Living With Chronic Pain – A Personal Update From the Studio
Hi, it's Nicolette here. I wanted to take a moment to share a bit of a personal update – something I’ve been meaning to do for a while, especially for the clients, students, and community who follow my work.
The past six months have been tough. I started the year with a lot of goals, creative projects, and plans in place, but life had other ideas. I've been dealing with chronic pain and a string of medical emergencies that have taken a huge toll on my energy, time, and focus.
I’ve lived with these health issues for years, but they’ve worsened as I’ve gotten older, and this year really pushed me to take my health seriously. I’ve been navigating the complex world of chronic illness, trying to get proper answers and support. That’s meant MRIs (three so far), new specialists, changing my lifestyle, tracking everything I eat, and working closely with a nutritionist to manage my food anxiety. It’s not been easy, but I’m showing up for myself in the ways I can.
One of the biggest shifts has been working with a rheumatologist who actually listens. As someone with multiple complex symptoms, I’ve had my fair share of doctors dismissing my experiences as “bogus” – especially around skin reactions, food sensitivities, and fatigue. So finally connecting with someone who takes me seriously has been a huge step forward. I’m also incredibly grateful for my GP, who continues to advocate for me even when the answers aren’t clear.
To be honest, I’ve felt pretty worn down juggling this with running my studio, support work, freelance design, and teaching. It’s made it harder to stay connected online and in person. But I'm still moving forward, and that's what matters to me.
This is also why I think it’s important to share a bit more openly. As an independent support worker and creative educator, I want clients to know that I bring lived experience with disability, chronic pain, and neurodivergence into everything I do. I understand what it’s like to work around your body’s limitations, to adapt plans, and to still want to create and contribute meaningfully.
To my beautiful friends, family, fur babies, support clients, and students – thank you for being so supportive and understanding. And thank you to art (and let’s be honest, Stardew Valley) for keeping me grounded.
It really does take a village.
If you're looking for disability-aware, person-centred support in Cairns and surrounding areas – whether you're an NDIS participant or someone seeking a more creative approach to care – feel free to get in touch. I offer 1:1 studio-based sessions in Gordonvale that blend creativity, design, and flexibility for where you're at.
I’ll be sharing more again soon – just taking it slow and steady for now.
– Nic
