Twenty Questions With – Kerry Thompson

I know I say this all the time, but I really can’t believe it’s late March! I’ve been a bit quiet of late, finding a new crafting obsession that I’ll fill you in on in the next If We Were Having Coffee instalment.

This month I would like to introduce you to Kerry. Toilet queen, disability campaigner and blogger over at My Life Kerry’s Way.

My Questions/Kerry’s Answers

1. What made you decide to write a blog?

I thought about starting a blog for a while but kept talking myself out of it, thinking who’s really going to want to read what I have to say – when I finally put my big girls wheels on it started as kind of a free therapy session, a way for me to express what it’s like living with Muscular Dystrophy a progressive muscle weakening condition and societies attitudes towards disabled people.

And My life Kerry’s Way was born and found it’s little space in the blogging world. The first few years were very mishmash, I didn’t really know what I was doing had no confidence In myself and was always scared what ever I was writing would upset anyone, so I was very much writing on eggshells, it wasn’t until I really found my voice and stopped worrying about others I knew what path I wanted to go down, is when my passion started to flow.

2. What do you want your blog to achieve?

From what started as a free therapy session and somewhere I could document my life as an adult living with a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy by sharing my life experiences, has given me the platform to be able to help others and give advice. It’s everything when readers get in touch or start talking about subjects I have written about they wouldn’t ordinarily talk about. Knowing that I have helped them find the confidence to speak out or go out in their wheelchair or start campaigning.

Although it started as a hobby, it has given me so much more from the opportunities that my blog has given me. I am now a freelance writer and published writer, becoming an ambassador and working alongside companies like Tesco building 100 changing Places toilets. I hope I can continue raising awareness of life as a wheelchair user, as well as living with Muscular Dystrophy – helping others by sharing my experiences and advice.

3. What is the most difficult thing for you about having a disability?

Battling with my body can be extremely hard mentally, going from being able to do everything myself to now relying on others for everything from personal care to getting out of bed and dressed just to start the day. But also not being seen as a human being, everyone sees my disability and wheelchair before they see me living in a world that’s not always accessible.

4. What is the biggest positive about having a disability?

The disabled community is an incredible place to belong – I have met some incredible people whether it’s through my blog or fellow disabled bloggers and the muscular dystrophy world, I have made amazing lifelong friends I am internally grateful for.

5. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?

Paella, paella, paella did I say I love paella…. Yummy!!

6. An apocalypse is imminent, you have 30 minutes to prepare, what 3 items do you pack?

My fluffy purple blanket, pocket knife, water.

7. When making tea would you pour the milk or water in first?

I haven’t had a cup of tea in years but if I did water of course, what crazy person puts milk in first!!  

8. What is your favourite way to relax?

Relax?? what crazy word is this… only joking I love nothing more than a good movie or box set but sometimes funnily I also find writing relaxing, getting Alexa to serenade me In the background and just write!

9. If you could interview any human, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you ask?

Ooh good question, hmm just one then probably then Mary Queen of Scots the tales and stories that aren’t in the history books.

10. What would be your dream job?

Horses/farm – having my own working yard.

11. You’ve just won 10 million pounds (congratulations!), what 3 things would you do with the money?

Land to build my own accessible forever home with a yard of course.

Make sure my family are ok and donate a sum to different charities.

12. Where in the world would you most like to visit and why?

That dream of travelling somewhere anywhere right now other than home….but New Zealand I have always wanted to see the land where adventures await.

13. What one thing would you change about yourself?

That’s a hard one because as much as I would love to say absolutely nothing I’m perfect I know I’m far from, I can be very hard on myself at times which I like to ease off sometimes but easier said than done. I’m a pisces so super sensitive and a total big baby at times lol.

14. If you could play any part in a film, past or future, real or fiction, who would you be?

Captain marvel (total badass)

15. If there was a pill that would freeze you at your current age and you could live forever as you are now, would you take it? And why?

In all honesty I don’t know because as much as I would like to see what the future would be like I don’t know if I could do it alone with my partner or family and friends.

16. If you could trade lives with one person for an entire day who would it be and why?

The queen to be able to wander the halls of the palace and the castles to find all the secret passages, read all the secret books and letters to breathe in all the history around me. I’m such a Royal nerd!

17. If you could time travel, where would you go?

Ooh i’d love to go back to the roaring 20s or the Tudor times.

18. If you were made Queen and allowed to pass one new law, what would it be, and why?

As a huge royalist geek, oh I’m queen!! – firstly wearing the crown as I’m making a law for diversity and equality, making a world where accessibility and inclusion for all.

19. What personal trait has gotten you in the most trouble?

I can be a little bit of a control freak. When you don’t have much control over your life because your body doesn’t want to do what you wanted to do, and when you rely on others to help, you want things in a particular way so sometimes it can get frustrating and it comes out from my mouth!!

20. As a child, what did you wish to become when you grew up?

Show jumper

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Thank you to Kerry for an honest and entertaining interview. All I can see now is you donning the Queens crown and ordering ‘let there be access!’

I agree with you, when you have so little control of what you or you body can do, it can make the smallest of things seem really important that they are done correctly.

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My name is Kerry Thompson and I live in the land of the concrete cows and roundabouts Milton Keynes with my husband and my little grumpy fur baby Skye (cat). I have a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy FHL1 Gene Mutation and I’m a full-time power wheelchair user. I’m the founder and writer behind My life Kerry’s way, disability and lifestyle blog. I have a passion for campaigning for disabled people’s rights which I’ve been extremely lucky to be a Multi award-winner and named on the shaws trust power100 list. I love what I do, but when I’m not blogging or trying to change the world, you will typically find me enjoying a great box set or Marvel movie – being with friends (when we’re been let out of grounding!).

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You can read more of Kerry’s thoughts and follow her campaigning for disability rights at her blog My Life Kerry’s Way, over at Twitter and Facebook.

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If you’ve enjoyed this interview, check out the rest of my Twenty Questions series.