Night Shift

Powerful writing @Mazarita. Clearly written from deep inside. I feel for your mourning for your legs and feet as just having to protect one foot has stopped me from things I love, like walking in the bush. My friend and I spoke last night about going to a swimming hole in Litchfield National Park next week and walking the round trip to the next waterfall (about 5km) and I realised I wouldn't be able to do it and will have to sit and wait by myself for possibly a few hours. Darn it!

Hi @Snuchu

It's interesting - it seems that people from Canada and the States are thin on the ground here - and the website I was in was in The States and Canada and Aussies were thin on the ground

So it is interesting seeing it from the other side

I have a health care team - with the internet it is easy for people to be in touch with each other regarding my health - and it is my physical health - damaged spine - that means I need to have this'

But they also help me out with my psychological issues too

It is really helpful to have a team - everyone knows what is happening

Decadian

Thanks, @eth.

I used to write diary entries every day for many years but stopped due to lack of motivation and haven't done it except very occasionally for a long time. The Writing as Therapy thread seems to offer a space to do that again from time to time.

Yes, it's hard, isn't it, the restriction of mobility. Such a pity we can't manage 5km anymore. I doubt I'll ever manage that distance again. But the podiatrist yesterday was really good and suggested relatively inexpensive options for making walking a little easier. I'm also already feeling the effect of the anti-inflammatory the doctor prescribed so am now hopeful I might be able to pick up the walking shorter distances again soon, with orthopedically enhanced shoes (inserts) this time and compression socks.

Hi @Decadian, feeling for you with your spinal problems. Your mobility must be significantly affected by that. It has a flow on effect on mental health too as walking is so good for mental wellbeing, I find.

Hi @eth

I have picked up your "hello" 😊

Just doing the mum-taxi thing and will get back to you shortly ❣

Glad to hear you have some relief already @Mazarita and hoping the compression socks and orthotics help you be able to walk again. I have orthotics too and had to buy very expensive sandals that could fit them in (the insole they come with is removable) as they are very deep orthotics. They also fit in my sneakers but when I wore them all day on the weekend (didn't want to wreck the sandals in all the dust) I ended up with blisters on 2 toes - can't win. I did walk a fair bit over the weekend all together and now feel like I shouldn't try to do that again - moan groan. I'm really happy that you found a podiatrist who suggested inexpensive options. I saw 2 different ones and with either the cost of new orthotics will be over $500. I am just hoping the current orthotics will last longer than the year I was told as that's nearly up already.

@eth, trying to stay positive about it for now at the least. We'll see how I go when I start doing some real walking again. That's a real pity your orthotics are so expensive. I hope they last longer than the year for your sake too.

@Mazarita

Keep a bit of an eye out online ....... there are these wooden roller foot massage thingies that sit on the floor and you roll the sole of your foot backwards and forwards over them as a gentle massage ...... I think you can pick it up and use it as a hand-held device to do across the top and sides of your foot as well, and calf muscles etc ......

I have encountered a back-massage version of that in an outdoor gym in Greece, available to the public in a local community park ....... would have liked to have pulled that sucker up out of the ground and lugged it home with me !! ........ so good !!

Wouldn't have been noticeable, much ....... 😂 ...... especially trying to get it back home on the plane ......... ❣

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@Decadian wrote:
There is always a cat in my interior castle - there is something enigmatic about cats - as they say - a cat may look a queen - and indeed - a queen may look at a cat -

Also - when it comes to the power of silent resistance - a cat is the champion .

Dec

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❤️ It ......... ❣

Hi @eth

You sound like you are settling back in at home, and I am glad you had a really good time away ..... some of those hot springs sound like a lovely dream to have in the back yard ..... if you follow the "inner castle" suggestion @Decadian has raised ...... it's a great virtual thought anyway ❣

I managed the walk down to the coffee shop this morning with D1. I have a muscle pull at the top of one of my thighs now - a "pay-back" I think for having walked around the bridges a couple of days ago - which means I have to pull in a bit with the walking until that decides to settle down and go away ....... Grrrrrr ....... but then I do get to walk more than others ........ feelin' for ya @Mazarita and hoping you can get up and moving again with all these supports happening 😘 ......... ❤️

I have had to have the "compassion fatigue" talk with D1 yesterday @Former-Member ..... Now that she is not working she has been exposed to all the emotional chaos that hits us in the home environment with some frequency, and it's impacting her along with all her wedding prep, and fiancé melt-downs, etc ....... boy it's fun around here sometimes ....... but if you take @Former-Member's lead with the "Teflon coating" bit, you can keep on with the caring side of things without your heart and soul getting trampled in the process. My mother was quite the sage, and taught me so much. I really miss her, but can hear that heart-song come through sometimes when I recognise a piece of advice fluttering around in my thoughts like a butterfly, and realise it was one of her sayings ...... 🌷

So. I'm resting up as much as I can while things are quiet, because I am never too sure when they will become hectic in the moment. It's "recharge the batteries time" ahead of a busy-isn weekend. I have slept better this week, which really helps. Like @eth I have been waking up a bit, but have stayed sleepy and drifted back off again pretty quickly.

I will be slothing around here in the background for a while 😊

Dogs have masters ... cat have staff

I am bowled over by the Joy Cox murder in UK. Its really sad things get like this. She was a hardly an extremist .. but became a target.