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December 2021 - Newsletter Video Blog Summary

December 2021 - Newsletter Video Blog Summary

December 2021

 Another painful month and a stressful month. I went to see an orthopaedic consultant who recommended I have injections to alleviate the pain in my left shoulder.

I attended the virtual World Pulse Community Mentor Graduation 2021 and after 4 years wrote my personal experiences about Invisible Disabilities and Chronic Pain.

 

Surgeries 2017-2020

My surgery March 2020 - Blog about my endometriosis and PCOS by Sabeena Ahmed

For those that don't know I was admitted to hospital after a few weeks of excruciating pain in my left ovary and required urgent surgery.

My cyst was removed 17th March 2020. This was my third polycystic ovarian surgery since 2004.

During November 2017 I had my first rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder, and then a year later October 2018 I had the same surgery on my left shoulder.

Its been a long 4 years of excruciating pain, sleepless nights and slow healing.

I still have bouts of low energy, pain and anxiety.

This month was another particularly bad month, my left shoulder was very painful and typing has been incredibly difficult.

I met with and the orthopaedic consultant who specialises in shoulder, neck and pain and he has recommended pain relief with injections.

Thank you to all my friends and family who pray for my recovery and good health.

  

World Pulse Community Mentor Programme and Graduation 2021 with Minakshi Birajdar

My friend Minakshi Birajdar - India (World Pulse Story teller and social entrepreneur and activist) with Sabeena Z Ahmed

Minakshi Birajdar

 

This year I applied to World Pulse as a Community Mentor.

My application was successful and I was paired with Minakshi Birajdar from Aurangabad, India.

Minakshi is a social activist empowering women in her city of Aurangabad and its surrounding villages.

 

FIRST WEBINAR AND VIDEO AUGUST 2021

 

Minakshi was recently selected as a finalist in the television awards.

So proud of you! 

Heartfelt Congratulations Minakshi...:)

I hope to continue encouraging Minakshi with her work and encourage her to post more of her photographs and videos about her initiatives and campaigns.

The exposure on her Facebook group would highlight her work internationally, domestically and hopefully a gateway to further funding opportunities, awards and media coverage.

 

About Minakshi Birajdar

Minakshi's World Pulse Voices Rising Featured Story link.

 

 

 

MINAKSHI'S PHOTOGRAPHS

I am grateful to Minakshi for sending me the following photographs.

My friend Minakshi Birajdar - India (World Pulse Story teller and social entrepreneur and activist) with Sabeena Z Ahmed 

Minakshi looking gorgeous in her beautiful sari

 

My friend Minakshi Birajdar - India (World Pulse Story teller and social entrepreneur and activist) with Sabeena Z Ahmed

Minakshi receiving an award

 

 My friend Minakshi Birajdar - India (World Pulse Story teller and social entrepreneur and activist) with Sabeena Z Ahmed

Minakshi with a colleague

 

Minakshi Birajdar - World Pulse Featured Storyteller, Social Entrepreneur and Social Activist India

The industrious Minakshi looking lovely in her purple sari

 

About World Pulse

World Pulse is an independent, women-led social network for social change.

By harnessing the power of technology to accelerate women's leadership, we're speeding up the pace towards gender equity.

Source: World Pulse 

 

World Pulse Community Mentor Midpoint

Check In Webinar September 2021

During September 2021 the World Pulse team organised a Zoom webinar inviting Mentors and Mentees to share their experiences of the Community Mentor programme.

The purpose of the midpoint check-in webinar was to share experiences of both the mentors and mentees, learn, motivate, encourage and acknowledge successes and resolve challenges.

It was lovely to be a part of the program and hear from other participants who called in from all parts of the world.

Many thanks to Jill, Manasa, Alexandra, Paula and Dawn for their support.

I am struggling to type and I felt reassured when the World Pulse team understood how difficult it was for me to type and respond to surveys and messages.

I explained how I would help Minakshi with her social media presence and hopefully create a Twitter account.

By establishing a Twitter account I hope that Minakshi and her team can upload and post videos and photographs of her current initiatives which include convincing the rural community to take the Covid 19 vaccines.

I am attaching some photographs of the webinar below.

