Some of my Favourite Presents from Christmas 2014

Despite the build up to Christmas this year feeling really weird and the lack of festive spirit, the day itself was very enjoyable. I had a lovely day with my family and felt thoroughly spoilt. Here are some of my favourite presents...

This See by Chloe shift dress is such a classic and monochrome palette and white collar are very me. I can see me wearing this for a variety of occasions for years to come

I dropped hints to my boyfriend about Daisy Dream and Si for the past couple of months as they are my favourite perfumes this year but my mum and stepdad also got me Laura Mercier Eau Fraiche Verbena Infusion which I also love. It's very clean and has citrus top notes which fade to a soap like scent as the fragrance wears off

Benefit is one of my favourite make up brands so my mum and stepdad treated me to a few products to see me through the year. Sun beam brightens up my pale winter face and hides the signs of what I've been through over the past month so I plan to use this or high beam, which is included in the 'Bright Thing' set almost everyday. Smokin eyes has everything you need to create the perfect smokey eye and is also great for brows and California kissin tastes fresh and minty but also makes your teeth look whiter. Watch out Towie cast! 

I also received some other lovely presents including Lush gift sets which will see me through to spring at least, PJs, underwear, candles and more so I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful. My headaches are slowly disappearing but I still tire easily and often feel pressure in my head, neck and ears. I ventured out to Nandos yesterday but it was quite bright and loud so I imagine it'll be a while before I can go out to noisy, bright, busy places such as bars but I do hope to go out for a couple of meals in January. Not being able to get dressed up is so frustrating! 

FOMO Overload

Up until November this year I was the kind of person who filled up her social calendar months in advance with only the odd day or half day spare to relax. I was always on the go and running around at a thousand miles an hour between work, the gym, brand events, nights out, my boyfriend's house and home aswell as visiting family and friends when I could squeeze the time in. I used to complain that I didn't have enough time to fit everything in, joked that I needed a PA and often felt run down, stressed and on the verge of a nervous breakdown but the chaos that surrounded me was less scary than the thought of the silence without it. I always made an effort to attend any events organised by friends and acquaintances whether it was a birthday, engagement or wedding celebration or just a catch up meal or a few drinks as the thought of missing out was too much to take. Of course sometimes when things got too much or my regular headaches I was having got the better of me I would have to cancel on people which I hated doing as I don't want to let people down and I would feel really disappointed for missing out on a good night out and an opportunity to get glammed up.(which I also love)

Then on 30th November everything changed when I was rudely awoken by a pounding headache behind my eye and around the back of my head. The pain was as if a screw was being hammered into my forehead and was so bad that I couldn't do anything other than lay in bed. I tried a variety of drugs including ones that had gotten rid of the migraines I was having a year ago but nothing provided any relief, not even the tablets that the doctor prescribed to me at my emergency appointment on 1st  December. It got to 3rd December and there was still no improvement but luckily I had a doctors appointment booked for something else on that day so discussed how I was feeling with the GP who asked me some questions. It was during these questions that I had a seizure which then happened again later that day in hospital in front of a neurologist so I was admitted to hospital for 2 days and had the relevant tests and scans. We discovered that I have a blood clots in the veins that pass the blood out of the brain and I was immediately put on blood thinning medication to stop further clots from forming. My body will disperse the clots but it can be a very slow process and I should know more after my scan on 8th January. I haven't felt like myself since and still get headaches, although nowhere near as severe. I can't spend much time on the computer so I can't go to work and haven't been blogging or going anywhere other than hospital appointments, my boyfriends house or to visit family who live locally. 

I feel like it's ruined my favourite time of year as I can't go out with my friends and can't even have a drink at home as it messes with my medication. Loud places with flashing lights could trigger my seizures and busy places are also a bad idea so my Christmas spirit is severely lacking this year but my FOMO is in overdrive. I miss getting dressed up in glitter and sequins, seeing people I haven't seen for years and being full of the joys of Christmas (and alcoholic) spirit. I suppose I'll just have to make up for it in 2015