About Me

If you’re looking for which conditions I actually have you want the page ‘Where I Am Now’.

I am a second year medical student at St George’s University of London with an interest in anaesthetics, emergency medicine and paediatrics. Anything with a little variety I guess. I enjoy writing (I feel like that’s a given seeing as though you’re reading my blog), archery and art. They’re very standard hobbies I know my life is wild enough medically and academically that actually having a little alone time with those 3 things is perfect for me. Although something a little more interesting about me is that I have a neurological condition called Synaesthesia. Let me explain…..

I see letters and numbers in colour. I also see the days of the week and months in colour as well as number lines and timelines in 3D spaces. All of these are variations of Synaethesia – its actually an amazing condition to have. Really beats diabetes.

I grew up believing everyone saw the world in this way, that this was normal and so I would mention it very rarely. Whenever I did, I was asked to test because it sounded like I was hypo. Eventually, when I was about 14 I told my friend that she had a very pretty name, colour wise. She looked at me like I was crazy and speaking a foreign language (in hindsight- I’m not surprised) but my one-to-one career at school sat down next to me and said her daughter and her both had it, although  different variations to me. I honestly couldn’t believe I had this wonderful thing and that not many other people did too.

This is the UK Synaesthesia Association’s explanation – “Synaesthesia is a truly fascinating condition. In its simplest form it is best described as a “union of the senses” whereby two or more of the five senses that are normally experienced separately are involuntarily and automatically joined together. Some synaesthetes experience colour when they hear sounds or read words. Others experience tastes, smells, shapes or touches in almost any combination. These sensations are automatic and cannot be turned on or off. Synaesthesia isn’t a disease or illness and is not at all harmful. In fact, the vast majority of synaesthetes couldn’t imagine life without it.”