Enjoy Every Moment.

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Roberto Matta.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Matta 

The weather today is nice, blue skies, sunshine all day which is lovely for me to see, I like looking out of the window on days like this one.

It's been a very relaxing day, we are both taking it as easy as we can, having said that Richie still had plenty to do.

Showering me is not as easy as it used to be, as my hands are not functioning well.

Up to recently I could hold on to the armrest on the shower chair to give me support, I can't do that anymore, this makes me feel like I'm not sitting securely.

Which is not true, as I am sitting securely but it doesn't feel like that to me, to me it feels like I'm wobbling about and I could fall out of the shower chair.

Richie has to constantly adjust my sitting position, which must make showering me like wrestling for him as well as for me too.

This afternoon was another difficult session in the shower; up to recently I was able to cooperate with Richie dressing me.

Now all that my hands not functioning well and I can' lift my arms and place them around Richie's neck, in order for my bra top and top to be put on me.

I can just about get my left arm up around Richie’s neck but I can't move my right arm anymore.

So now Richie has to get my arm up that I can try to hold on while he pulls me forward, this afternoon is was very difficult, it was a relief when it was over.

As soon as it is over I can forget about it until the next time, I'm not even going to bother worrying myself with questions how we will cope when my disability gets worse.

I've learned not trying to second-guess the future, it is a pointless exercise and a total waste of my time which I prefer to use to enjoy every moment I have.

Sensitivity is Essential in Assessing Needs.

Was pleased that there was such good feedback about the importance of being very clear with the people that assess us in order for them to see what we need.

Being honest with the assessor is very important, but this can be extremely difficult for us as we have our pride.

It is very difficult to be able to cope with being assessed, especially when you are just becoming disabled, it is almost too much to cope with.

Assessors need to be able to clearly see the client's disability and they need to understand that the stress of the illness and disability may make it difficult to ask for help.

Did notice that in the beginning I was trying not to see the full extent of the disability that my Primary Progressive MS was causing.

The assessors really need to understand that when the client states that they can something that they need to see what they can actually do and not what they hope they can do.

It is important to see what a person can do without crushing someone’s spirit by being insensitive.

Mary @ Travelogue for the Universe got me to think about the consequences if the assessor does not treat the client as sensitively as possible.

http://traveloguefortheuniverse.blogspot.com/

She pointed out that insensitive approach can break a person’s spirit:

‘Why take something more away from the client’ and ‘People who have faced maximum stress and survived are stronger and more resistant to help’.

They need to preserve the person’s dignity at all costs especially when their progressive disease has already taken so much away.