Mental healing & the TSW documentary

Still from Preventable: Protecting our Largest Organ on Friday 23rd July 2017.

I apologise for my blog absence over the last few weeks but I think it's safe to say that life has been insane - I've been up at 5.30 a.m. commuting into London every day temping, job hunting then after work, going for interviews. In between all that I've been trying to catch up with everything else that has been neglected, along with moving madness (I move back to London in under a week!!!) but as I had an hour to spare this morning, I just knew I had to write a post that it would have been an absolute sin not to cover as it had such an impact on me and my TSW journey.

Many months ago Briana Banos, who I have featured on my blog before (here) & (here), contacted me to ask if I would like to be part of the documentary she was making about the dangers of topical steroids: Preventable: Protecting out Largest Organ. The decision to be involved was a no-brainer and so on Friday 23rd June 2017, I made the trip to Kent where filming was to take place. I was welcomed into the home of the parents of Kelly, a fellow TSW suffer, who had been hosting Briana since she arrived in the UK - Kelly and her family are simply wonderful <3. I met Briana along with Nina (here) and Laura (here), who I would be filming with and I can safely say I had the most incredible day. Nina, Laura and I filmed a segment together then after a short break, filmed separately and I would be lying if I said I didn't get emotional talking about it all. I don't know why exactly but when I spoke about my withdrawal this time, I felt like something had shifted - a weight had been taken off my shoulders, I felt a total sense of peace. I have written thousands of words on this blog, my Instagram and the internet about my TSW experience but something about saying it out loud in a situation like that - and being with two other women who had come through it and recovered fully - had a profound effect on me. There was also something rather extraordinary (and totally surreal) for me to be able to meet someone I had watched when I was suffering. If you haven't seen Nina's YouTube channel (here), she is such an inspiration and definitely kept me going on the dark days so it was quite a moment to be able to sit down next to her and simply say thank you. Nina also brought her parents along with her, who were just amazing. I left with this wonderful, warm glow and the most incredible sense that everything was ok. Truly the loveliest day with the loveliest group of people <3

Here is a teaser from our day filming for the documentary on Friday 23rd June 2017.

Clockwise from left to right: Laura, me, Kelly, Nina and Briana <3 

As if I that wasn't fabulous enough, I got the cherry on top of a rather calorific cake on Sunday 25th June 2017 when Briana hosted a TSW London meetup. I have said this many times on my blog now but to actually talk face-to-face with those who truly get it - know exactly how it feels - is something that cannot be bought and more effective than any drug on the market.

A photo from the meetup, taken on Sunday 25th June 2017.

Briana and I <3

I truly feel like last weekend healed a part of me that was taking longer than any of the physical symptoms to mend. TSW takes time but I promise you that it is time well spent - you might not understand exactly how this experience could ever be a good thing but looking back now, I am amazed that my life is fuller - richer - for the experience.

The people I have met on this journey have nothing short of amazed me. Briana is doing something as a community we should all be very proud of - AND ENTIRELY ON HER OWN. It is only a matter of time now before our forgotten condition is recognised for what it is - like topical steroids, you can only suppress the truth for so long.

So much love to my TSW family <3
Cara xxxx