 World Pulse Community Mentor Program midpoint check in webinar September 21 with Sabeena Z Ahmed

Welcome slide

 

 World Pulse Community Mentor Program midpoint check in webinar September 21 with Sabeena Z Ahmed

Dawn at World Pulse

 

World Pulse Community Mentor Program midpoint check in webinar September 21 with Sabeena Z Ahmed

Agenda for the midpoint check in webinar

 

 World Pulse Community Mentor Program midpoint check in webinar September 21 with Sabeena Z Ahmed

 Resilience slide

 

World Pulse Community Mentor Program midpoint check in webinar September 21 with Sabeena Z Ahmed

Resilience slide with Alessandra 

 

World Pulse Community Mentor Program midpoint check in webinar September 21 with Sabeena Z Ahmed

Paula Elsten's segment 

 

World Pulse Community Mentor Program midpoint check in webinar September 21 with Sabeena Z Ahmed

 Next steps slide

Thank you for reading and I look updating this blog and celebrating the end of the programme December 2021.

 

December 2021 Video Update

Sadly due to a very painful left shoulder, I have been unable to schedule a second call with Minakshi.

I wish Minakshi all the best with her work and organisation.

I'd love to keep in contact and support her work health prevailing.

Congratulations to all the Mentors and Mentees who graduated this year.

World Pulse Community Mentor Graduation 2021 with Sabeena Z Ahmed

 World Pulse Community Mentor Graduation 2021 

 

 

Living with Invisible Disabilities and Chronic Pain

Sabeena Z Ahmed with Nurse Candy Lou, Ruptured Cyst Surgery, March 2020, Dubai, UAE

Sabeena Z Ahmed with Nurse Candy Lou, PCOS, Ruptured Cyst Surgery,

March 2020, Dubai, UAE

 

'Are you ill?

You don't look ill?

You look amazing!

 

What's wrong with you?

Well, you're not going to get any better if don't exercise.

You should exercise more.

 

You're getting fat!

You really need to lose that weight.

 

Are you in pain?

Oh! I'm sorry to hear that!

Have you ever tried acupuncture, massage, heat therapy?

 

Have you tried eating xxxx?

You should eat anti inflammatory foods?

 

Life's a test, you shouldn't say you're in pain!

Have your read this Surah (Chapter) in the Quran?

 

It's all about will power.

You need to will your pain away?

 

Stop being a pessimist!

You need to change your outlook on life.

BE POSITIVE!

 

Stop being overdramatic!

Stop being lazy!

Chin up and get on with life!'

 

These are some comments I've heard and tolerated regarding my invisible health conditions over the past 30 years.

I've been very patient and optimistic in my responses. 

 

How would you respond? 

 

My Video Response

 

Hello, Peace and Blessings!

Hello, Assalaam Alaikum peace and blessings World Pulse ladies!

My name is Sabeena, I love fair trade chocolate, travelling and writing blogs and producing films and about the fair trade producers and artisans I visit when I'm well.

I've lived with invisible disabilities for 30 years and chronic pain for last 4.

I've tried to keep the video as short as possible because my left shoulder is very painful.

It has been frustrating explaining my invisible medical issues and chronic pain to individuals who couldn't care less. 

I'd like to change the narrative!

My personal experiences are often ignored and my conversations regarding chronic pain dismissed to suit a narrative or subject that is easier for non family and friends to understand. 

In particular doctors, have ignored, laughed and shouted at me. Its been painful to experience medical professionals behaving badly and expressing no empathy,

When I meet people and I tell them I have Beta Thalassemia Minor, Asthma, PCOS and Endometriosis and Anxiety they look at me in astonishment. But, you look so well they say.

Yes! I do but I struggle with everyday chores others take for granted.

More recently I've been diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks.  

Every day chores and actions are challenging. 

I struggle with fatigue, breathlessness, chronic pain and anaemia. 

I struggle with sleeping, the pain can be unbearable. 

I have a very high pain threshold and control my pain by diverting my attention and focusing on my love and passion for fair trade, sustainability, a fairer world, the circular economy, literacy and support for breast cancer research and self care. 

I work through my pain by multi tasking, blogging and vlogging when I'm well. I avoid taking high strength pain killers and exercise and eat well.

I'd like everyone watching to think about being more compassionate and kind. 

Please think before you speak!

It's costs nothing to be kind. 

