Sally's World

Being the mum of a disabled child can be an isolating and lonely existence at times, throw in a bit of swine flu, and it becomes quite stiffling, hermit like. Jordan has it too now. We only leave the house to go to the hospital, and, along with no sleep, it is taking its toll... I thought life was a little mad before...how little I knew!

In trying to keep the kids spirits up, my own are sacrificed, this isn't self pity, after all, I don't even have the bloody virus, but it is exhaustion!

We all have them don’t we, people in our lives, that no matter how busy you are, no matter what you have going on, they’ll ask for a favour. They ask how you are first, not really wanted to know of course. So we shoot ourselves in the foot by saying “fine.” when we’re anything but…and they take it as an invitation to say, “can you just …….(fill in the blank) for me, I just don’t have the time/know how/energy?”

And I mean to say “NO!” I honestly do, I mean to say; “look at me, I’ve had two hours sleep, my sweater’s on backwards, I haven’t brushed my hair, I barely know what day it is, do it yourself!”
But somehow; “sure, no problem, leave it with me,” flies out of my mouth instead.

I’m just one of those people who can’t stand to see someone go without if I can do something about it.

I’m getting better, I’m focussing my energy more on people who really need my help, it doesn’t stop people asking, I’m just trying to be better at saying “NO!”

Exhausted!

Sal xxxx

For years I doubted the phenomenon which is Man Flu, but I can no longer deny it as a real illness.

I am more shattered than usual today, run ragged, exhausted from the demands made upon me. Yep Deion has ‘Man Flu’…he may only be ten years old, but the symptoms are all there.

On the outside, and from a medical point of view it would seem that Deion has only the same virus that Robyn and I both had recently. Yes it was horrid, yes it took us two days to get over it, but in Deion’s own words, “you and Robyn can’t have had it as bad as me mum.” It seems that no-one has ever suffered as much in the history of the world.

He has a bit of a temperature, a bit of a headache and a sore throat…things that don’t seem to debilitating when occurring in a girl…but they are causing Deion to suffer greatly. He has been on the sofa for two days straight, wrapped in a quilt, watching TV (quietly as not to hurt his head), eating only the most yummy (because its easier to swallow) foods, drinking lots of fluids (doctors orders), and demanding I leap up and get anything he might need or the TV control should it be slightly too far away for him to pick up without reaching for it…

“You don’t know what its like,” he said. And, funnily enough, this same thing is said to me every time Jordan or Dave have had the same mild cold….sorry, “Man Flu!”

So Man flu, the most deadly disease known to mankind. How could a woman understand? Thank goodness we have nothing so awful to have to contend with, I’m sure the excruciating pain of child birth, periods, hysterectomies’, are nothing compared to MAN FLU!!!

Right, better go, Deion needs ice cream to ease the terrible pain in his slightly pinkened throat!!

Take care, wrap up warm, you don’t want this illness.

Sal xxx