A lovely surprise that warmed the heart, the back, the arch, the neck, knees etc...

Like many good folk here, I am a carer for a youth with serious mental-health issues and, like many folk here I face my own battles daily, constantly. To help myself mentally & physically, I try to walk a decent distance daily - the only exercise I am able to do owing to varous injuries gained over a lifetime of hard physical work. I take one set of strong painkillers daily to enable me to function somehat normally and have recently got myself off several prescription drugs that have side-affects not so good for positive thinking. I have chronic pain issues with several parts of my body including: a foot-arch that won't heal after 4 years, a titanium hip that plays up frequently, spinal injuries that can't be fixed by medical science, which I have put up with for 30+ years and knee and neck injuries from other work accidents. This morning at 5am, I dragged my body from bed and sleep and pushed myself out the door to kick-start another day. At halfway of the 6K I try to walk daily, my hip began to burn with pain and I had to turn around and struggle back to home - almost in tears from frustration and uncomfortable pain. I had also been putting off a 'talk' with the wonderful youth I care for, as although we have had some great 'wins' this year so far, she hasn't been getting out of her bed or her room for over a week now, and I have been utterly consumed with frustrated confusion that I couldn't help her see how much she was missing at 18, and with a whole life before her. As with many of our youth facing these issues, she had been up and on her laptop at 5am when I rose and I jumped at the chance to prepare her for the talk, when I returned from my walk. I returned feeling hopeless and in pain and quite nervous about doing the 'talk'. However, I washed, took several deep breaths and knocked, entered and recieved a similar welcome as had I had been getting over the last week. The look that says: "what do you want? Why are you in my room at this ungodly hour? Are you going to get up me again?Why do you have to keep interupting my social life?". I imagine many carers in my position know exactly what I am talking about regarding such reactions and probably with most of this message. However, as we talked over a cuppa, I found my nervousness was unwarranted and my pain and frustration fell away. This youth I love so dearly, suddenly understood my pent-up feelings and hopes and love for her. She decided then and there that she wasn't going to request our GP for another medical certificate for Centrelink and that she would go out and start physically looking for a job. She decided that we wouldn't be asking our GP to refer her to another Shrink and Physchologist and that she wanted to have a go at life like I have always done. I've been up and down far too much to think that the problems are over. I know we aren't over the issues yet and my experience and wisdom gained say it will yet be a long road, but for me, her being willing to stand up and have a go is worth more than silver and gold. I just wanted to share this small change in our lives and explain how debilitating it has been for me and I didn't even realize how badly it until we spoke openly and honestly this very morning. I am hoping that other folk in similar situations here on sane forums will have similar stories to share here as 2017 flies past us. For other carers and readers here: May the Great Spirit of our wonderful lands bless you and yours now and in the future...