Nothing is guaranteed in life particularly good health.

Today I'm struggling with chronic pain tomorrow it could be you.

Let's build a fairer, equitable world where those of us living with medical conditions and chronic pain aren't ignored, our opinions are respected and we  have the support to live our lives with dignity and respect.

To read more of my blog click the link below.

Thank you so much for reading and I wish everyone a very Happy New Year!

Love, peace and blessings!

Sabeena 

Further Reading and Links

Minakshi Birajdar

World Pulse

Sabeena Ahmed and The LilFT

Living with Invisible Disabilities and Chronic Pain with Sabeena Z Ahmed

 





Also in The Little Fair Trade Blog

February 2024 - Newsletter Video Blog Summary
February 2024 - Newsletter Video Blog Summary

My right shoulder is still very painful and inflamed again and I have struggled to type this blog.

Despite my pain I managed to attend a webinar and record videos about PIE Community members expressing an interest to join.

I celebrated World Cancer Day 2024 by creating a poster in Urdu and English.

I participated in a School for Social Entrepreneur webinar with Chris Hines MBE.

Translation in Urdu

اردو میں ترجمہ

میرا دایاں کندھا اب بھی بہت تکلیف دہ ہے اور دوبارہ سوجن ہے اور میں نے اس بلاگ کو ٹائپ کرنے کے لیے جدوجہد کی ہے۔

اپنی تکلیف کے باوجود میں ایک ویبینار میں شرکت کرنے اور PIE کمیونٹی کے ممبران کے بارے میں ویڈیوز ریکارڈ کرنے میں کامیاب ہو گیا جو اس میں شامل ہونے میں دلچسپی کا اظہار کرتے ہیں۔

میں نے کینسر کا عالمی دن 2024 منایا

میں نے Chris Hines MBE کے ساتھ ایک سکول فار سوشل انٹرپرینیور ویبینار میں حصہ لیا۔

اردو میں ترجمہ

Continue Reading →

THRIVE LDN - Great Mental Health Day Webinars January 2024 (English and Urdu)
THRIVE LDN - Great Mental Health Day Webinars January 2024 (English and Urdu)

My sister sent me links to webinars about Great Mental Health Day which took place 26th January 2024.

I am grateful to all the guest speakers and trainers who took time out of their busy schedules to talk about Suicide Prevention, Bereavement and Write to Speak Your Poetry.

Translation in Urdu

میری بہن نے مجھے عظیم دماغی صحت کے دن کے بارے میں ویبینرز کے لنکس بھیجے جو 26 جنوری 2024 کو ہوا تھا۔

میں ان تمام مہمان مقررین اور ٹرینرز کا مشکور ہوں جنہوں نے اپنے مصروف شیڈول میں سے وقت نکال کر خودکشی کی روک تھام، سوگ اور اپنی شاعری لکھنے کے بارے میں بات کی۔


Continue Reading →

January 2024 - Newsletter Video Blog Summary
January 2024 - Newsletter Video Blog Summary

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all my fair trade friends and family around the world.

My right shoulder is still very painful and inflamed again and I have struggled to type this blog.

Despite my pain I managed to attend a webinar and record videos about PIE Community members expressing an interest to join.

I joined a couple of sessions about Mental Health and Suicide Training.

These sessions were organised by THRIVE LDN.

Translation in Urdu

نیا سال مبارک ہو!

دنیا بھر میں میرے تمام منصفانہ تجارتی دوستوں اور اہل خانہ کو نیا سال مبارک ہو۔

میرا دایاں کندھا اب بھی بہت تکلیف دہ ہے اور دوبارہ سوجن ہے اور میں نے اس بلاگ کو ٹائپ کرنے کے لیے جدوجہد کی ہے۔

اپنی تکلیف کے باوجود میں ایک ویبنار میں شرکت کرنے اور کمیونٹی کے ممبران کے بارے میں ویڈیوز ریکارڈ کرنے میں کامیاب ہو گی جو اس میں شامل ہونے میں دلچسپی کا اظہار کرتے ہیں۔

میں دماغی صحت اور خودکشی کی تربیت کے بارے میں کچھ سیشنز میں شامل ہوے۔

ان سیشنز کا اہتمام THRIVE LDN نے کیا تھا۔

Continue Reading →

 

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