Touching Base - It's been a while

So much has happened since I last posted

I've been really struggling with my own mental health as well as my parents health problems which has made me feel so very anxious

A couple of weeks ago mum suffered another mini stroke (TIA) it's the third one since her original  stroke, which makes it so hard for me to find both the time and inclination to update my blog for which I can only apologise for my absence

As a family we recently spent a long weekend in Windsor as I was also doing a sponsored 10K to raise funds for The Hunter Centre which is the day centre my dad attends each week for people with dementia and without who's support I'd be really struggling, Boris also celebrated his 11th birthday whilst we were away

Image - Full body shot of Boris the Black Cocker Spaniel majestically sitting on the Long Walk leading up to Windsor Castle, his head is turned towards the left of shot and he's wearing a rainbow and silver coloured rosette that says Happy Birthday in the middle

Since dad broke his hip last

Good Riddence 2022

Good Riddence 2022 it has not been nice knowing you!

I'm sure some good things must have happened but I honestly can't remember them over the 💩 you've dealt us as a family

2023 is also going to have a tough start, especially for my dad as he starts his fight against Esophageal Cancer

My mum is living in her own world these days due to the Vascular Dementia caused by her stroke in 2021 which is tough on everybody, what little empathy she ever had for others which wasn't much, has now completely disappeared

My uncle was finally laid to rest in Cyprus after we weren't informed of his death until several months after the fact

A Quick Update

 Busy, busy, busy but so lucky to have such amazing friends keeping me sane when everything gets too much

Also not forgetting Himself who's my absolute rock, who never complains when like yesterday a quick trip to my parents house to collect prescriptions and make up their pill pots, resulted in me unexpectedly doing the shopping and having to reassure dad about something he got the wrong end of the stick about, so I didn't arrive home until really late in the evening

Photo Description:- My mum sitting in her wheelchair in Tescos on our very first trip out shopping, she's wearing a blue coat and a poppy facemask

Also Boris and Eko who are putting up with irregular walks that are usually too short, irregular meal times and the fact I come home smelling like another person's dog that my parents (me) are looking after whilst her owner is in hospital 

Time Off For Myself

My Reality of taking time out for myself, is it really not worth it! 

A great weekend was spent at Dog Fest Losley Park - The first day was spent with Himself and the second day with my friend Pippa, of course Boris and Eko came on both days too

Amazingly I didn't overspend and even though I was on my feet all weekend I did OK, but I'm sure feeling it today though, I'm really struggling just getting around in the house

Boris and Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel sitting on the giant letter D of the display spelling out the rest of the word Dog Fest which is out of shot. All the letters were covered in a green astro turf which looked amazingly like real grass

Then at around midday I heard the sound that I've come to dread, the house phone started ringing and it was my dad, he wanted to go shopping today instead of waiting until Wednesday as arranged

A Split Second Changes Lives

A split second and everything changes, in photos it can be pretty funny like with Eko here, but in life that split second can change everything forever

A Stroke is sudden, a split second!

It changes everything you once knew, not just your life but for your family and friends too

A year ago this month my mum was hanging out the washing then BOOM!

Everything went

Regretting Choices Made

This past few weeks have been particularly tough for me personally, nothing out of the ordinary has happened, except I've been feeling the ominous cloud of the Big Black Dog circling around me again

The biggest change in my life since mum's stroke has been losing my freedom, I used to walk the dogs for many hours out on the common, just enjoying nature and never having to worry about what time it was

Looking up a tree trunk into the sky, with the words "Some days I feel very small" written in white in the lower half of the photo

Nowadays I'm always having to watch the clock to be somewhere at certain

Mum Update

I've been taking some much needed time for myself this week and feel so much better for a few days back at East Wittering with the two crazy boys and Himself

 

This getting old lark isn't much fun

It's Finally here

Today's the day, mum is coming home from hospital at last, it's been 8 weeks since she suffered a stroke in the garden

The neighbours children all got together and drew a lovely Welcome Home sign on the footpath outside of their house for all to see, which was a lovely idea, especially as I'd run out of time to make my own banner because of getting the house ready to accommodate a wheelchair

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As difficult as our journey has been over these past 8 weeks, it pales into insignificance

A Rough Month

My mother has been in hospital for the longest month ever since she was admitted on the 16th April having suffered a stroke 

The hardest and most frustrating part for both us as a family and mum, is the fact that nobody can visit her due to the Covid restrictions in place at the hospital

Boris has been my absolute rock during this difficult time, my anxiety is back big time trying to keep on top of everything as well as dealing with my own health issues and pain