When Katie Hammond picks up her paintbrush, it soothes her soul like nothing else.
Art hasn’t just been a fun hobby for the 30-year-old from Kingswells, it has been a powerful source of therapy as she navigates daily life with chronic illnesses.
Determined not to come across as ‘complaining’, Katie, a full-time artist, has bravely opened up about her experiences with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) in bid to raise awareness of the debilitating conditions.
“They’re both quite misunderstood illnesses so it’s good to give people an insight into them and it could also help other people,” says Katie.
“I also want to celebrate the therapeutic nature of painting and share the dream-like moments that being outside brings to us if we slow down and take time to notice them.”
Art has always been Katie’s happy place…
Happy, healthy and blessed with a natural flair for art, Katie was never without a paintbrush in her hand when she was growing up.
“Since when I was in nursery, I’ve loved being creative and I always knew that I wanted to do something with art,” says Katie.
“My dad Mark is very modest but he used to do the most beautiful watercolour landscape paintings so I used to love sitting next to him, painting away – it was just the best.”
Glandular fever is when Katie’s health issues began
But life changed for Katie as a teenager when she developed glandular fever, a viral infection which is common in young people.
“After I had glandular fever I was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME),” says Katie.
“I was 14 at the time and I was often too unwell to go to school.”
Described as a complex and chronic medical condition that affects multiple body systems, ME often develops after an acute viral or bacterial infection from which people seem unable to fully recover.
‘ME is so much more than tiredness’
Although the most common symptom is extreme tiredness, it can cause many different symptoms, which can be triggered or worsened by any kind of effort or activity.
“It makes me extremely fatigued but ME isn’t just being tired as there’s a whole host of symptoms,” says Katie.
“I also experience joint and muscle pain, chronic migraines, weakness, brain fog, concentration issues and stomach issues.
“I also have joint hypermobility which causes more pain and is quite often linked to ME.
“So there’s a lot more to chronic fatigue syndrome to tiredness.
“There’s still not enough known and understood about it.”
The therapeutic nature of painting
Throughout these dark and difficult times, Katie says art was like a shining and soothing light.
“I get completely lost in the process,” says Katie.
“Escaping into a painty world, trying to capture dreamy moments in nature is incredibly soothing.”
Despite her health battles, nothing was going to stand in the way of Katie’s dream of becoming an artist.
“After school, I did a year at college before going to Gray’s School of Art at Robert Gordon University,” says Katie.
“When I was at art school it was a struggle but I shared an art studio with my two very close friends, so that really helped.”
Diagnosed with PoTS, a life altering condition…
Since graduating in 2017, Katie has carved out a successful career as an artist but has endured further health challenges.
“I was very unwell during the Covid lockdowns and I was diagnosed with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS),” says Katie.
“I think it’s something I’ve had from a young age but its only been diagnosed in the past few years.”
Described as a life altering and debilitating health condition, PoTS is when your heart rate increases very quickly after getting up from sitting or lying down, often making you feel dizzy or lightheaded.
So what causes PoTS?
It’s not clear what causes Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) but you may be more likely to get PoTS if you have long Covid, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) or joint hypermobility syndrome.
“To diagnose PoTS, I had to go to the cardiology department at the hospital to get a tilt table test,” says Katie.
“Basically you’re strapped onto a table and they tilt you up until you’re standing while they assess your symptoms.”
‘Sitting upright was quite scary’
For Katie, PoTS had a huge impact on her life and at times left her having to use a wheelchair.
“Standing on the spot in a queue or whatever can make me feel trembly and very faint,” says Katie.
“Just sitting upright was quite scary as it made me feel really faint.
“It also causes palpitations, so my pulse was really high.”
Alarmingly for Katie, her legs also changed colour.
“My legs would go purple and tight,” says Katie.
“As well as that I would also get a horrible unwell feeling in the pit of my stomach.”
How is PoTS treated?
Although there’s no cure for PoTS, it can be managed with changes to your lifestyle, or treatment with medicines.
“It’s a bit more manageable now that I’m on medication but it’s still quite difficult every day,” says Katie.
“At one point I wasn’t able to do anything and I was using a wheelchair for a while so luckily I can do a bit more now.”
‘I take each day at a time’
Together with medication, Katie also uses compression garments to help with the circulation in her legs and has made other recommended changes to her lifestyle.
“The difficult thing with PoTS is that they quite often recommend exercise for it but with ME, exercise can exacerbate symptoms so it’s about finding a balance,” says Katie.
“It’s also recommended that you take salt in your food and drink a lot of water so I do try and do that but it doesn’t always help.”
Today Katie is in a better place but she still has to take each day at a time.
“I’m doing a little bit better now,” she says.
“But I do have to try to pace myself carefully and not overdo it because if I do too much I can be very unwell for a few days afterwards.”
The therapeutic power of art
During all the ups and downs, art has been a constant form of cathartic for Katie.
“When I was really ill I wasn’t able to do much of it,” says Katie.
“But when I have been able to its been a massive help.
“I paint using a lot of different mixed media materials so I use encaustic wax blocks that are melted onto an iron and then I drop it onto the surface.
“It’s a very soothing and relaxing process as I can play and puddle about with all the pretty colours to my heart’s content.
“After that I use oils, resins and powdered pigments that are all mixed in to add layers and depth.”
Living life at a slower pace…
Being forced to slow down and live life at a slower pace has actually helped Katie with her artistic process.
“It is through living with these limitations that I am even more appreciative of time spent in nature, being still – taking it all in,” says Katie.
“A lot of the inspiration for my work is from photos we’ve taken from local gardens around Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
“So the paintings are a celebration of the fact that I’m able to be there and enjoy nature.”
‘I found the love of my life through art’…
Katie’s artwork also led her to find her soulmate David.
“David visited my studio after my lovely grandad put some flyers through doors in his street,” says Katie.
“He bought a painting and when he came back to collect it he asked me if I would like to come for a cuppa and to see the painting in its new home.
“We have been together ever since and we are getting married next year.
“I can’t wait.”
Asked what advice she would give anyone else who is going through similar health struggles, Katie says: “Go easy on yourself and pace yourself.
“Don’t push through it because it makes things more difficult.”
For more information on PoTS, check out the website potsuk.org and for support and advice about ME go to the website meassociation.org.uk or check out the Facebook support group Fibromyalgia and CFS/ME Support group UK.
And for more information about Katie’s artwork, go to her website hpaintykt.com or her Instagram page @paintykt
Conversation