Unjustified Joy by Leah-Maarit Jeffery

Author:Leah-Maarit Jeffery
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: 978-1-78815-643-1
Publisher: Onwards and Upwards Publishers

It didn’t take me long to start thinking about what I was going to do for work. I wasn’t ready to get back into a full-time job. I knew that my resting season was just beginning. However, I needed some form of income. It was incredibly helpful living at home and having the opportunity to consider working for myself as a freelance graphic designer. I began using my time to develop some business ideas, working on my brand, my website and a portfolio. I placed an advert in a local magazine and posted flyers around wherever possible. I had enough savings to keep me going for a few months at least. These ventures didn’t amount to much more than the odd job here and there. However, I eventually landed some freelance work at a sign company in Surrey. They worked in a similar fashion to my previous company, but without any customer interaction. Purely design layouts. The work was very sporadic, giving me some very busy months and fantastic money, and other months of nothing at all. This way of life was perfect for me, as I was finding my way back on my feet and continuing to make the most of the rest.

The year after my diagnosis, I took a trip back to Australia. I felt prepared in my heart that everyone may have moved on and things would have changed during my time away. That wasn’t so. It felt as though no time has passed and I had never left there. I loved that people were able to see how much better I was, walking more normally and even swimming again. It was a lovely time, but I knew it was only temporary. I only had enough injections supplied to me to last the weeks that I was there. So despite the extremely generous offer from the church to buy me another return flight to extend my stay, I was unable to accept. That’s when I realised that I was tied. I could only go where and for how long the injections allowed. They needed to be kept at fridge temperature at all times, so long-haul flights with medication was in itself a challenge. As I headed home to the UK to continue the journey I was on, it dawned on me that my heart for travel was now walled in somewhat.

Not a lot changed over the next two years. Work continued with its highs and lows. I continued enjoying my new gym membership. I found great comfort from a few very active Facebook pages for people with AS. These forums are excellent places to share, to ask questions, to be sad sometimes and to celebrate at other times.

I began doing something I never thought I would ever want to do. I started to run. It started out as a social thing. My friend and I would go for long jogs together while chatting about life. We would get so far and then become quite silent, just willing ourselves to the end.

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