by now but nope, still not there yet. Even with the kindest comments, messages and good vibes from you lot, spending my evening signing books and packaging the first orders, and PR shenanigans getting started today... it still doesn’t feel real. I think I’m still in shock 🙈😂 I also feel like I need to ask for your patience a bit this week while I make the most of it all... I’ll probably be posting about my book and the things I’m doing quite a lot in the near future and I really hope that’s okay; just so I can indulge in it all and make sure we’re reaching as many people as possible. I’m also behind on comments (gah!) and I *will* reply to everybody individually... it’s the least I can do given your kindness. I’m so, so grateful for every share and for everybody who’s spreading the word... not only about the book, but about me and my work. You’re making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world, and there isn’t a thank you big enough to express how grateful I am. Link’s in my bio if you’d like a copy of ‘University And Chronic Illness: A Survival Guide’! In other extremely important news, the @greggs_official vegan steak bake is as iconic as the sausage roll. 10/10 would recommend. Have a lovely weekend, gang! 😙💜
Oh hey, I published a book and IT’S OUT TOMORROW Oh hey, I published a book and IT’S OUT TOMORROW!!!⠀ ⠀ I am so thrilled to finally share that my debut non-fiction book, ‘University and Chronic Illness: A Survival Guide’ will officially be released on Fri 31st January, and UK pre-orders through my blog are live RIGHT NOW! AND the first 25 orders will include a very special bonus gift... a beautiful custom #ChronicStudying wooden bookmark by my gorgeously talented friend, @jayne_tapp. Link’s in my bio... go go go! ⠀ ⠀ If for unfathomable reasons you’d like your copy signed or personalised, just leave your request in ‘order notes’ when you purchase. I’m going all-out with at least the first 50 orders so you may as well humour me 😆📝⠀ ⠀ Worldwide stock and distribution are all coming imminently and there’ll be plenty more to share soon, but for now my focus is primarily on these first-edition paperback copies, available through my blog. Just follow the link in my bio to grab yours!⠀ ⠀ I’m also chuffed to share that these books are made using ethically sourced-paper, and the packaging of these first editions is from DS Smith’s inclusive range, designed to be easier to open for those with joint and grip issues too. I’ve got your back, gang.⠀ ⠀ It’s been such a long process, but this is one of the proudest achievements of my life... not only being published, but creating the thing I so badly needed during my own student years. If it helps even one person feel less alone and enables them to enjoy their own time at university to the fullest, I’ll have done my job. ⠀ ⠀ So with that being said, I hope with everything in me that this little book reaches the people who need it the most. If you have a minute to share this post on your Story, use #ChronicStudying, tell a friend or send the link on to somebody who might benefit from the book, it would mean everything. Everything.⠀ ⠀ This still doesn’t feel real. Thank you so much to each and every person who believed in me, and continues to believe in me. It will never go unnoticed, or unappreciated. This book marks the start of a whole new chapter (couldn't resist!), and I just hope I’m doing you proud. 💫
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