“Lockdown definitely taught me not to take anything in life for granted.”

James hasrheumatoid arthritis和ankylosing spondylitis. Here he shares how the last year has been – the good, the bad and the surprising.

“去年已经相当疯狂,exhausting.”

我在公寓里独自一人屏蔽了14个月，我只走了几次。这些是用于血液检查或获取我的疫苗。

The good aspects have been that I’ve been safe, healthy, kept mentally sane and avoided any major flare ups. I've also found an amazing supportive chronic illness community online.

I've certainly had my bad days too, although all things considered it would be more alarming if I hadn't.

“I've felt lonely at times and a bit disconnected from the outside world.”

自从第二次戳戳以来，我又开始逐渐与朋友见面，这真是太好了。我注意到几天后我精疲力尽，所以我正在放松自己。

I think what's surprising is how I’ve managed to keep my condition and mental health under control.

Now, that it’s safer for me to enter the real world again, I've realised just how crazy the past 14 months have been.

“Lockdown definitely taught me not to take anything in life for granted.”

I've seen how quickly everything in life can be taken from me and I’ll be more appreciative of spending time with loved ones and being able to out for a drink or a meal.

Seeing how so many people have come together (albeit mostly online) to get through this pandemic has given me faith in mankind.

I’m very grateful for everyone who checked on me, whether they were my friends beforehand or new friends I met online. It’s helped me see that there’s so much kindness and positivity out in the world.

“我绝对将运动作为屏蔽期间的动力。”

By far my best purchase was a set of resistance bands. They're really good for working out at home without putting much stress on my joints. I’ve found plenty of YouTube routines to work out to.

我还利用时间来提高中文技能，并开始学习西班牙语。而且我一直想观看IMDB前250部电影，并设法通过所有这些电影。

Doing things like this has helped me feel like I was being productive.

“Resting and sleeping well is crucial for battling fatigue.”

对我来说，有足够的能量来做可以使我的身体受益的事情，例如锻炼和伸展以及烹饪健康的饭菜，这一点很重要。

Getting the right amount of sleep is something I need to work on. Hopefully, now that things are looking up a bit, I’ll be able to get into a better routine again.

“Looking after your mental health is arguably the most important of anyone's journey with chronic illness.”

If you’re struggling mentally and stressed this can lead to flare ups and it can be hard to take care of yourself.

I think sharing our feelings is something us men have a hard time doing.

Arthritis is a condition jam packed with feelings, whether that is pain,fatigue, stiffness, anxiety or frustration. These things can become very overwhelming and talking is so important for keeping a healthy state of mind.

I used to be guilty of bottling things up and the negative feelings would pile up and put me in more of a funk.

“自从我开始在网上开放状况以来，我发现它非常治疗。”

Sharing my experiences has helped me get a lot of things off my chest. It’s helped me accept my condition more and made me realise I am not alone.

那里有很多年轻人与同样的战斗进行战斗，我们都在一起。

Talking openly has also allowed my friends to understand my situation more and they are understanding of what I can or can't do because of it.

Even if you are worried about talking to your friends about your condition and how you feel, there are so many people online who are more than happy to listen and help, so don't be afraid to reach out!

My advice to others who might be nervous about the easing of lockdown would be:

• Go at your own pace. There’s no rush to dive straight back into what you were doing before the pandemic, if you don't feel ready yet. I will certainly be taking things very slowly and going at my own pace.
• 不要害怕拒绝。如果有人邀请您做一些您尚未安全或准备好做的事情，那么拒绝报价就不会感到羞耻。
• Do what you are comfortable with. Put your own physical and mental health first and don't feel forced into doing things you’re not ready for yet.

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