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Something Good, Out of Something Bad

July 5, 2017
The Interior Editor

As The Interior Editor blog turned one last week, I got to thinking about how and why I actually came about writing it. The blog is my something good, out of something bad and I’ve built up the courage to tell you about it today.

So where to start…..

The Something Bad

To cut a long story short, 9 years ago after my youngest was born, I was diagnosed with a badass illness called M.E. (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). My world was literally turned upside down and I had to close my beloved florist. I was no longer able to sustain the incredibly long hours, 7 days a week that I’d been working. To be honest, I could just about function as a person let alone as a mother or wife. I was living a life in limbo.

A rare photo of me at my worse with M.E. with my nephew.

With no cure, I sought alternative help and managed my condition through diet and resting. Thankfully, my health improved to the point I wasn’t walking around like a zombie. I got to thinking what I was going to do with my life (apart from being a mum and a wife that is).

The Something Good

As selfish as it sounds, I needed something just for me that made me happy. A something I could pour myself into that I was passionate about. That something was Interior Design. My illness provided me with the perfect opportunity to learn more about interiors and design, which I did online with the National Design Academy. It was the perfect set up, I could study when I was able to, and rest when I couldn’t. The greatest thing of all was that I fell more deeply and passionately in love with interiors. I went from taking a diploma to gaining a distinction in my FdA Degree.

 

 

I didn’t stop there, I signed up for my BA Degree, and bam, I started feeling unwell again. After two dreaded C scares, I put my degree on hold to take some time out.

The problem was I had been living and breathing Interiors for four years! There was this massive void that needed filling. Enter, a knight in shining armour, fellow former NDA student, Birgit. She had suggested several times for me to write an interiors blog, and after she finally sent me a link to set one up, I thought why the hell not and went for it.

 

 

My plans for future? For now, I am happy to continue my love affair with all things interior and design related through this blog and to share my adventures with you because that’s what they are to me. The small projects I’ve done over the past few years, will hopefully turn into bigger ones and then who knows what’s round the corner. I am just grateful to be where I am and for the support of my family and friends over the past few years. I am also extremely grateful to those of you that stop by each week and read my ramblings on interiors and design. So I’m sending out a massive thank you to you all and I hope you’ll continue enjoying my adventures in interiors and design, which will resume as normal on Friday.

See you then!!

Maria

 

PS: As my family are fully aware (bless them), I’m most definitely not one dishing out sympathy or receiving it.  I have a just get on with it approach to life and would absolutely hate it if you felt that what I’ve written today was for you to feel sorry for me.  It’s just me telling you a little bit about myself and why I set up the blog, which is kind of a big deal as I’m a private person. My being ill turned out to be a good thing, it has made me embrace what I do have, in the one life that we get!

 

 

 

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7 Comments

  • Reply Amanda Dodds-Hooson July 5, 2017 at 12:51 pm

    It’s funny, we all have a story about how we came to be. Mine, apart from the fact that I have always been a complete heritage nut, came about through the same channels, plus the fact that I was both studying and doing around 100 paid hours a week in my former career. Even now, I am faced with the challenges of time and not having enough hours in the day to do half of what I need to do, but at least I am now happy doing it. And you know Maria, with the sad history of my old back, my elbows could tell their own story ;) Well done on this post, I think it does us good to purge our proverbial skeletons from time to time :) Why do you think my intro blog post was so honest? Oh yes, to give people forewarning of my nuttiness :D Good on you, great post and once again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY :) xx

    • Reply Maria July 5, 2017 at 1:11 pm

      Amanda, I love, love, love that you are so passionate about Heritage design, and yes those poor elbows of yours have their own story to tell! Two interior design nuts together lol :D I can’t thank you enough for all your support and for reading my ramblings!! Maria xx P.s. I can’t wait to read more of your Heritage blog. It’s brilliant!!

  • Reply Vicki July 6, 2017 at 7:21 am

    I’m glad you have found a way through doing what you love and taking into account the condition. As with my husband who has MS (reason why I started my interiors blog) I’ve turned a negative into a positive :)

    • Reply Maria July 6, 2017 at 8:05 am

      Thank you, Vicki! It’s not my M.E. anymore that’s the problem but more a case of being a bit of an enigma with the doctors and now have to be monitored because of abnormal bloods. I tell everyone I’m just “Special” lol, I think that’s turning a negative into a positive ;). I think your blog is great by the way! One, because it’s unique as you are writing from your own personal experience of living with your husband with MS, and two because you will be helping others who live with some form of disability! :D x

  • Reply Anne Marie July 19, 2017 at 11:36 am

    Oh, just read your story, very inspiring :) I hope you’re feeling better again! And I’m happy to say that we’re “almost” fellow students :) I have just completed my foundation degree with NDA :) Are you by any chance based anywhere near the NDA (like Nottingham :) )?

    • Reply Maria July 19, 2017 at 1:11 pm

      Hi Anne Marie – Huge Congratulations on your Foundation Degree with the NDA!! Thanks for having a read of my post and for your lovely comments :D Unfortunately not Nottingham based, but Epsom in Surrey. It’d be great to meet up at the Amara Awards if you’re going to them later this year? :D xx

  • Reply Olga September 23, 2020 at 9:52 am

    Hi Maria, I was just adding some wallpaper pins to board and realised a lot of the ins I liked came from your boards. So went to check your blog and what an amazing and inspiring story. My friend’s son has been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome so I know what they have been going through. And I have a daughter myself so I can’t even imagine what it was like for you and your family with a newborn baby. It’s truly amazing what you have achieved with your blog!

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