OS ways and Poor Health

elona

ailz95

I am so sorry for your loss and you must be physically and mentally exhausted. Thank heavens for the hoist etc which gives you independence.

candygirl

Aww I'm so sorry about your Mum Ailz

LameWolf

Ailz I am so sorry for your loss.

pollyanna_26 wrote: »

I read Day 11- a monologue and found it helpful . Then Listen to your body . I think Wolfy and myself are the worst here when it comes to pacing . Sometimes unavoidable but in my case I try to catch up on stuff when there's nowhere we need to go instead of having a bit of rest and recovery .

You're not wrong there, Polly. I've never yet gotten the hang of pacing. Now Mr Wolf's been told to "pace himself", too.:( And of course we are now each others' sole Carers. I've told him he's in charge of monitoring the spoons for both of us!

Actually I only realised this morning, even before I became so poorly, back in the 1980's I used to literally keep going til I dropped. I was married to the [STRIKE]lazy good-for-nothing wotnot[/STRIKE] Ex at the time, so everything fell to me - housework, shopping, cooking, gardening - even though I was working full time, and I can recall many occasions I would go outside to dig the garden, and continue and continue and continue, until my legs were shaking so much that I had to use the garden fork to support my weight, as opposed to actually digging with it. :eek: So..... Pacing? Forget it!!!

Tink_04

Wow so much to catch up on!

I hope everyone is ok! It's has been half term week and we have as usual been full of busy.
It has been nice to have the kids off for the week and the weather has been really mild.

I have been a bit all over the place since the beginning of the year but feel I'm picking up a bit and getting stronger each day (ok not every day yet) I have been on a behaviour activation cousre and it's really helped. It has given me lots to think about and made me look at how I tackle certain aspects of my life.

We are busy getting some work done to the house so everything is all over and workmen are in and out, it will be worth it when it finished tho. I'm really looking forward to getting out in the garden, I think having a project and things to plan are helping me.

We have booked to take the kids away to the caravan this year again too. I'd love to go abroad but think the money is a push this year again. They don't mind as we have lots of things they can do and just love spending the time together. We have decided no birthday parties this year either as we have too much to pay out this year with the house and I'm still not back to work.

My shopping and meal planning has been going well and I feel a little bit more in control rather than everything spiralling.

Off to catch up properly! Lovely to see some of you back and some new faces too!

Tink xx

Tink_04

Hey!

Just popping in to see how everyone is doing.
I've been quite busy! I've arranged to go back to work next month and have sorted my phases return out so I'm hoping this helps easy me back in as I've been off for a while.

The house is getting there - all the messy work has been done so I feel a bit better and can relax in it. I hate getting work done but it's a nesessity!

DD was off school today so had a rare day in the house just us - I baked cookies with what ingredients we had in and everyone loved them. I'm really pleased as big a great baker but was a simple oat cookie recipe. I just bunged them in the oven while I was cooking the jacket potatoes for tea.

I'm getting better at cooking - shopping and planning our meals too! I really struggled for a while but feel I have more control and I'm actually back to making lists! This is huge as allows me to control my days and not hide away feeling overwhelmed.

I hope everyone is ok and managing well - loving seeing new people on the thread too :j

Take care - Tink

maddiemay

Hi all, things ticking over O.K. here, had so much family stuff going on since Christmas, much resolving itself, some ongoing. I had what I thought was a mild cold/virus thing in January, the symptoms were indeed very mild, but it knocked me for six and drained all my energy for quite a few weeks, felt very low too, which is unusual for me.

For the last 2/3 weeks my energy levels have been much better and like you Tink I have been more organised and am doing quite a lot of baking and preparing more varied and tasty meals:D

At my February check up with the immunologist I was told that my levels were good, no change in meds for the time being.

I completely agree with comments about pacing oneself, something which is very much a work in progress and an apt term would be "could do better":rotfl:

Hugs and spoons a plenty.

MM

Prinzessilein

Morning all!

Pacing is NOT easy!...And when you DO try and pace yourself life throws all sorts of stuff at you that needs to be done by yesterday so all your good ideas go out of the window!

Actually, I WILL be taking a short, enforced, rest in a week or so....the appointment for my lump-removal has finally come through...all things being well it will be day surgery followed by recovery at home...the specialist is 'fairly certain' the lump is 'nothing to worry about' - but it is a little large and may well require a slightly deeper incision, still I am just grateful that I will be rid of it in a couple of weeks (I can feel it 'pulling' and it gives a nagging ache)

The freezer is getting depleted...so that means finding the energy to do a spot of batch cooking.

With the weather getting warmer (ever so slightly!!) it is time to start thinking about getting 'Spring' clothes out of the cases and putting away the 'Winter' ones...sadly this means that my burgundy cords will probably be washed and put in the 'Charity' bag...they are so loose that I can't jiggle the hips too much or they fall down...but they are SO comfy-soft and a lovely shade of red!

