I’m on my way ......

 Well after my decision last month that I had to become more independent, I have spent the last four weeks working towards that. I am gradually trying to build my strength and balance, moving from walking with two sticks to walking with one, and just once or twice, a few faltering steps with none!🙂 I received the attachments for my adapted Koalaa mitt and was able to pick up a mug and drink one handed without a straw. It may seem small but it was sooooo satisfying  Following on from that, we had a zoom meeting with Nate and Elena from  https://www.yourkoalaa.com/ to discuss how things were going with the new sleeve. The guys honestly couldn’t be more invested in what works for me and were more than generous in their advice and offer to help me obtain a Mitt for my left arm. Speaking with these two, you simply can’t come away not feeling part of a community.🙂 A left arm Mitt Will hopefully allow me to cut up my own food while eating. Currently, David cuts through it then...

 An extremely busy two weeks packed with lots of firsts, most of which have been prompted by David’s return to work. We finally received the start of the care package, but still no decision on how it’s to be funded. Four meetings now and still no resolution. Hugely frustrating but a great relief to have some help in the meanwhile. The staff who come in are lovely and can’t do enough but it’s a very different situation to having David by my side 24/7.  Overall the first week was a success as we were all just finding our way around it but two things really struck home how dependent I am on the help of others. The timing of the night time visit is 7pm. We always eat late so we have found ourselves having to get dinner prepared, served and eaten in time for the carers arriving. Between David getting home and the night time visit it’s just a flat out race to be done in time. I’m then taken upstairs, washed and put into my pyjamas ready for bed…..at 7.30pm…..I’m 56 years old for goo...

 A very busy and extremely frustrating two weeks since my last post with once again, Social and Health care unable to agree who is responsible to help with my ongoing care. I can’t knock the efforts of the professionals who deal with me personally as I know each of them is doing their utmost and giving their input in order for the panel to come to a decision. Unfortunately it appears my rate of rehabilitation, wound healing and self sufficiency all needs to be quantified. The facts that my skin heals then breaks down again, my pain is worse some days than others and that the fit of my prosthetics varies throughout the day aren’t measurable so can’t be taken into account.  The crux of the matter isn’t whether I need help with my ongoing care, it’s who is going to fund it. In the meantime, David provides my constant 24 hour care on his own. Selfishly, we have been fortunate that David has been furloughed from work but with his return to work being imminent, no matter how much I ...

 Well it’s been quite a while since the last update (“Thank goodness!” I hear some of you cry 😂) ...but it’s been an extremely busy and tiring couple of weeks Early last year, when prosthetics services were suspended in our area, David found a fabulous company  https://www.yourkoalaa.com/  who provide affordable and practical solutions for those with upper limb differences. We were able to sort one of their Mitts for me but I really got very little opportunity to use it while I was in hospital. When I came home, I found it no longer fitted as my arm shape and condition had changed so much. We contacted them and the guys there totally redesigned mine and what a difference it has made! I honestly can’t describe the feeling of being able to do simple things such as brush my own hair and sign my name 😀. I’m using it more and more for mealtimes but have to admit that without having a wrist to rotate it’s a bit of an acquired skill. I also managed to finally have my hair cut....

 This week I’d like to discuss the importance of support. It’s been an excellent week in terms of Sepsis awareness. I had a message from a lady who, like me, had also survived Sepsis but only found out from the blog about the Sepsis Trust and the support that is available. While it’s good to know that the blog can go a little way to helping others, it’s a shame that patients who leave hospital following any condition aren’t routinely given information on the various support groups and organisations out there for them. That awareness could not only help them but also maybe ease the strain on NHS resources further down the line. I’ve said previously that I’d like the blog to be an honest reflection of the day to day challenges amputees face and one that I hadn’t yet come across was  Health and Social care assessment. This week I was the subject of a discussion between two departments on who would be responsible for my ongoing care. I’m not going to use the blog to dissect the wh...

A very full week since since my last post, that found us speaking to countless people. I had an extremely interesting and helpful talk with Oliver, one of the support nurses for the Sepsis trust.Oliver was able to help me understand some of the challenges of being a Sepsis survivor and the ongoing effects it can have on your day to day life. I remember very little of the first eight weeks of my illness, as for the first three I was in a coma and from then on I was on huge doses of tranquillisers and painkillers. My first clear memories are only from after my arms were amputated. Amputations and operations took up all of my attention and focus from that point on and I never really thought about how close I had come to dying. Talking about it now and exploring that period is quite sobering and a little uncomfortable but I want to understand it more. The more I learn about Sepsis the more I realise that there needs to be a greater awareness of the warning signs and actions that should be ...

 Well the dust is finally starting to settle and we are finally starting to see some kind of routine ( I use the term loosely) emerge. The OT, Physio and District nurse teams are working hard to find just what exactly it is that I need and we are making some fine progress in the healing of my wounds, building of my strength and the learning of new skills. Their patience and kindness has been mirrored throughout the week with countless offers and messages of support. On Tuesday Elena and Sarah from Koalaa ( see their link in the sidebar)arranged a video call with the incredible Alex Lewis  https://www.alex-lewis.co.uk/   Alex’s no nonsense, truthful but good humoured insights into the life of a Post-Sepsis Quad amputee made so much sense. During our conversation with Alex we discussed Sepsis and this couldn’t have been more timely as both David and I have been reflecting on the time last year, prior to my amputations,  when my battle was with that. In the time since w...