I learned something new today.

Some of you may know that I have ME. I don't think I've ever written about it on my blog because I try to keep this as my little happy place (apart from when I blogged about the burglary). I had been on the waiting list to see a specialist for a year and a half and finally saw a specialist last week. At last I am getting help.  

Until today I didn't know much about Frida Khalo. I knew that she was an artist with a massive mono-brow! Aside from that, I didn't know much (I didn't watch the film in 2002. Maybe I will). Today, I saw a little YouTube video about Frida Khalo. I discovered that she was bed-bound and actually painted in bed! This really inspired me.

I don't rest as much as I should. When I have energy, I use it. I clean the kitchen, I clean the bathroom, I spend hours in the studio painting. Then I can't do a thing for days. I get frustrated. I want to do things but I either shouldn't or I physically cannot. Art helps me. These past couple of weeks, Hubby has been encouraging me to leave the dishes and do some painting. I feel as though I have really achieved something when I paint and draw and make things. If I clean the kitchen, then I have a clean kitchen for about an hour. Then it needs to be cleaned again. If I create, I have something to show for my tiredness. I can think, "yes, I'm tired, but look what I've done", and that makes me smile.  

I don't get as much rest as I should. I sleep lots, but I don't actually rest much. And I am now being discouraged to sleep during the day but to rest instead. Rest for a 'normal' person might be reading or watching television. But that is actually really tiring for someone with ME. As Action For ME say:

For your mind and body to get real benefit you need to be fully relaxed and properly resting your brain. This may call for a new perspective on what you consider to be relaxation. Before you became ill you might have used mental activities to relax, like reading or watching television, or you might have enjoyed physical exercise. For healing rest, aim to be quiet and still, both physically and mentally.

I get bored of sitting or lying in bed if I'm not allowed to sleep.  Now, inspired by Frida Kahlo, I plan to draw while in bed. 

So, if you start seeing lots of drawings of my bedroom on my Flickr page, you'll know why!