You can tell things are bad when the granny slippers appear
So, with usual, convenient timing, my body has decided to remind me that I'm not quite as unbreakable as I might sometimes think. Yesterday, despite still feeling exhausted emotionally and physically from the trip up to Great Ormond Street hospital with all the kids (which I will get round to updating you about I promise), I whizzed around trying to get a bit more order to the house. Things have gone a little wonky since our only remaining carer, who comes in for a few hours a couple of days a week, got ill and I've been juggling things ever since. As I do actually have to sleep at some point, little corners have been cut here and there, and with me having been out for a whole day on Thursday, I spent yesterday permanently on fast forward trying to get a handle on reclaiming the house. I even threw entertaining two extra children for the afternoon into the mix, which was perhaps a touch cocky considering that a few hours later, I broke.
Breaking for me is my body going on strike, not a little strike that I can get through (like the shoddy state of my shoulders from lifting and carrying Dominic everywhere), but in a somebody-has-pulled-the-plug strike that found me curled in a ball, on the sofa, fast asleep a few minutes after all the children were safely in bed. I slept for 12 hours and woke up feeling like I had been run over by a truck that had then reversed and run over me a second time for good measure.
The problem is, that there is no such thing as actually being able to stop, unless there is anyone there to pick up where you left off. I'm enormously grateful that Roger got Dominic up and out of bed this morning, carrying him and his feeding pump downstairs safely. He got him dressed, helped him have a wee, cleaned his teeth and changed his bile bag before changing his feed and resetting the feeding pump. Had this been Monday morning, I would have had to crank the body up enough to safely get through the morning routine no matter what, because there isn't anyone around to do it. Elliot and Lilia can help with a lot, but they are not able to physically move Dominic anywhere, and despite being a super hero, Dominic has yet to learn how to fly. It would of course be sensible to have a back up plan, but as only myself, Roger and the carer (in a limited way) actually knows what to do with Dominic, we have to just keep risking it, and hoping that my body carries on limping along. Considering it took me 9 months to train the second carer we had, who still then needed me to help with most tasks, but had at least just got to the point where she could be left with Dominic for a short while, subsequently quit, I am reluctant to invest so much time and energy again anytime soon. It's too upsetting and unsettling for the children too.
But for now, as I can't really see straight and all the words are merging into one, I am going to try and repair myself a little with a pair of granny slippers, some lovely chocolates sent by my good friend Kate and my favourite film, Moulin Rouge. I can't wait to read this week's blog hop entries. Details of how to enter are below.
Sent from a lovely friend with immaculate timing
Please be sure to check out #specialsaturday on twitter and Facebook where other carers are sharing their experiences to help raise awareness.
Why not join in?
If you would like to join in the blog hop and tell us what your normal is like click on the link below and follow the instructions to add a link to your post. Anything goes, show us a photo, a picture, dust off an old post that talks about any aspect of your normal life. Please link back to this post or duplicate the linky in your post to make sure the entries get as many views as possible. Don't forget to tell us all on twitter using #definenormal and feel free to post your link on my Facebook page once you've linked up!
Last week's amazing entries
Hope you feel better soon. I came down with a nice dose of post viral (and life) fatigue yesterday. There has been a great deal of muttering “just got to get this done” under my breath.
Give yourself some ‘me’ time over the week-end, your body needs a rest – hope you feel better soon and enjoy the chocolates x
Thanks Anne, they were delicious (yes I ate the whole lot with very little help)
Glad they arrived with such perfect timing! Enjoy
xox
Thanks again Kate, such a lovely surprise. I told Roger that you were a better boyfriend than him
It’s so much harder to keep caring when you get sick yourself
Hope you get a break over the weekend xx
God yes, especially as there is just so much to do, and I hate watching Roger have to do it, even though I do it every day of the week usually. Makes me feel guilty! Thanks for the kind comment x
I love your posts. Brilliantly written. Granny slippers & chocolate. Bliss
Thanks Jane, that’s compliments indeed coming from you x
Get better soon xx
How do you always manage to make the struggles and tough times SO interesting to read! I love reading your blog. Gives me a real insite into your lives, half the time I don’t know quite what to say (slightly afraid of getting it “wrong” somehow, saying something too coy or simplistic), so I don’t often comment, yet your sense of humour so often makes me laugh out loud, literally (sometimes spitting over the computer if I try drinking whilst reading, never recommended!).
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