Batter days

Brain and nerves
1

No, it isn't a misprint. It shouldn't read 'better days'

those elephants have been out in the night, must have slipped their ropes where the mods tied them up. :roll:

I can hardly move my legs, they have no strength in them and they ache so much. :cry:

My hands hurt and I cannot grip and I have smashed my favourite big mug. sad

Looking forward to better days anyway, I have a friend coming to stay next week and then I want to be well for my holiday in September.

Doesn't it get you down all this up and down, up and down.

One good thing is I received a letter from the local mental health people and I am at the top of the waiting list to finish my CBT that the ME/CFS clinic psychotherapist began brfore referring back to my home town. So that shouldn't be many more weeks. smile

2

Hi Alicia

Sorry you are feeling so awful - do hope things have improved a bit as the day progressed sad

Yes, I must say those mods didn't really do a very good job of securing those damn elephants :roll:

It's really weird how we vary from day to day - that's what is so hard for others to understand :?

I felt really good this morning, tired after lunch .... eating always makes me tired ..... so went to bed and slept really heavily, with usual crazy dreams, for just over two hours. Woke up feeling, like you did this morning :yuk:

Where are you going for your holiday? Dale must be home fairly soon.

The weather forecast for the rest of the week is awful ..... that doesn't help! Hope you are going somewhere with guaranteed wall to wall sunshine, but not TOO hot :wow:

3

Hi gang smile

I thought I must tell you about a strange, but uplifting experience I had at the party I attended on Saturday.

This was only about the third time I have been well enough to actually go out in an evening - but I was determined to go to this one as I mentioned in the chat thread.

It was a fab do - despite the weather :roll: - and I felt really well. Was even able to ditch the dark glasses which is an absolute 'first' for me though I did find the noise a little difficult to cope with.

During the course of the party there was various entertainment going on in parts of the room - a magician, an artist - drawing character thingys (can't spell it, but I'm, sure you know what I mean.) and a lady reading the Tarot cards.

Well, I'm fairly sceptical about things like that, but thought that at least I would be able to have a sit down if she read my cards ...... so I duly approached her.

We chatted generally for the first minute and then she put her hand very, very gently on my shoulder and said 'Do you mind if I ask you - have you been ill for the last two years' :shock:

How the heck did she know that?? She then took my hands and said that I was over the worst and I was going to really begin to regain my health as from now. Tears were streaming down my face (thank goodness I had the dark glasses in my bag). She told me a little about herself, that she was also a healer and was due to stay at a children's hospice in Cornwall this week to run a drumming class for the children, which they really love and it is a healing therapy too.

So, whether or not there is any truth in what she said it really doesn't matter ...... it has given me one hell of a boost. Oh, and when her hand was on my shoulder I could feel a really soothing warmth - unlike the burning heat of fibromyalgia.

Hey ..... I think I need to go to a few more parties smile and I will take you all with me!!! :D

4

Hey Katie,

I really do hope your reading comes true :thepost:

It sounds like a really good night. smile

Teedie

xxx

5

Hey Alicia,

So sorry you're not feeling too good sad We all want to be good for holidays, hopefully you will be :roll:

I have beenfeeling awful the last 2 days too, :monster: every muscle and joint ache in my body :grrr: i've not had this much pain and discomfort before. :cry: Like you my hands are sore and it is difficult to hold a mug for a long time. :coffee:

I stood up this evening and my knee gave way, it was painful :evil: :evil: :evil:

I was in bed at 9pm last night :roll:

Only last week i was talking of going back to work, not now :roll:

The most frustrating thing about this illness is the unpredictability :huh:

Think Dale went away on a Friday so think she will return this Friday or Saturday with the time difference. smile

Teedie

xxx

6

Hello

I slept well last night and feel somewhat better this morning. :D

We are going to Dorset, 4 weeks Friday :D

Glad you had a morale boost Katie, but as Tarot comes from the occult and I am a christian, I cannot accompany you next time, not even in cyberspace. I do hope you do get the improvement you are hoping for though. :cuddle:

7

Funnily enough, i slept well last night too smile but still have aches. sad

Well I was at occupational health doctor this morning, she is going to have a meeting with my manager to discuss going back to work on a gradual basis smile

I'm quite nervous about it but i feel i have to do it to see how i cope. :roll:

Maybe getting back to normality will be my cure :wink:

Teedie

xxx

8

Hi there Teedie

Oh, that's exciting news but as you say a bit scary.

I am doing a similar thing. I have decided to do some supply work, which will only entail a few hours here and there - my firm have been really good and have said I can do as much or as little as I want.

