#StomaChat | Who are SecuriCare?

For the past year and a half, the SecuriCare & CliniMed logo have been in my side bar and I've mentioned them in many posts however I've never actually explained who they are! 

SecuriCare are the company which delivers my stoma bags and accessories as well as providing my local stoma nurses. Since a few days before my ostomy surgery, SecuriCare have been there and supported me; all the information packs I got in hospital were from them and so was all the bags I needed in a handy travel bag (I literally woke up and it was just there!).

SecuriCare are also a delivery company of all things stoma, so all my bags, sprays, LBF wipes and cotton swap things come from them. They can supply all of the brands so it makes it super easy. You either use the online form to order, ring up or email them (shout out to Damien who often emails me to remind me to order 'cause I'm pretty useless at it!). I've used both online ways and they're both really reliable.

Something which I really love about SecuriCare, which you may have seen me tweet about before, is their fantastic phone service. If you have any problems, want to make changes to your order or just have a question, you can ring them up and have a chat and they're so helpful and informative and make you feel really at ease asking the questions.

If you're interested in finding out more about SecuriCare, you can go to their website here or ring them up on 0800 585 125 (new customers) / 0800 318 965 (existing customers).

Let me know in the comments whether you've ever used SecuriCare before & what you think :) 

Ostomy section of KTMY is sponsored by SecuriCare & CliniMed

The Weekly Edit | #12

Happy Sunday Chums!

I hope you've all had a good week - even though it's been cold the weather in Manchester has been really nice (although this weekend it's been wet and cold) and I always feel so productive when the suns out and the sky is blue - even if it is -1 outside! I'm really proud of the effort I'm putting in on my instagram this past two weeks, I love doing more personal micro-blogging on there and I feel that my engagement and following have really gone up! I'm also really pleased with the sort of theme I have going on over there, which is all part of the rebranding which I'm planning!

So, here's what I've been up to this week! 

• I had some blood tests this week (if you read this post, you'll understand a bit more!) and I've started taking liquid iron for my anaemia so I'm hoping that I'm going to feel a lot better soon! 
• I had a really productive day at one of my favourite cafe's, HOME, and managed to get a lot of my Medical coursework done - I'd been worrying about it a lot and to sit down and actually get my head around it was great
• I went to see La La Land yesterday and OH MY GOODNESS I am in LOVE with it! The whole style of the film was brilliant and I am 100% certain that I will be listening to the soundtrack for months! 

How has your week been? Let me know in the comments below :) 

A Little Health Update

Over the past two weeks or so I haven't been so great. If you follow me on instagram, you might have seen a post where I explained a bit more about why I've been MIA on the blog but I thought it kind of deserved it's own blog post.

My colitis has flared up.

For the first time since having my operation, my colitis has flared up badly and left me feeling a little bit like I did two years ago.

I still have a bit of my large bowl left and it's been bleeding badly and giving me quite a bit of pain around the mucus fiscula (which is where they've bought the bowl to he surface so it won't make me really ill).

Since it started flaring badly, I've felt really bad not just physical health wise but also mentally; I haven't been properly ill like this for about a year and a half coming on two years and I'd totally forgotten what it was like and how draining it could be. I spent a day ringing all sorts of people just to try and sort out medication and getting a blood test to see what my iron levels are like and it absolutely knackered me.

Suddenly I was back to having "tummy ache", feeling drained and going to bed at 9.30pm and still been tired when I wake up in the morning.

What really got me down though was the fact I've had to start some of my medication again, steroids to be precise. I hated been on them because I would struggle with some of the side effects (most notably the steroid moon face, constant hunger and depression) but I'm hoping that because I'm only taking a short course and they're not tablets (I'm using suppositories to target the inflammation better) the side effects may not happen!

So there's a little health update for you all and a bit behind why the blog has been quiet lately. I'm hoping the steroids will kick in in the next few days and I'll start feeling a bit better. In the mean time, I've started micro-blogging on instagram so head over there for daily updates!

The Weekly Edit | #11

Happy Sunday Everyone!

It seems like ages since I've sat down and written a weekly edit post, or any blog post to be honest. I had such good plans for 2017 on the blog but the past two weeks has seen me take 100000 steps backwards (at least that's what if feels like!). Over the past two weeks I've had a colitis flare which has left me feeling pretty shit, to say the least. I'm back on my steroids and I have some blood tests to see what my iron levels are but I'd forgotten what it was like to be ill like this (it's been nearly 2 years!) and it's got to me a bit...especially the tiredness - I went to bed at 9:30 the other night!! Mind you, despite the whole being ill thing I've actually had some really good things happen this week so I thought I would share them with you!

