my life went a long unexpected journey. when i was a kid, i wanted to be an artist or writer when i grew up, my mother wanted me to work with children. I had a very happy home & childhood.

I had two quick marriages. the first to an Irish hippie - I walked out with a nine month old baby girl. The second to a very controlling man, abusive. two more children, and i experienced a form of grand mal epilepsy - temporal lobe epilepsy, while i was pregnant with the second. I refused to take any medication for this, as I was pregnant, they said it would be okay, years later it was shown it would have damaged the baby. He walked out when she was three months old, and went to live in another country with a friend of mine, leaving me and the kids without any support.

The epilepsy had damaged my memory severely, luckily I had some lovely friends who helped me get by, but I was mentally limited and challenged for around three years after that. I was told by one doctor that if I was not careful I could spend the rest of my life in an asylum.

yes, the brain is an amazing thing and I healed, but will tell the sceptics the truth, I was healed, in a miraculous way. anyone who wants to know, I will pm the details.

I then went on to rebuild my life, fought off a challenge for the kids from my ex, when he came back to the country, got work as a cartoonist and illustrator for a few years, and then ended up working initially voluntarily with prisoners and the homeless. I got into a new relationship with a talented blues musician, he helped me bring up the kids and is a kind and wonderful person. Our relationship progressed to supportive friendship after 14 years, he lives next door and we have joint custody of the cat. I did paid work as a social welfare worker in the area of housing. I did some legal work for the housing organisation i worked for, this gave me the skills to talk my way into a job working interviewing and assessing asylum seeker applications for ten years, under the UN Convention for Refugees.

I was told that my superiors in Canberra had the highest opinion of my decisions and my intellect. I put this in, not because I'm boasting, but to give hope to anyone who has had their mind or memory damaged by illness - don't give up, you can heal, and contribute something. I have not told anyone at work about my previous illness and memory problems, people use these things against you in a very competitive environment. And nobody has noticed, however, I always take a lot of notes in any job I have, just in case.

I now work writing briefs on a number of sensitive matters including the Jewish community and the Middle East for a government minister. I am valued in this workplace as well.

Seven years ago I left blues for the music I loved in my teens - folk, and have never looked back.