Have just been filling in a form for my new contract - and boy, am I getting in a mess with it - I've had to get my hubbie to help me fill it in sad - so I'm not actually sure resuming work is such a good idea after all :?

The trouble with this damn illness is that as soon as we feel slightly better we all want to get our lives back pronto ....

And I don't think it quite works like that ........ sad

Katie xx

9

I have absolutely no chance of going back to my work as the stress involved would cause more harm than good.

I am pleased for you both but confess to a tinge of envy too.

10

Katie - at least you will be able to gauge when you feel up to it smile

Hope it works out for you :roll:

What field are you going to be working in :sheep: :lol: I don't mean that kind of field before i get any smart comments :doh: I mean is it :nurse:

Teedie

xxx

11

Well, the field :sheep: I will be working in is the local Anne Summers shop at Tun. Wells :bunny: - just kidding :lol:

No I am these days actually a Sheltered Housing Officer at a complex literally five minutes away. I've been there for the last 20 years so they are happy for me to do as I wish, which is really good of them.

It consists of 40 self-contained flats with 45 residents (at the last count, anyway). So I am not nursing as such these days. Having worked in a large London hospital I found it difficult to get used to a local one. I have an office where I call everyone each morning to make sure they are alive and kicking .... and then visit as and when needed.

So the job entails liasing with Social Services, GPs, medical centres, dealing with contractors, buying and selling of flats, bereavement counselling, general welfare of residents, claiming benefits on their behalf , attending to emergencies etc etc. The job covers absolutely everything and I have never been bored in my twenty years of working there.

These days though, as with everthing, there is an awful lot of wretched paper work and courses to go on :roll: There's a lot of multi-tasking as everyone wants you at the same time, as this is where I may struggle a bit - but we will have to see. The residents are lovely (mostly) and were really kind to me when I was so poorly and struggling to work.

But I will only be doing a bit of supply now and again and can turn down work if I want to.

Sorry Teedie - I have gone on for ages - would have been much simpler to have stayed with Anne Summers!!! :lol:

Do hope it works out for you to.

Yes, I'm sure you do feel a tinge of envy, Alicia sad - but you are probably being the sensible one - I will probably learn the hard way!

12

Sorry Katie, i remember now about your job smile just a little bit of memory loss :roll:

Sounds like an interesting job, at least if you're supply you'll not be expected to take on all the responsibility you used to have, i hope :wink:

Teedie

xx

13

Katie, you have to test the waters. I went back to work twice before I stopped altogether.

14

Yes, that's a good way of describing it Alicia - at least I don't ever have to work a whole day.

Goodness knows how I will ever manage to get up, dress smartly and out the house by 8.15 though :shock:

15

That is what i'm worried about, especially if i don't sleep well :cry:

Plus...... i have 2 kids to get organised for school :roll:

I just hope my managers are as supportive as they should be :roll: coz once you're there they forget about your health :x

We can only try smile

Alicia at least you gave it a go - you're right it's about testing the water, if you don't try then you'll never know if you can do it. :roll:

Teedie

xx

16

Yes Teedie - it can't be easy to have to sort children out as well sad

And as you say, once we get back to work people will probably soon forget we are still poorly 'cos we will look normal - well normal-ish :roll:

We shall have to wear badges which say - 'Please speak quietly, slowly and preferably keep it simple!' or something like that :roll:

17

My problem is I work with children and young people :surfer:

They'll just think I'm a stupid old bat :bat: and would probably tell me that too :lol:

It won't be for another 4 weeks or so, by the time those who organise get their act together. smile

Teedie

xx

18

Yes well you 2 sound as though you are being much more sensible than I was.

I went straight back as I was before, making no allowances, and I continued cycling in and back every day. When I couldn't push the pedals round any more I started to drive in. After giving up the first time, as soon as I felt better I went back again but to a different funeral home where the hours were more flexible. I lasted there nearly 2 years, cutting my hours down more and more. I did not give in without a fight and that is why I cannot do it any more.

Ladies, give it a go, but do not push yourselves beyond your limits and whatever you do, do not fight. It is an awfully long way back. sad

19

Thanks for the advice, Alicia. smile

I think I've learned my lesson though. I came off sick leave far too early due to agency staff letting the side down - and really didn't do myself any favours :cry:

As you say, I shall 'test the waters' but if I detect any problems I will give it up as a bad job - literally!!

Having said all that, I'm having second thoughts even now - I am in such pain this evening from the fibromyalgia that I don't know where to put myself.

This weather doesn't help - summer is almost over and we've hardly had any ..... :wah:

Time for bed! :zzz: