Persisting Pain

**MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD** As some of you might know, a big part of why I started a blog was because of how much Claire Wineland inspired me. Claire was a young woman who got dealt a rubbish hand in life but still won. She lived her life despite having cystic fibrosis and although she died last year aged 21, she achieved so much. She inspired thousands, reminding lots of us with chronic illness that we aren’t alone, and she even set up her own charity to help others living with chronic illness. When I found out that Claire was a consultant on a movie about chronic illness and long term hospital stays as a teen, I couldn’t wait to see it. I was so sure that she wouldn’t let the right messages be lost and, although she unfortunately died before the movie’s release, her influence is clear throughout the entire movie. The protagonist, Stella, was heavily influenced by Claire and everything from her appearance to her attitude towards her illness shows this. Watching the movie ...

Hi! My name is Alex and I am an up-and-coming UK travel and lifestyle blogger writing about my adventures and managing life with multiple chronic illnesses. I initially started my blog after watching videos of Claire Wineland’s speeches. She inspired me and reminded me that my life was more than my disabilities. I have been ill my entire life, and my health will continue to decline. Among other things, I have fibromyalgia, gastroparesis, myalgic encephalomyelitis, depression, and anxiety. These limit my everyday life and I am still learning how to cope with them and still achieve my goals. My first blog at https://persistingpain.blogspot.com is where I write about learning to manage my illnesses and about how I try and live as normal a life as possible despite my disabilities. I also started a blog at https://alexalfresco.blogspot.com where I document my travel experiences. I have always loved travel and would like to share my passion with others. I have one f...