Why I Haven’t Posted in 6 Years

Hi there! It’s been quite a while since I last posted here – about 6 years ago, in 2017 to be exact. I wanted to take a moment to explain why I’ve been away for so long and what the future holds for this website.

Firstly, I want to assure you that I have not abandoned this website. Despite being away, I have kept the blog hosting up and maintained the website behind the scenes. It has always been my intention to return, and I am working towards that goal.

What happened?

Some of you may already know that I have been dealing with arthritis for nearly three decades now. At the age of 13, I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA), which is an autoimmune inflammatory type of arthritis that many may not be familiar with. It’s similar to Rheumatoid Arthritis but affects more joints, up to 68 plus the spine throughout the body, compared to rheumatoid arthritis, which affects up to 28 with no spinal involvement.

Psoriatic Arthritis V Rheumatoid Arthritis

In those almost 30 years, arthritis has spread throughout my entire body causing damage and consistent pain. In 2017, I was on a specific treatment plan which was no longer working but my health professionals refused to change my treatment. Due to this, I found daily life impossible and baking and blogging were just one of the many things I loved dearly, which I had to give up.

Towards the end of 2020, my condition deteriorated significantly, leaving me mostly confined to bed. I reached out to a community of individuals who shared the same rare form of arthritis as me, and they informed me that the treatment I had been receiving typically remains effective for approximately 8 years before losing its effectiveness. However, I had been on that treatment for 13 years and felt it had stopped working for the past 5 years. Empowered with this knowledge, along with the relevant statistics and the UK protocol, I advocated for myself during an emergency appointment. Thankfully, my healthcare professionals finally agreed to change my treatment. Hurrah!

Things were looking up after a few months of the new treatment. The inflammation and pain were greatly reduced. However, due to being on ineffective treatment for an extended period, more damage occurred throughout my body. I had surgery to fuse the joints in my right thumb, resulting in it being permanently fixed in place without any mobility. Additionally, my wrists and a few of my fingers have also [naturally] fused, leaving them immobilised and unable to move or flex – so if you notice my funky hands in videos, that’s why! 😆

If you are daring enough to take a glimpse, this is the appearance of my hands.

Even though my situation was improving, I still felt exhausted to the extent that thinking was as difficult as trying to push through thick syrup. I was experiencing symptoms such as poor memory, memory loss, and brain fog. Untreated arthritis can cause these symptoms, which typically improve with proper treatment. Therefore, it came as a surprise when I received a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS or ME). Suddenly, everything fell into place, and I understood why I had been feeling the way I did.

Since August 2022, I have been living in a delightful bungalow designed to accommodate disabilities, and it has made a significant positive difference in my life. Although I still experience constant pain and mobility challenges, the convenience of a single-story layout has made every room much more accessible and has greatly improved my ability to navigate daily life.

Coming back

Now that I have comfortably settled into my new home, I am eager to reignite my passion for baking and resume sharing recipes. I’m excited to get back into it and start sharing delicious dishes again, and I hope to do so very soon.

Due to the extensive work involved in running a blog, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to post recipes as frequently as before. Behind the scenes, I handle various roles, including an author, photographer, videographer, photo editor, video editor, copywriter, and social media marketer, all by myself. Additionally, recipe development also requires significant time and effort. However, I will strive to share recipes to the best of my abilities while managing these responsibilities.

My Goal

My goal is to post 1 recipe per week. Or a maximum of 2 during festive or seasonal periods.

I’m thrilled to be getting started again! Here’s a sneak peek of some of the recipes that will be coming soon:

• Strawberries and Cream Popsicles
• Honey Vanilla Slice
• 3-ingredient Lemon Bars
• Eton Mess
• And more sugary sweets.

Email Subscribers

To all my loyal email subscribers, I sincerely hope you’ll continue to stay with me on this journey. I understand that life and hobbies evolve, and it has been a while since my last communication. If you wish to unsubscribe, I’ll be saddened to see you go, but I completely understand and respect your decision.

If you’re not an email subscriber but want recipe posts delivered direct to your inbox (for free), you can sign up here.