• I GOT HAMILTON TICKETS!!!!! The priority booking went on sale on Monday and I actually got tickets!! I thought it was going to be like getting (or not getting in my case) Harry Potter tickets however I somehow managed to get my hands on tickets for December and I'm so excited. Anyone who knows me, or follows me on Twitter, will know just how obsessed I've been for the past year or so and I can't believe I'm actually going to see it! 
• One of my best friends from home came to stay for the night which meant I got to be a bit or a tourist in Manchester and it was such good fun. We went to this cool place called Ziferblat (I'm going to do a post soon all about here!), had a night of bowling and went to my favourite tea shop, teacup kitchen. It was so nice to catch up with her and show her some of the great sights of Manchester
• I got a first in my coursework!! I had been so worried about this piece of coursework because I did it in a day and had that dreaded feeling of doubt but to get it back and find out I got 80% was amazing because it means whatever happens in the exam, I've passed that unit! If this can happen in all my coursework's, I'd be very grateful! 
• I attended the first #BLOGGERBOOTCAMP session which was super fun. It's a 4 week course all about improving elements of your blog and I came away super inspired from the first branding talk. I have some great ideas for how KTMY is going to grow over the next few months so watch this space! 
• One of the presents my brother got me and my parents was to go to Bradford and watch Peter Pan at The Alhambra. I've only ever been to our local pantomime so it was great to see a big production and Peter Pan is one of my favourites. I haven't laughed as much as I did yesterday in a while - it was the kind of laughing where your stomach hurts! 

So considering I've been ill this week, I've actually had a pretty good week in some other aspects! 

What has the highlight of your week been? 

Looking after your smile with Sensodyne ProNamel

It has taken me a long time to be fully happy with my teeth. I had braces for about 5 or 6 years to sort them out and having that much work has taken it out of my teeth a bit. Mixed with taking steroids for my ulcerative colitis for about 2 years, I really suffered with sensitive teeth.

Since getting my braces off, I feel so much less conscious about smiling (braces were a bugger for getting food stuck in) and it's now pretty hard to find a picture of me not grinning for the camera!

It was my dentist who actually first told me to use Sensodyne tooth paste, after having to get an appointment for really bad toothache, which turned out to be just sensitivity. Part of the reason for my sensitivity was medication and the glue from my braces however it was also being caused by the food in general.

Sensodyne ProNamel helps to prevent further enamel from dissolving and has been specially designed for people at risk of Acid Wear. I've been using Sensodyne for about four years now and since using it, had hardly any problems with sensitivity so if this is something you do struggle with, it might be worth giving it a try!

Have you ever tried Sensodyne ProNamel? 

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The Shadow Switch Dry Brush Cleaner

We've all been there, trying to create the perfect eye shadow look but failing because the colours you've been using keep blending on the brush and either your eye, or your hand when your attempting to change colours, ends up looking like some weird bruise on your hand.

My favourite eye shadow palettes are the moment is this Kiko colour fever quad in the shade 101 and this little Ted Baker palette which is in the most beautiful rose gold packaging which is perfect for day and night looks but switching from those dark colours to lighter ones isn't that easy - you can see how my hand ends up looking like a bruise!

The Shadow Switch Dry Brush Cleaner is a genius little contraption which picks up any left over eyeshadow when you roll it over letting you quickly switch from one colour to the other. 

I was quite confused about what the product was until it came - it's a small tin with a wire sponge type thing in it which you roll the brush over in a clockwise motion - it's super simple and has made my makeup routine so much easier and means my eyeshadow brushes are kept a little bit cleaner between brush cleaning sessions! 

What's your favourite eyeshadow at the moment? 

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The Weekly Edit | #10

How's the first week of the year treated you lovely lot? 

This has been my last full week off (I start back at uni on Tuesday) and it's quite a busy and hectic week - I can't believe that my three weeks off has gone so quickly! I feel like I've done hardly anything but at the same time I also feel like I haven't been in Manchester in ages and I'm happy to be back (even though I do like been at home too!) 

So here's what I've been up to this week...

• I spent the whole of Monday sat in front of my laptop writing my equity coursework. How I've managed to write 3000 words on the topic will always be a complete mystery but I felt so much better one it was done, even if it did mean locking myself in my room for 10 hours (note, I do not recommend doing this on a regular basis!)
• With the start of the new year, I've been feeling really inspired with my blog and have a few things in the pipeline, including starting my #StomaChat series again! 
• I went for a lovely pub meal with two of my best friends before we all go back to uni this weekend. It seems to be coming a yearly tradition to go for a meal in the new year and it's always so nice! 
• I'm back in Manchester! Mum brought me back down yesterday and I'm so excited for what the new year will bring :) 

What have your highlights been this week? 

Time to DeFrazzle

One of my 2017 goals is to become healthier, mentally as well as physically. One of the ways which I've decided to become healthier mentally is to make sure I'm practicing mindfulness on a regular basis and trying to defrazzle my brain a bit.

I was really excited when Penguin Books sent me Ruby Wax's A Mindfulness Guide to the Frazzled because I'd actually seen Ruby talking about the book earlier in the year. This book is actually really good at explaining the science behind mindfulness as well as practical advice on how to practice mindfulness and then Ruby's life experiences of using mindfulness and what led her to starting. Of course, as a comedian, there are some very funny bits in the book as well.

