It’s been a few weeks since I left hospital and a few days since i got back from being readmitted.
We’re right at the start of my recovery. Things have started to settle down which is nice. The changes have slowed down and life is becoming more consistent again.
Life is going to be different for a while. I am working hard on my physio exercises and hope to be walking again soon, but it will take time.
In the meantime I have to rethink life a little. I have been simplifying things to try and create something more sustainable.
Here are four areas of my life we’re simplifying and how they help my recovery.
One of the biggest changes is a return to 24/7 support. I’m more or less never home alone. This means a return to hybrid living where I sleep wherever support is available. Sleeping at home some nights and at a friends house other night.
This is a huge change, but it’s the only way to do things. I can be home alone for a short period, but with my mobility and energy so limited it’s not very safe and it’s very uncomfortable. This isn’t the first time, we’ve operated this way so we had a routine to fall back on.
I have four nights a week of paid support and the rest is coming from friends. Daytime support is more varied. This should also get easier as lockdown ends.
I can move around, but I am very unstable on my feet. I also flop sideways if I am sitting. One of the things I’m doing to make life easier is staying where I am ‘put’.
If someone is supporting me it’s much easier for them to do so if I stay wherever I was last time they interacted with me.
Staying put also simplifies my options. It reduces the amount of things I can do and makes it easier for me to choose. I am often very muddled, so keeping it simple makes the day flow smoother.
In general I am moving between the three safe places in my flat. They are my bed, my desk chair or the buggy. I don’t feel very comfortable in open spaces at the moment.
I use the bed for sleeping and resting only. My bed is enclosed with a big solid side. We also put a bungee cord across the gap. My bed is very safe and i can’t fall out.
The desk chair was made for me by a friend. It’s made out of the bucket seat from a kit car with a 4 point harness. Clipping myself in is extremely reassuring. The harness holds me back and the shape of the seat holds me up. It’s a really wonderful design. Simple and extremely effective.
Finally I also have a three wheeled adventure buggy. The buggy is extremely comfortable and is very deep. Sitting inside feels very safe. Like the bed I can’t fall out. It’s really good. I’m glad I never got around to donating it!
I will get very bored if I stop working. I enjoy my job a great deal and I want to keep working.
However there’s some types of work I can’t do right now. I either physically can’t do the task or I don’t have enough energy.
We’re rearranged my work so it’s a little simpler. Keeping away from some of the longer running and more complex tasks.
Luckily there’s a whole backlog of simple tasks which have been waiting for my attention so there’s plenty of engaging and enjoyable things for me to do as and when I can.
Last last year I aimed to have at least one adventure a week. Normally a bike ride around a bike park an hour from my home.
I can’t ride a bike at the moment. I also can’t sit in the car and hold myself up for very long. We’re having to find adventure in simpler ways.
Over the weekend we took the buggy to a local park and walked around a lake. It was muddy and fun. Was lovely to spend time with my friends and enjoy nature.
Hopefully we can take the buggy to interesting places. There’s various museums and zoo’s which look like they would work. We’re also interested in visiting different parks in London and walking along the Thames path.
We’re going to try and go out every week. Ensuring I don’t spend more than 7 days in a row without getting a chance to go outside.
Life is really different to how it was a few weeks ago. However life isn’t bad. Just much simpler.
As my recovery progresses I’ll be able to take on more complexity again. Life might be tricky, but it’s still really good.
We have lots to build on but the foundations are robust and I am excited go see where we go from here.
