22 Dec 2011
I have finally completed the last of the Web Applications courses through the Open University! It has been quite a challenge but all the hard work has been worth it. I now just need to wait for the result, which should be released in March. To get a distinction on the Certificate, I need to achieve a distinction on this course. It looks as though the bar has been set! It almost feels as though a major chapter of my life has just ended and the next phase is to concentrate on getting back to work.
15 Sep 2011
Things have been crazy here - in a good way of course! My business ideas are developing nicely and I am in the process of building a network of like-minded professionals. However, my biggest news is that I have been awarded a distinction in my last Open University course. This is very exciting for me because it is Open Source software and development that I am most interested in with respect to my Web Design business. Health permitting, I hope to be in a position to start trading early to mid next year.
13 Jul 2011
I now find myself at the end of the fifth of six courses in Web Application Development. Completing those examinable projects always feels like running a marathon, but I am pleased with what I have submitted. Alongside that I am still in the process of setting-up my Web Design company. Things are going well and I have now completed all the necessary legal documentation.
22 Mar 2011
I have a suntan! Yes, I have just returned home from Tenerife - the first holiday I have enjoyed for over eight years. I see this as a massive turning point in my recovery from M.E.
21 Dec 2010
I have just finished another Open University course - this time in Databases within Web Design. I now have just another two courses to complete before I will gain a Certificate in Web Applications Development. This has been quite a challenge to date and it will be a very proud day when I finally complete it. Oh yes and I now have a two to three month wait before the results for my most recent course are released!
15 Aug 2010
I can't believe how long it has been since I last updated my news! Such a lot has been happening. Most notably, my health continues to improve; I am doing so much more now. Also, I have just signed-up for my next Open University course. This one is about databases within Web Design. The last thing of note is that I have adopted a cat! Well actually, he decided to move in with me - anyone who has cats will understand what I mean. He has been hanging around in my garden for the past month pretty much all day every day. I finally relented and invited him to live with me last Thursday. I have called him George. He's a really handsome boy - take a look at his picture on my interests page.
2 Apr 2010
I have decided on a company name for my Web Design business - Perceptive Designs. Although I am nowhere near well enough to start work, I decided to register the domain name and start to apply some search engine optimisation to a really basic web page (www.perceptivedesigns.co.uk). This way, when I am ready to start the company, it should have secured a high place in search engine rankings.
19 Mar 2010
I got the results for my latest Open University course today (The Server-Side of Application Development) - 77%! I view this as a major achievement because I really struggled with the final project; clearly I didn't need to worry.
14 Feb 2010
The reason that I have been taking the Open University courses in Web Design is that I would like to start my own Web Design company when I am well enough. I have decided that now is a good time to start (very slowly) to build a portfolio of websites so that I can show prospective clients samples of my work. My next course starts in October, so I am hoping to use this time to build websites for small businesses and charities. I will not charge because this will be quite a steep learning curve and also I am nowhere near well enough to work, so it may take me some time to build each website. Hopefully, getting something for free will make people more willing to be patient! I am still only able to do this type of activity when I am feeling well enough. Speaking of which, I am wondering if I will ever have the time and energy to do some more work on my book!
25 Jan 2010
In 2004 I was admitted twice to a Sheffield hospital. On both instances, I suffered appalling abuse and mistreatment at the hands of staff; largely due to their ignorance of M.E. As a result, for the past year, I have been in correspondance with a Complaints Manager who works for the Sheffield Hospitals Trust. I received some excellent news this morning - the Trust has finally approved Nursing Care Guidelines for the treatment of patients with M.E.! These guidelines are now available to the staff of all Sheffield hospitals on the Trust's intranet. Obviously I view this as a huge achievement and I am hopeful that this will prevent a re-occurrence of my disturbing experiences.
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2009
23 Dec 2009
I have decided to redesign my personal website. It was the first website that I built and it is now looking a little substandard. I actually view this as a good thing because it is a reflection of the huge amount that I have learnt since then.
29 Sept 2009
I gave a presentation to Social Services today - basically it was a very similar event to the one that I was involved with last year.
20 June 2009
Today I got the results of my latest Open University course (The Client Side of Application Development) and I got another distinction - 81%! Obviously I am very happy with that - especially since I was feeling so poorly for the majority of the course.
18 May 2009
I am going to be taking part in a Parliamentary Inquiry on the care of M.E. patients in the NHS. I hope that my contribution can help to increase M.E. awareness among medical professionals. I intend to submit my evidence document in the next couple of weeks which will include details of the appalling treatment that I received while staying in a Sheffield hospital.
1 Feb 2009
After an extended period of being very unwell, I started my next Open University course today entitled The Client Side of Web Applications. It lasts for three months and I am quite excited to be studying again!
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2008
19 Sept 2008
The Sheffield M.E. Group runs a Social Services training course once every year for health professionals (social workers, occupational therapists etc). This year, I was invited to give an hour-long presentation, telling the story of how I got M.E. and how my family and I had to fight to get the practical support and medical help I needed. I was pleased with how it went and we had some very positive feedback from the course participants. Hopefully it will prevent other people having to suffer as my family and I did.
17 Aug 2008
I presented my website to the Sheffield M.E. Group management committee yesterday. They liked it and have given it the go-ahead. Today, I have officially launched the new website! I am quite proud of my achievement. Take a look at www.sheffieldmegroup.co.uk.
15 June 2008
I am still writing my book, although progress is slow. Progress is not slow on the Sheffield M.E. Group website, however! I have almost finished the template page design. I can then copy this to produce the other pages of the website. I am now in the process of gathering the text for each page.
10 Apr 2008
I was officially made the Sheffield M.E. Group's webmaster today. In addition to that, they have asked me to redesign their website. I am really excited about this since it is another opportunity for me to practice my Web Design skills!
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2007
30 Dec 2007
I was watching a particularly inspirational programme on the television about life on Earth and decided that I have such an interest in the subject that I would love to write about it. Therefore, I have decided that I am going to write a book! The main topic will be to explore life on Earth and our consciousness from various different points of view: religious, paranormal and scientific. I have no particular timeframe planned. I am just going to write as a hobby when I feel able. I can put the project on hold when I resume my Web Application studies.
4 Aug 2007
I received a letter from the Open University today awarding me a Certificate in IT and Computing. This is a great achievement considering my poor state of health! Apparently, I am now entitled to put CertIT&Comp(open) after my name.
13 May 2007
Today, I was voted to be a Trustee of the Sheffield M.E. Group at their yearly AGM. It will be a joy to give a little back to the charity that has helped me so much.
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