Hello Everyone

[David Maddaford]

I would just like to say hello to everyone as I have recently become a member. I am living with, and caring for,my mum who is eighty-five and needs a walking frame after falling twice about eight weeks ago – towards the end of April. I now know that I have been a carer for some time without without realizing it as I was doing quite a bit before she had her falls. My life has changed a lot over the last eight weeks but I guess that many of you reading this will have experienced the same thing. I can do the housework, shopping, laundry, etc with no problem but what I really miss is not being able to go out for a walk as I have always enjoyed doing this. Mum is a Type 1 diabetic and needs to take insulin four times a day. I administer her insulin and prepare her meals but there is not enough time between each meal for me to get out for long so - apart from hurried food shopping trips - I have hardly left the house since she had her falls.
I have read through some of the older threads and I feel that my problems are quite trivial compared to some of the members who write in. Can I just say that I think you all are absolutely magnificent, performing these heroic tasks day by day with so little recognition. It isn’t until something like this hits you full in the face that you even begin to appreciate the strength and character required to be a carer. All my best to all.
David

[Myrtle]

Hi David and welcome

[malc]

david don't belittle the size of your own personal mountain your climbing,the forum isn't about one upmanship,the only criteria to join is being a carer,and you are,welcome.

[Minnie]

Hello ,

[weemags02]

Welcome David,
I am also relatively new to this forum, and I was scared to post before - but when I realised that there were others caring for partners or relatives in the same situation as me-( hubby has COPD ) - I felt a sense of ease. -and when I actually had some messages to my posts from people relating to my situation, I was glad to find that I wasnt going mad - that there were others that did or felt the same as me in my situation.
I am sure you will find all the help and support here that you will need to help ease your situation.

cheers
Mags

[David Maddaford]

Thanks to you all for answering my post and it’s very heartening to know I’m not alone in my difficulties. What I have come to realize over the last few weeks - and all your kind replies to my opening post confirm this belief - is that only another carer has any idea what has to be contended with on a daily basis. Thanks to you, Minnie, I know it took a bit of getting used to, injecting insulin regularly and of course the monitoring of blood glucose levels. Mum can’t remember if or when she has had her insulin so I have to keep right on top of it.
David

[Anne001]

Hello David, Just wanted to add a warm welcome. Lots of friendly folk on here who will understand what you are going through. I also care for my mum who is 85 next month. We might not have all the answers here but we do at least listen .... Looking forward to "speaking" to you, Anne

[bowlingbun]

Welcome to the forum. I think we all feel socially isolated. Thank heaven for the internet!

[Honeypaws]

Hi David,
I done my first post today, then found yours. I really feel for you as I care for my mum and have been doing so for years without realising what a great job 'we' do. Now i have been forced to claim for carers allowance, i suddenly thought hang on why haven't i done this before, i have never wanted praise or anyone saying what a good job i'm doing, but i now want people to know that us carers are very speacial people who do a fantastic job. Can you get your mum a wheelchair, you can ask your gp, who will write a note so you can get one from the red cross or social services. My mum has needed one for a quite a few years, and hopefully it will mean you can get back to going for walks, and take your mum and her medication with you. Take some snacks and drinks and find some local attractions, parks, museums etc. We even manage a few days away now, as i don't drive we found coach holidays perfect.
I wish you all the best and don't forget what a good job you are doing, and your not alone. X

[David Maddaford]

Many thanks to you all, Anne, bowlingbun, bigbagfan and Audrey for your lovely welcome. I’ve given a wheelchair some thought before now but Mum isn’t too keen on the idea at the moment. She is quite content to sit in the garden on sunny days though I know we’ve not had many of those lately! It’s certainly something I’ll keep in mind though. I still run a car although all I do in it at the moment is the shopping but I’m hoping to take Mum out in it when the weather does improve. Personally I still prefer walking or cycling, though.
I feel a little uneasy sometimes about Mum’s loss of short-term memory and, Audrey, it was your referring to dementia, along with Type 1 diabetes that caught my eye. Little things can set you thinking. For instance, yesterday I gave Mum a Kiwi fruit after her evening meal. I had cut it into two halves and had given her a teaspoon to scoop out the fruit, which is the way she has always enjoyed eating it. On this occasion, however, she tried to eat the skin and it was only when she commented how tough the skin was that I was able to remind her of the right way to eat it. Probably nothing, but you never know.