While out on a walk today I was thinking of ways to explain how I feel at the moment. I came up with something about how before my BI I lived in my ideal home that had taken me half my life to build. Then my illness happened, and I was suddenly moved to a horrible house in an awful place. I hate the brain and body I have to live in now.
Then I remembered the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy opening scene. Poor Arthur Dent walks out of his lovely country home with a cup of tea, and first the council try to knock his house down, then the Vogons blow up his planet. So the poor bloke has to learn how to live in a spaceship, in a galaxy he doesn't understand at all.
My husband is definitely Ford Prefect, guiding me through the galaxy, trying to teach me the rules, keeping me safe, making sure I've got my towel. I'll keep hoping that the mice are building a new Earth for me to live on, and one day I'll find it. But life is outer space now, I live in a spaceship, nothing makes sense and the Vogons have taken everything that I knew and loved.
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PurpleOverlord
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Love the analogy P. If it helps, nearly five years down the line, I think I find 'new me' is actually ok. I can't do my old job, but I can still do things that are meaningful to me. I feel comfortable in my own skin again.
What sort of rehab support have you had? Don't forget that you can always ring the Headway helpline for a chat, sometimes helps to talk things over with someone who 'gets it'.
It's a good turning point when you can accept the new you. I may not like the new unimproved me but I know this is me now.
My bi was nearly 24 years ago. Rehab was slow to start with as they struggled to fully diagnose me. You would have thought being hit by a car may give clues but it took some investigating.
It took about 8 years to sort of settle and accept how I am. Some days I feel I am still improving others I feel I am going backwards.
It's nice to see someone else quoting the hitch hikers guide. It's one of the few books I can still manage.
No useful rehab at all, unfortunately. My NHS neuro crew seem to have got bored and given up on me. But there's a Headway centre not too far away, and I'm booked in to see them next week. I'm really looking forward to it.
I completely relate to the comment. We are perpetually in our bath robes on a Vogan Interstellar craft, about to listen to the worst poetry known in the universe. Unfortunately we are also missing both our towel, and a cup of tea.
Also since our injuries, life has become somewhat of a dream and I sometimes wondered whose it was, and whether they were enjoying it or not?
"But life is outer-space now" ......couldn't have put it better Purple !
I haven't read or seen Hitchhiker's Guide, but after looking it up on Wikipedia your words make sense ; a great analogy (I'm intrigued now so just ordered a DVD of the film).
Aftercare for most of us is a never ending battle ; more so now than ever thanks to government's neglect. But it's such early days for you m'love and I hope that, with time and the support of your 'Ford Prefect', you'll find your way to better (though different) days.
Hang onto that humour of yours ; humour has been my biggest defence against despair. 🥴Cat x
If it's the film with Martin Freeman, it's brilliant. I really hope you enjoy it.
I'm so grateful to all you folks. The medical folk who are "looking after me" have never even vaguely mentioned what a long/lifelong battle this is going to be. They just casually told me I'd "be fine soon".
The sheer length of the road ahead is a heck of a thing to try to wrap my head around, especially with no medical support.
Wow, that's shocking. After my SAH my son & daughter were warned that my life would be quite different from then on. It's certainly different, but I've learned a lot about what I can & can't do without 'crashing' and it was around the 2 year point when I began letting go of my old expectations.
Now, 11 years on, I still have an odd moan about loss of past talents or abilities, but life ranges from OK to good and I still have many hilarious laughs with family & friends ! Time can feel a burden looking forward but it (cliché) really is our main healer .......and the issues do become more manageable. 🥴 x
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