My 2019 summary

Wow can you believe in 2 days time we’re saying goodbye 2019!

Where has this year gone!? But what a year full of memories it’s been. So while we’re all in that awkward Crimbo limbo period of just after Christmas waiting for the New Year’s Eve. Grab a cupper or a cheeky left over wine and here’s my 2019 rundown.

My year where to start firstly it’s been an amazing year for me with so many memorial moments.

January ~ I was finally able to share a huge secret I’d been keeping for months that I’d been working alongside Tesco’s, in sharing my story with the Tesco team they went and built over 35 Changing Places toilets how incredible are Tesco, to date they have now built 50 #EveryLittleHelps. Was also the start of a new journey with my care by employing a PA/s it’s definitely learning curve it’s had its ups and downs not just becoming a boss to also trust others with my care other than hubby. It’s been hard at time and very testing emotionally and physically. But the good has outweighed the bad for sure. I was published in the Huffington Post about the unseen housing crisis for disabled people.

February ~ Is Muscular Dystrophy do a Go orange for the day totally did a selfie of my face like an orange! We also learnt the emoji world was finally going to keep up the disabled world. MDBloggersCrew embarked on an after dark with a series of blogs about disability, sex and dating. I became the Bionic woman with the Neater Arm Support being fitted to my wheelchair.

March ~ I hit the big 40 yes can you believe it with these youthful looks you would never of known it!! I was ask to join the Habinteg housing association new advisory panel to help share experiences and the campaign for more and better disabled homes.

April ~ Was a hard month physically and mentally for several reasons after 10 years of being denied access to a smear test because of my disability needs, I had to undergo a little operation I like to call my Fanny MOT! I had my very first experience with live radio on BBC Oxford taking about my yes favourite Subject Changing Places plus my work with Tesco. i’m not gonna lie even though no one could see me the palms of my hands were sweating!

May ~ My mental health had taken a bit of a bashing after my Little Op but remember it’s ok not to be ok with hard work and talking to the right people I was ok and ready to take on the world again. We had the #DyingMattersWeek where I shared that I had an Advanced care plan in place and why it was important not just for me and my loved ones also. I took a little venture out to see a brand-new Changing Places at Milton Keynes Gallery and well it was definitely impressive. After becoming a champion for AccessAble I went on my first Event a workshop on surveying accessibility in shops, restaurants etc. Tesco announced opening their 40th changing places toilet. I was also diagnosed with a vitamin D defect and type 2 diabetes.

June ~ Twitter Takeover anyone year Muscular Dystrophy Uk I love me to take over their Twitter page for a few hours. I joined forces with my good friend Fi Anderson from Life of an Ambitious Turtle Sharing our experiences with clerical screening with Bustle. The Guardian newspaper publish my letter about my experience with accessible homes and how things need to change for the future. I lost my PA so it was back to just me and hubby again.

July ~ Was mine and hubsta 5 year wedding anniversary also celebrating 13 years together. With July being Changing Places Awareness day I was in my element talking toilets being interviewed with ITV Anglia and The Femedic an online mag. I had a meeting with Milton Keynes university hospital over yes you guest it toilets (still pending a decision on this one!), let’s not forget the lion king was released so got a rare date with hubby what an incredible movie if you’ve not seen it yet make sure you do.

August ~ Muscular Dystrophy Uk Muscle meeting in my area I love these it’s not just for finding out a world of information but also great meeting all different people from all walks of wheels in our case of life. We are very much a dysfunctional MD family! I got to write for Scope and Disabled Living on the impact of not having the right accessible home. Thanks to my good friend Fi (we do love working together!) I joined forces with Jo’s cervical cancer trust spreading awareness sharing my story with the BBC News online and iNews which came with some backlash from people that clearly have nothing better to do! As I always say you can’t argue with stupid.

September ~ This month was the kick start for my next few months ahead of things I never in a million years thought would happen to me, I found out I was nominated and won the GOLD Award for diversity and equality for the BBC Three counties choice awards I did some secret filming with them before the night but the night itself was incredible so magical I cried of course getting my award, it’s never something I would of expected, met some truly amazing people even Tony Hadley (totally got a cheeky selfie, all the radio presenters, a live interview afterwards I’m still in shock now that this even happened, had my first experience of the diabetic eye test funniest part is your told not to drive after as you eyesight might be affected slightly hard when you have your own set of wheels! my journey with two new PA’s Started instead of 1.

October ~ When I said in last months was the kick start of things to come I wasn’t lying it was an incredibly insane month for me truly grateful, humbled and still very much in shock to this date. Being named on the Shaw Trust Power list for most influential disabled people in Britain; me I was named little old me! I nominated and won the MDUK President award for campaigner of the year, to be recognised by your fellow md’ers and MDUK itself was truly humbling, I got a night in a swanky 5 star hotel AMAZING! Was awarded at the MDUK conference by Michael Attenborough (fan girl moment and fan boy moment for hubby to). I announced that I was now an ambassador for Purple Tuesday again truly grateful. I got my first experience with live tv travelling to London to the ITN studios to be interviewed on 5 News at 6.30pm to talk yes my favourite subject toilets, got to experience hair and make up and all the behind the scenes. So this month or me was insanely incredible.

November ~ I teamed up with the team from The Cleen App to create a video sharing how the app works did you know they’ve also teamed up with changing places. November is also Purple Tuesday where every disabled persons and their family call for companies to act making a more accessible world. Had my first experience with a mammogram machine to say my boobies felt like pancakes!!

December ~ myself and Opemed announced I would be teaming up with them once a month to write a guest blog for their website I had the pleasure of working with the opened team working with Tesco, to be asked and get to work with them again is amazing I’m very thankful for the opportunity. This post will also make my 100th since starting My Life Kerry’s Way.

Well that’s me and my year rolled up into a small summary, lessons have been learnt, laughter was had and tears were cried, I’ll take as I always do all that is good and leave the bad behind just keeping the lessons I’ve learnt close beside me.

Share with me your highs and your lows of 2019 by leaving me a comment.

Kerry 💋

Happy New Year I hope the new year brings you nothing but happiness and adventures.

You can also follow me on:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram