Hey there, been a moment since my last blog post huh?

Well I would love to say that it is because I have been so busy coding 24/7 but sadly it isn’t. If you follow me on social media then you know I have multiple chronic illness’s. I don’t speak out about them in detail very much as I don’t like to dwell. But it was suggested that I speak out at least once on behalf of the many of us chronic illness warriors who stay silent but still keep going quietly on trying to make something epic out of a not so epic situation.

I hope this can inspire others with chronic illness to learn to code.

Sadly these can leave me struggling some days just to function. But I want to list some of the ways the above actually effects my tech journey & how I am overcoming them. Hopefully this post can help someone else who maybe feels they can’t learn to code because of their health.

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Memory

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This is probably one of the most annoying aspects of my health. I have a really bad memory. My recall is horrendous & my short term memory is like a 90 year old. I seriously can’t even remember what I had for breakfast by 10am! Memory is important in programming. There is a lot of things to remember but sadly it can be really easy to get caught in the trap that I did of not knowing what it is you need to remember.

Syntax…this is not a nessecity to remember. If you have a great memory then awesome for you & go ahead & fill it. But for those like me, syntax will become a habit. Along with most IDE’s also having autocomplete & of course handy google helping us out when we forget things. I used to think Syntax was something I needed to memorise like a dictionary. This did not help my first part of my journey, I got so wrapped up in that frustration.

Instead what you need to not just memorise but practice with/get to grips with is the logic of programming. The true essence of programming…the science of it. Once you understand how arrays work for instance…not the syntax to create them but the knowledge of how they contain data in memory, how you can access them etc. This kind of thing is what we need to concentrate on.

If you are someone with memory problems I want to say to you, you can do this! I have so many notebooks that have notes from lectures & teachings & then the notebook that guides me the best, the one where the logic has clicked in my head finally, & in my own words I write it down, how I understand it in my own neurodivergent brain. This can really help. The brain is an amazing thing & given enough time, the logic of programming will become less of a memory thing & more of a habit that your brain just knows without you trying. My best tips for you are:

• Writing things down to go over later
• Taking breaks, short 5 minute breaks can really help
• Keep fuelled, the brain needs (healthy) food to work like any muscle
• Puzzles, brain trainings etc, anything that can use the brain will help it along the line
• Relaxing, however you relax, whether it be crafting, meditating etc. Your brain also needs to decompress after a workout of programming.
• Sticky notes – write down those genius moments that click in your head
• Don’t focus on the things that don’t need to be memorised

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Joint Pain

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Sadly I get a lot of pain in my body from my EDS. For those unaware, EDS(hypermobility version) is to do with our connective tissues & our ligaments are actually longer than our bones (they are not supposed to be) so we get “growing pains”. We basically cannot stretch properly without popping bones out of sockets. Because of all that goes with it we get a lot of pain. Sadly we are also really prone to injury. I have found this out the hard way when learning to program.

I don’t think when it comes to this particular issue a one solution can fit all, but I can share my experiences. I began programming with an Apple Magic Keyboard & Apple Magic Mouse as my gear of choice. These are not ergonomic for long days programming. Finger pain, joint pain & severe wrist sprains were what came next. I tried the Apple Trackpad next, that made things a whole lot worse & I ended up on rest not being able to program because I couldn’t use my lower arms well without excruciating pain.

So I went googling & googling & found that mechanical keyboards are actually more ergonomic because of the soft touch. We don’t have to use nearly as much muscle to press the keys down as they are so tactile. I can confirm this to be very true & will never not choose a mechanical keyboard again. A wrist rest is also recommended but sadly for my problems this made the pain worse. One of my biggest yay’s for purchasing was a vertical mouse! I really cannot recommend these enough. With a vertical mouse & a mechanical keyboard I haven’t had any wrist or harsh finger pain since. I do still get finger ache but hey, I type a lot with chronic illness’s, you can’t have it all. So my top tips are:

• Invest in a tactile mechanical keyboard (my favourite one is: ADD LINK)
• Get a vertical mouse (confirmed latex free one here ADD LINK sadly logic use latex in their products nowadays)
• Physio, if you get pain, see a doctor or physio to determine what the issue is, from there work on a exercise plan for building the right muscles & stretching the right muscles to help down the line.
• Take breaks, Every half hour or so I will do a little stretch (also good for the eyes)
• Look up for your office arrangement & desk space to slowly become as ergonomic as it can become for you.

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Sitting

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Now I know what you’re thinking…simple fix, get a standing desk! Not so fast. Standing desks are a lovely thing, but a) they are damn pricey in this climate & b) if you have joint pain & EDS your ankles will suffer greatly! (I have tried, so can actually say this from experience) So I have a couple of workarounds that hopefully might work for some of you.

• Invest in a gaming style chair for your desk. Yes they are pricey, but they are worth it. I got a cheaper model around £80 & it was a vast improvement. If you have the $ then get a really good brand name one.
• Cushions…there are so many cushions available based on your specific issues. The ones that are supposed to help my back issues actually cause great pain so I recommend making sure you can return after trying out as it has taken me many a cushion to find one that works.
• Back support – there are multiple ways to support your back. I do recommend the types of back supports you can wear that help you to sit up straight & indeed in the long run, train your back for good posture. This will be so worth it after many years of programming. Ideally your chair is ergonomic & has some for of arch/back support, but I understand some do not. So I can suggest rolling up a towel or blanket & tying it to the back of your chair as a workaround. Just make sure it is comfy & not aggravating any issues you may have.
• Get a foot rest. These are relatively cheap. I didn’t see the need for one, until I got one. They really do help you sit with a relaxed feeling yet with good posture. If your knees are off angle, it can greatly increase the pressure on your back & make sitting very uncomfortable.
• Take breaks & physio it out. A bit obvious but still. Try to take breaks at least hourly. Even just get up, stand at your desk & do some hip circles if you can’t actively walk around for a minute. This can greatly improve the blood flow to your hips & back as well as activating all the right parts for when you return to sitting.

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Concentration

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Brain fog is something most people have heard of. But a lot of people don’t really understand it. It isn’t a lack of concentration. They are often used interchangeably, but are beyond words of how different they are. But still I shall try to use words to describe it. Brain fog is quite literally like a fog in your brain. Imagine an early morning, fog all down the street & you can barely see the length of your arm if you hold it out. This is truly what it is like but with your brain.

You try to concentrate but you can’t see the words in front of you. You try to think, but that thought is just 1cm longer than that arm you can’t see in the fog. You try to speak, but the motion of your mouth & the brain connection is like wifi in a storm…intermittent at best. It can also cause eye symptoms, fatigue, migraines & a host of other things, but that is besides the point. How do we write code & think logically when we can’t even speak a sentence or work on a simple day to day task.

Well I have to admit, some days there just isn’t fix other than rest. There is no “going through it”. Believe me I have tried & lost a week instead of a day to it. But some days are worse than others & some days we can help kick start our brain.

• Avoid stress. Avoiding all triggers together is a help but stress of any kind will only make things worse. To help our brains we need to feel safe & relaxed before we can try to jump start it so to speak.
• Try a cat nap. A small 5-15 minute nap can really help reduce eye fatigue, relax the head & neck muscles & leave you feeling more refreshed.
• Eat & Drink. Your brain needs fuel. More so on these days. Make sure to keep a stock of really healthy snacks that you can munch on all day if you need to. Nothing high sugar. Sugar creates a really nasty environment for brain fog. Same with hydration & I don’t mean coffee. Water is what our bodies need to survive & a lack of this hydration can really make brain fog worse.
• Go for a short small walk in the air. Even just to the end of the road & back. The fresh cool air can really knock the cobwebs away & clear the fog a little.
• Start small. Look at the programming tasks ahead & create the smallest of small version of the task. Overwhelming feelings are super easy to arise with brain fog & creating a simple one step at a time approach can really enable you to get something instead of nothing done & ultimately leave you feeling accomplished even on a bad day.
• Try some music, not the calming type. Something to sing along to. This can activate the brain a little, helping to start the engine up.

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Frustration & Imposter Syndrome

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Frustration & imposter syndrome kind of come hand in hand with learning to code. Honest matter what field of tech you choose to specialise in, it will get you…probably many times. It is completely normal to feel like a superhero one minute and then like a complete idiotic failure the next minute. So imagine having all the above problems on top of a normal person having these frustrations & imposter feelings…it’s a lot!

• Affirmations. Yes I know they are cheesy & can make you feel silly…but they do work. Being kind to yourself is truly the first step. Everyday I start my day with an affirmation that I write in my diary. Start off kind – end the day kind.
• Notes. Take lots of them. They can help you through frustrations if you have taken notes as you have learned but they can also function as a way to get your frustrations out. Write those frustrations down, look at them & then see how you can make those frustrations less frustrating or indeed if it’s to do with bugs…learn from them.
• Talk it out with fellow tech friends. Even via social media if you are people phobic like me. Be honest. Every single person in tech has been here. I guarantee you, they will be understanding & probably have their own advice that helped them.
• Know you are not alone & really focus on that end goal. Truly picture it in your mind. Each frustration, each failure is a lesson. Learn from it & add it to your arsenal of knowledge. It is all preparing you for greatness.
• Create a diary of your progress. This has helped me beyond belief. I often get frustrated with my progress only to look back and realise I have been trying to learn something new for less than 7 days! I personally am a huge fan of the 100 Day’s of Code Journal. Written by a programmer herself. I cannot tell you how this book has helped me keep a track of my process & boosted my imposter syndrome out the door!

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The Time it Takes to Learn

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When you have health problems, it is a fact it is going to be harder, tougher & longer for us to get to the same end point as others. But I am here saying to you, please do not give up. The journey ahead may be long, it may feel overwhelming & it may feel like you are swimming upstream. But that day will come. Each stepping stone, each tutorial, each project will get you a step closer until one day, you are there. You know how to program, you know how to make any app your dreams can think up & you know what, you will be one of the best developers around…because you have true determination, passion, motivation & biggest of all, you have pure grit to have stuck it out.

Being chronically ill is life changing. No one will understand unless they are in the same boat. But to stick with something, through all the adversity we face. I truly believe we are the strongest of all the developers. Taking your time to learn something doesn’t make you stupid. In fact it makes you smart, because whilst it might not feel like it, going over & over things until we can truly understand it & appreciate what we are writing, means that our brains have created somewhat of a muscle memory. Writing code is our second nature because we made it so.

If you too have chronic illness & are thinking of a career in development even if it isn’t my chosen path of iOS development. Don’t ever let anyone or anything stop you. You can do it…just in your own unique way & there is nothing to be proud of.