I’m lying by the pool with the Spanish sun soaking into my body. Fran and I arrived in Mallorca yesterday and we’re here for a week of total rest – writing blog posts is the only work-related activity permitted and even that’s carefully supervised by Fran to make sure I don’t overdo it.

The hotel is lovely, and super accessible. We’ve chosen to go all-inclusive so everything’s taken care of, from our food to our airport transfers. This means I can concentrate on taking it really easy, and Fran doesn’t have to manage lots of logistical issues and can just take care of my support (as well as getting a bit of a holiday herself!).

A week’s quite a long time to be away with just one PA, and there are loads of people I wouldn’t do this with, but Fran and I have been friends for a long time and she’s been supporting me on and off from when I first needed it.

We left the UK in the early hours of this morning and arrived just in time for lunch. The choice of food is amazing, and so far it’s all been delicious. I was very excited to discover that there’s even a slushie machine, and you can have as much as you like. It’s a good job twelve-year-old me isn’t here or I’m sure the machine would be run dry!

I’m totally happy and relaxed despite my chronic pain. Lying in the sun, next to a pool, slushie in hand, with one of my closest friends, certainly feels like living the dream.