Supportive hugs to all!

maddiemay

Prinzessilein I just read your post on another thread and was reminded that I had meant to congratulate you on your weight loss and enquire if you managed to have a successful little buying spree?

I am having a "me day" today, OH is going cycling and I will shower, hair wash and style, do a face mask, perhaps paint my finger and toenails, do a paraffin bath on my hands, knit, read, make something easy for supper. All the above are negotiable except for the shower and hair wash and the supper, I fully intend to do as the mood takes me and that might even involve watching James Martin on TV:D
Many hugs and spoons. x

mothernerd

I introduced myself and then went awol, sorry. I have been having a challenging few weeks. The sprained ankle has not 'resolved' iteself within the alloted six week time frame so still strapping it up and using mum's spare walker to go and carry shopping (as much as possible being delivered).

Mum is still not fully recovered from the bug but is bright enough to remember all the things she wants doing (not in a particularly rational or in order of importance). She only has to think of these things, not actually do them and the random orders and obsessions have been driving me crazy.

I'm into week 5 of the bug from hell (technically starting week 6 as I started on a Saturday) my house is a disaster zone and am getting to the sitting on the floor and crying stage (I refuse to feel sorry for myself and hardly ever cry - it's a bit like not throwing plates when you are mad because you will be the one who has to go and sweep it up later) so gave in and went to see the doctor.

He had a student nurse and someone who will be working in the walk-in centre with him, so everyone got to play with me. Had a throat swab, visit to the vampires for bloods and a chest x-ray (bought breakfast and lunch from the 'friends' cafe and a hot chocolate - not allowed but just what I wanted/ needed - as had drunk the water and diet coke I had taken with me) and a prescription for tamiflu and a warning that if I did not get better, I had to go to hospital.

So every incentive to get better. Got mum's prescription but mine had to be ordered. Picked them up yesterday morning (persuaded the driver to wait for me, then take me to mum's) and they do seem to be helping. The sleep is wonderful. Still being woken by my own coughing but lovely warm deep sleep for the first time in weeks (have been sleeping half sat up and curled to one side just to get any sleep).

House is a tip. Occupational therapist visited a month ago and basically the house is a trip hazard, possible fire hazard and maybe health hazard (mould patches from roof repairs that still need doing not rats or anything). Sorry but having been reading up on definitions of hoarders (american ones I suspect) and they seem to involve escalating quantities of disorder and quantities of out of control animals.

OT can probably give me things that help but house is too full so the hazards would increase. I have had a man and van to take away some items (including the bed head and foot boards hidden under my bed) and I've been chipping away at rubbish, recycling, charity donations and now putting small diy items (leftovers from some work done 3 years ago and saved for Justin) into the newly acquired space in the backyard (rolled and covered mattress was the biggest thing out there).

THe OT also found a cleaning service (no cash help but she might be able to negotiate a deal) and that was also slightly reassuring. The thorough spring clean covers all the things like windows, sills, light switches, inside cupboards and all appliances (except inside the oven) - all the things I have been saving for a 'good' day and then suddenly realised I'm not going to get back to where I can do those things unless I spend all day on one small thing and am inventive with what I use to do it. Think I also need a few hours of 'special help' (not a hoarder just too many things in a small house and 2 supposed adults who are more hindrance than help and avid 'collectors' too).

In addition to the bug, sprained ankles, long-term health issues, I have the 'lurching dizziness' (slight dizziness is a side effect of one of the pills but occasionally it's really bad - last week I had to sit down again every time I got out of bed and keep having to stop and hold onto convenient lamp-posts or walls), and I tipped my chair over and fell on the floor (got myself up).

So chipping away at the general mess and my own stuff (ruthless head on) and being passive aggressive with their stuff - washed lots of bags for life and am sorting into labelled bags 'DS3 clean clothes', 'Beloved clean clothes', 'their bedding', 'dark washing', 'light washing' plus stuff to be donated and all the usual recycling categories. Recycling goes to relevant bins and their stuff (in bags) will be deposited inside 'their' room (mostly Beloved's room as DS3 sleeps on the spare bed downstairs when he takes a break from working on the computer - self-employed, making more money than me but not enough to be independent).

Promised myself the 'one-time cleaners' but waiting to negotiate DS3 paying for it - I did raise the possibility of him cleaning the windows and some of the other jobs I can no longer do, he might prefer to pay.

Today I am grateful for lovely sunshine, a fresh breeze and good books. Not planning to do much (would love a bath if I can summon the energy to get out of it again without asking for help). Best wishes with the lumpectomy and a good recovery.

Tink_04

Hope things start improving soon for you mothernerd!

I find filling a charity bag & a rubbish bag once a week really helps clear the clutter. It also makes you think about what you need and use.

I also have a cleaner who comes once a fortnight to do the big jobs I can't manage. These small changes really help chip away at the madness.

Tink