Sunday 20 May 2018

Personal Care

The DP does everything he cleans, changes beds, cooks, sets the fires, just everything.  

As my lung disease progresses I find it more and more difficult to manage my personal care, i.e. washing.  I cannot bend.  I cannot reach my back.  I need the emergency inhaler before bending over the bath to wash my hair.  It would be a step too far for me to ask him to wash me, although he does do my back.

So I am biting the bullet and contacting Social Services.  Not happy.

However I do not need to take deep breaths to paint.



His team won the Bird Race today!  The Grey Partridges just off our garden were seen as they zoomed back to the finishing post, and clinched it.

Always good things to feel and see if you concentrate.  And have a glass of red wine.  Although the tears are not far away.

5 comments:

kjsutcliffe said...

Sending hugs and a little story. My gran needed by personal type help and resisted for as long as possible, then tearfully she reluctantly agreed. After the initial few visits from her help, she realised what a lovely kind lady she had been assigned, they became friends and my gran really enjoyed her visits and company xxxxx

Chris said...

You are so lucky to have such a devoted husband!

DUTA said...

Congratulations to your husband on his team's Bird Race winning !

Look,if you can get some help from Social Security,take it; it could make life easier for both of you.If you don't like the caregiver, you can always replace her with another.Here, the best are considered philipino women as they are trained in their country all there's to know on caregiving. Language also plays a part. For example a person of russian descent will prefer someone who speaks russian, and so on.
Feel well!

Lynn said...

Hi Jill
Having known you for ages in real life these are my thoughts....
Yes it is great to do our own personal care stuff. But when chronic illness strikes we have to see the bigger picture and prioritize. There are many talented and professional care givers to help you out. This will enable you to do the stuff only you can do - brilliant artwork, photography, sea walks, blogging, adding humour to a humourless world etc. This does not mean you will not feel teary to give up a degree of independence. But it will mean you have energy to do the stuff you love.
You have always been strong and feisty... and you still are. Get the help and carry on carrying on, doing the stuff you love.
L.x.

Liz said...

If you're applying for personal help it may help not to contradict yourself - you say "I cannot bend" but then say you bend over the bath to wash your hair. They are adept at finding fault with what you say.
Good luck