L.O.L: Life of Lucy

I just had a major realisation! ... I'm Elsa!! Yeah, I know! ... Alright, maybe not but the song title spoke to me for this one, ok? But I did genuinely have a somewhat "mind-blown" moment, which really doesn't happen very often, does it? Even to Little Miss Thinkalot over here... I'm sure there's some sort of irony in there somewhere? Anyway, I was having a conversation with one of my very best friends yesterday and it occurred to us - how many people take for granted the simple pleasure of being able to "see" themselves whenever they feel like it? You're probably reading this thinking ' everyone has the ability to see themselves, what are you going on about? You crazy girl... ' and, up until yesterday, I'd be inclined to agree with you that I'd probably gone a little bit more bonkers than I already am! But what I'm getting at here isn't just being able to see yourself, it's being able to see your body in all i...

What should I wear? That's the million dollar question when it comes to the majority of the female population, not just for special occasions, but on a daily basis. There's something about fashion that makes a girl feel good about herself; whether it be because a certain top has a flattering shape, or a certain pair of trackies are the most comfortable thing in existence, girls just love clothes! But it can quickly become a love-hate relationship, especially if said girl is, say... a wheelchair user. From a relatively young age, girls develop a sense of style, often influenced by social norms, fashion role models, and whether or not your Mum is going to yell bloody murder at you if you leave the house "looking like that". But, above all else, the biggest influence on us wheelie girls is: "Can I actually wear this?" I know certain things don't suit certain body shapes, so this could be argued to be another common influence, but it's defi...

Why is taking a compliment so difficult? A few weeks ago, I was having a conversation with a carer of mine about wearing BiPAP (ventilator) masks and how, if it's too tight on my cheekbones, the whole right side of my face literally goes numb - I know, and yes, it's as unpleasant as it sounds. Anyhoo, the conversation then took a rather unexpected turn, on my part at least, when she said to me: "It's because you've got really defined cheekbones Lu, you've got supermodel cheekbones!" I don't even think I laughed it off like I would with most compliments? I just kinda stared at her for a few seconds, totally oblivious. The thing is, I do have quite prominent cheekbones and, honestly, I actually wanted to take the compliment! I mean, what girl wouldn't want to be likened to a supermodel, seriously?! Especially if that girl has grown up with a self-image conflict because of disability... So why couldn't I agree with her, or even simp...