NICE TO MEET YOU

Hi, welcome to Living My Gift.

Before my diagnosis, I was always on the go. I liked staying busy, getting things done quickly and always having something to do.

Looking back, slowing down was never something I was very good at. I was impatient, always thinking about what I needed to do next and rarely gave myself time to stop.

Then life changed.

My Journey

In 2023, I had my first major flare-up of back pain. At first, I thought it was just another back injury that would eventually get better.

It didn’t.

After months of investigations, I was diagnosed in 2024 with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), a long-term inflammatory condition that affects the spine and joints.

Since then, life has been a little different.

I still work, enjoy spending time with the people I love, and make time for the things I enjoy.

After a major flare in May 2026, I decided to reduce my working hours and move into a part-time role. I wanted to give myself more time to manage my health while still being able to do the things I enjoy.

I’ve had to learn to listen to my body a little more. Sometimes, doing less means I can still do the things I love.

Living with nr-axSpA has taught me to be more patient and to slow down. It has also changed the way I think about what a “normal life” looks like.

I notice and appreciate little things that I probably wouldn’t have thought twice about before.

Over time, I’ve started seeing my diagnosis as a gift.

Not because I enjoy having it, because I definitely don’t, but because of what it has taught me.

I’m still learning. I don’t have all the answers, and I’m still figuring things out as I go.

But I hope that by sharing my journey, this little corner of the internet can remind others that life can still be good, even when it doesn’t look quite the way you expected.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know me.

Lots of love,

Ling