Carly Findlay

Writer, speaker, appearance activist. Loving life!

  • About me
  • Say Hello – my book
  • Hire me!
  • Support Me
  • Contact
  • What is Ichthyosis?
  • Ichthyosis + appearance diversity resources
  • Disclaimer
  • Shop
  • Guest post contribution guidelines
  • Growing Up Disabled in Australia

Ichthyosis awareness: Accepting My Limits – a guest post from Hunter Steinitz.

January 31, 2016 Carly Findlay Leave a Comment

I’ve admired Hunter for years – shes a star. She is a great role model in the Ichthyosis community – she loves life to the full, and has become a good friend (as has her Dad, Mark). Mark shared their story here in 2014. Hunter has Harlequin Ichthyosis. She recently spent a semester studying in London – I loved seeing her travel photos. She asked me if she could publish a series of guest posts on my blog – of course I said yes! Her first post is about her travels. Travel is definitely tricky for people who have Ichthyosis, but it’s not impossible. As Hunter writes, a little rest makes for a better trip.

 

“Last month, I returned after spending a semester studying abroad in London, England. It was a great and rewarding experience! I got to see a lot of theater, visit some beautiful old churches and sample some great European cuisine! This trip also taught me a lot about my limits.

Before I departed, I was thinking about where all I would go, the adventures I would have and all the people I would meet. I was also a bit scared. I was about to leave my family and most of my friends behind to live in a foreign country for three and a half months. I was worried about being able to adjust to new routines and keep up with my peers. Because of my condition, I find it difficult to be on my feet a lot and I move slower than some of my peers. I was concerned that I would be left behind.

Once I got there, some of my worries were realized. I left some events and adventures early because I had a long commute home and I was already exhausted before I left. I heard about adventures that my friends had had after the fact because I wasn’t there. I got winded and sore trying to keep up with them. There were a number of nights that I spent in my flat because by the time I got out to meet up with my friends, it would be time to turn around and go home again. My friends tried to wait for me and after I spoke with them, they adapted our travel patterns to accommodate my pace but I felt like I was holding them back. It was hard.

But that time was necessary. I needed to be face to face with my body and I needed to accept that I need to take time to rest and feel my best. I learned that I can’t make the best of an adventure if I am working so hard to keep up. I can’t enjoy an experience if I am in too much pain to focus on anything but taking the next step. I learned that I need to take a little time to take care of my needs and allow myself to feel my best so that I can come out swinging and make the most of my experience.

As a result of reaching this realization, I altered my routines to allow for more rest time. It was the best decision I could have made. I was fully present for far more and enjoyed far more once I accepted that I’m not Superwoman. I do have limits and its okay to admit them.”

For more blog posts from me and guests on Ichthyosis, click here.

(Image descriptions: Hunter Steinitz, who has Ichthyosis, at English landmarks.)

 

Share this:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

guest post, ichthyosis, ichthyosis awareness, Uncategorized

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Socials

  • View tune.into.radio.carly’s profile on Facebook
  • View @carlyfindlay’s profile on Twitter
  • View carlyfindlay’s profile on Instagram
  • View sqoggle’s profile on YouTube

Book me to speak

Sign up for some love in your inbox

Listen to my podcast

Tune in

Enter your email address to receive new posts by email.

Archives

Popular Posts

  • What's with the image descriptions on my social media posts?
  • Interview with Beth Bradfield from Malory Towers
  • July is Disability Pride Month
  • Six at Best - Eddie Perfect - Offspring
  • The death of Offspring's Dr Patrick Reid. The TV death that stopped a nation.
  • Ichthyosis Awareness Month - The Girl Behind the Face: "Life’s rarely been split between either laughter or tears; both have existed simultaneously."
  • Stop praying for and exploiting disabled children and adults on Facebook.
  • Creamoata: a much loved, yet lost food of my childhood. Help me find it.
  • Ichthyosis and exercise
  • Miss You Love - an analysis of a beautful Silverchair song

Copyright

The material on Tune into Radio Carly is copyright. The writing in this blog is by Carly Findlay unless otherwise stated. Most photos in this blog are by Carly Findlay unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without permission from Carly Findlay. This blog represents my personal opinions and experiences. It does not reflect those of my employers'. The information I provide about ichthyosis is mostly based on personal experiences. Please seek medical advice or counseling before trying any new treatments I've written about. Where stared, I use affiliate links on this blog. By clicking them, I receive a small percentage of the purchase.

Copyright © 2022 · Daily Dish Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.