We now live in a world where it is incredibly hard to switch off and get away from everything. Reading the book gave me the idea to write a list of the things which make me feel calmer and less frazzled and I've decided to do at least one of these things a week, if not more often!

A list of things which make me feel less frazzled; 

• Going on walks
• Reading a book 
• Yoga/meditation
• Exersize in general 
• Drawing 
• Writing

By doing some of these things every day/week and unplugging myself from the internet and screens, I'm hoping it will make me feel calmer. I already have a plan to do more exercise and yoga but by introducing daily meditation, which is something I'm really looking forward to doing, and creative things, my mental health is going to be grateful for it! 

How do you relax and defrazzle? 

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Introducing #StomaChat

Happy Wednesday & Happy Stoma Chat day everyone!! 

If you've been a fan of the blog for a while, you may remember that a few months ago I started doing  #stomachat videos on my YouTube channel. Then uni came and work got in the way of filming and editing videos. 

With the new year happening, I've decided to bring back #StomaChat as a weekly blog series with a monthly video :) Each week, I'll be discussing a different things about having a stoma and IBD and you'll be able to join in on Twitter where there will be a weekly poll all about the weeks blog post. 

All this will be happening on Wednesdays and I'm so excited for you all to get involved! This week I wanted to use the post as a way to introduce the series and let you know what's happening. 

If you have any topics you'd like to discuss, comment below or tweet me using the hashtag! 

See you next week for the first proper  #StomaChat post! 

2017 Goals

I think goals are a good thing. Too many people seem to disregard new year resolutions and are quick to bring them down, and the people who make them. I've seen so many posts, especially on Facebook, bringing down the whole New Year, New Me cliche and whilst I don't think there's any need to completely reinvent yourself, I think it's great to see the new year as a fresh slate and really ask yourself what do I want to achieve this year? and Was I happy last year?. I'm really excited about my 2017 goals, I've decided this year to give myself little actions to do to achieve my goals to make them more attainable. 

So here are my 2017 goals...

Get Healthier

Yeah, I know, the most cliche new years resolution you can get but I want to get fitter so I'm putting it on. I'm having my surgery in the summer and I'm determined to be at my healthiest when it comes round. I've set myself the goal of going to the gym at least twice a week and doing yoga once a week. I'm also going to start eating better too, trying new recipes (I've got lots of new cook books which I can't wait to use!) and cutting down on my sugar intake. I'm  going to work on my mental health too, because it's just as important, and try and do meditation daily and work more on mindfulness.

Save Money

I spend waaaaay too much money and half the time I'm wondering what I've actually spent it on. I've decided that for the whole of January, I'm not going to go shopping (except for food because a girls gotta eat!) to try and get me into the habit of not needing to buy everything I see on instagram! I'm also going to try and save £10.00 a week, I know it's not a lot but it's all I can probably save right now.

Read More

I love reading however I only really get to read on holiday now so I'm going to take some time out every day and read. I have a bad habit of watching Netflix before I go to bed so instead of spending half an hour/an hour watching TV, instead I'll be reading a book. Not only does this mean I'll get to read more, it will also hopefully improve my sleep

Be more involved in the blogging community 

I feel really disengaged from the blogging community at the moment. It's been months since I took part in a twitter chat and I've hardly read any blogs. I'm going to actively read more blogs, go on commenting sprees and take part in blogger chats. I'm also going to try and be more active instagram and make my Facebook page less link dumpy and have one other things on there too. 

I'm really excited to get on to these resolutions and hopefully see an actual change!

What are your 2017 goals?? 

The Weekly Edit | #9

Happy New Year Chums! 

Welcome to 2017 - I think we're all quite happy to see the back of 2016 and start the new year. I have quite a few New Year Resolutions (keep an eye out tomorrow for that post!) which I've been so excited to start and I just love the feeling of starting the new year; it's like having a fresh start and clean slate. 

Instead of doing my normal weekly edit, this is going to be more of a reflective/chatty post mainly because a lot of this week has consisted of me eating way too much food and a lot of sitting watching christmas specials. 

I did go to Leeds for the day yesterday and finally got to go to Victoria Gate which is the most beautiful building with some great shops - I was particularly excited by anthropology and T2 as well as John Lewis. 

I had the best New Years Eve to see in 2017; there was great food, brilliant company and plenty of Moet...what else could you want to say goodbye to the year that was 2016 and bring in a hopefully much better 2017! 

I've been feeling quite reflective these past few days and feeling very optimistic/excited for the new year. I'm putting more effort in to the things I want to/love doing and cutting out the things I don't want to do. I've signed up to the Bloggers BootCamp in Manchester and I can't wait to hear about ways I can grow my blog! 

So there's a little ramble for you all and I'll see you all tomorrow when normal service is resumed on the blog!