I’ve decided not to set new year’s resolutions, as my health means that I’ll struggle to keep them and it might not be my fault. What I’ve decided to do instead is make a list of goals for the year, and hopefully achieve some 🙂
- Have a shower at least once every 2 months. That would be 6 showers this year. Last year I managed 2 in 5 months (how long I had my shower chair) so will require me to work on being well enough. I’ll continue having bed baths in between and hopefully might get a bath when I go into respite (baths are amazing but our wet room isn’t big enough for one).
- Use the toilet/commode. Around the time I became doubly incontinent, I also had to stop using the normal commode I had as I kept fainting while using it and Johan got fed up of picking me up off the floor. My current shower chair doubles as a commode and tilts, so hopefully that won’t be a problem this time. Getting me on it at the right time is going to be the big challenge, as I don’t get much notice. Even better if I can manage to use an actual toilet, but that’s possibly too optimistic.
- Go out with Sammie somewhere. I managed this last year and would love to do it again. Preferably somewhere a bit more interesting and less wet. As I’m restricted in how far I can travel, and can’t predict how my health is going to be in advance (though resting for a week beforehand helps it doesn’t guarantee I’ll be able to get out of bed) it’ll require a lot of thought. I’m determined to do it though if Sammie wants to.
- Create and keep to a rough daily routine. This will have to be adaptable (what I can do when in payback is very different to what I can manage on my best days) but we should have the care agency issues sorted soon (have direct payments ready to go once we’ve found an agency that can take me on) and it’ll help reduce my anxiety a lot if I know at least some of what I’m going to be doing each day. It won’t have set times (my sleep is far too erratic for that) but more guides for what to do soon after waking/once my brain switches on/after meals and such.
- Read at least 20 books. I bought a Kindle Voyage yesterday as my Paperwhite has been missing for months and I promised myself I’d get it if I read 50 books in 2015, which I managed. The number might be lower than the last two years but that’s so I’m more inclined to read longer books. I’m not buying new books until I’ve read some of the ones I’ve already paid for unless they are personally recommended to me, but since I have nearly 1000 unread books available on my Kindle (mostly free, but a decent chunk paid) I don’t think I’ll be short of reading material for a bit. If I’m doing well with this I will increase it later in the year.
- Sort out my clothes. They’re a mess. My drawers are full and I have piles of clothes otherwise. Many had been buried for a long time in the cupboard and were only rediscovered when Johan got the old dryer out of there. I’m going to sort through them and reduce them to what I need now (so anything uncomfortable goes) so I know what I have and what I don’t. I’m also hoping to photograph what I’m keeping so I’ll be able to pick clothes easier as I can’t remember what I have.
- Sort out our letters. I used to have a great system for organising letters, involving an in-tray (for new ones), an expandable folder for important ones, and a box for older ones. Then I got ill, we moved to our new flat, and Johan is not organised at all. I’m hoping to implement a system I can remind Johan about so once I’ve sorted it it doesn’t get bad again.
- Spend more time in the living room. My ultimate goal is to go in there every day I’m not in payback, and spend at least some time on the daybed. I’ve worked out the daybed we currently own isn’t suitable (I want to use an overbed table with it and there’s no gap underneath) so I’m probably going to give that one away and buy a more suitable one. The fun bit will be getting it built, but once that’s done I’ll only need to be well enough to go through there.
- Sort out computer stuff. There is a list of computer stuff I want to sort out. Most of it is small jobs that only take short amount of time each, but together it’s quite a big job. Included in that is updating the blogroll on here 🙂
- Go out with Johan somewhere that isn’t shopping or for a meal. Now I have my hoist and on good days can go out, I want to go somewhere with Johan. Up to now most of my trips have been shopping or meals, but I’d like to expand on that. At the moment my best times are evenings/night (I’m typing this in the middle of the night) which does complicate things, but sometimes I’m able to go out in an afternoon and I want to take advantage of that. Ultimately I’d like to manage being on a bus or taxi long enough to travel further, but until then Johan is able to push me into Gateshead and I can cope with short Metro journeys so I’m not completely stuck.
- Create a guide to looking after me. A friend has given me a copy of their version, and I already adapted some of it for a personal information sheet that was useful when I went into hospital. I previously failed at creating a health book but with an example it’ll be much easier. I also found a leaflet on how to use my toothbrush which will also help with that.
That’s plenty of things to be getting on with. Some are bigger than others, but I can work on them slowly throughout the year. Much of my payback at the moment is due to panicking about care agency problems (I don’t know who is coming on a weekend so by the time they arrive I’m too anxious to be touched, so even if they’re nice I can’t have anything done) and the times aren’t right so getting that sorted will be a big help. Johan is doing most of that though, I’m just reminding him of what needs doing. We’re in contact with one potential agency at the moment and will be looking into others if they can’t do it, so hopefully it won’t be too long until that’s sorted. I’m also hoping to get someone to help me organise stuff and do little jobs like put proper curtains up and similar.
I’m getting over the dental surgery last week. My right side (wisdom tooth removal) is now pain free, and the left hand side (back molar removed) it’s just the jaw that’s painful if I accidentally lean on it (while sleeping) or forget and try and chew on that side. Ibuprofen is keeping the pain under control though so I doubt it’s anything serious. I’m still needing a lot of sleep and rest, but have managed several hours on my computer this evening and if I keep going at this rate, I might be able to get into my wheelchair at the weekend 🙂