Lived Experience Forum

[EternalFlower]

You sound like a very strong minded person @Owlunar with a love of life which many dont have.

I feel older than my years and look older than my years. Im kinda young. 

I think i looked like a teen the first thirty years of my life and it made people treat me as if i was silly...and now i look older and get called maam and treated invisible for other reasons

 Being a woman is such a treat! Hi @Appleblossom @Zoe7 @Shaz51 

[Zoe7]

Hi @EternalFlower It is lovely seeing you more around the forums 💖

[Shaz51]

Hello @Owlunar , @Zoe7 , @EternalFlower. @Appleblossom , @Eve7 

One thing that I wish is that I can remain in my house as lonnng as I am able too 

One thing as I am getting older (59) this year , I feel like I am changing in myself and getting stronger as my body.starts saying ouch 

Wish you all have a OK sleep tonight 

We had a biggg day in the city today and travelled in heaven rain up and back with lots of roadworks @tyme 

[Owlunar]

@Shaz51 @Zoe7 @EternalFlower @Appleblossom @Eve7@Meggle  

I don't think I have your name right there Meggle - I will have to chase that up - and welcome you properly

I saw my GP for a mental health plan today - I had some visits from a psychiatrist who sees people with chronic pain issues in hospital - and I opened up to him about my parents - now deceased - and the egregious way they behaved toward me and my son around the time of his death - I feel better for having set that in motion - 

Also - I had a chat with someone at Lifeline about my daughter - and yes - I really think her having to give up her job with a spinal injury and dealing with chronic pain has been behind her hyper-critical behaviour - I won't put up with that anymore - I will use "I feel" statements about her manners - and I believe I deserve more respect - and that's all I expect. This is a much better place to be - I have enough of my own stuff to deal with - I don't need criticism from her - I don't deserve that. And it does feel good to write that.

So - I would like to welcome @EternalFlower to our little group of supporters - and Hi there @Eve7 - after 2 weeks in hospital I sorta lost track of people - and also a couple of the guys @TAB and @MDT - and @Oaktree - I got the name right this time - it's good to have really sensitive and caring people aboard.

We seek to support each other and anyone we feel we can help - anyone can join and we can add anyone we like - I am Mumma Bear - cause I am old enough to be most people's mother - though I have other people of my own age here I am sure. I am in a good place tonight and glad to be here

So - I will answer some posts individually - while things are working well for me

All the best

Mumma Bear

Owlunar

[Shaz51]

Hugs my mumma bear @Owlunar xx

I am off to bed now , hope you sleep OK tonight, see you tomorrow 😃 😴 

[Owlunar]

Ah yes @Shaz51 

I feel stronger the older I get and the more my body complains too - I get that - I understand - we can be in this together.

I intend to stay here for the rest of my life - I like it and I love my independence.

For you - you have more critical health issues - and Mr Shaz of course - so your plate is pretty full - but your own home - ah yes - that is where you want to be, need to be and should be.

I hope your health is sustaining itself - not easy - I know - 

And then there's your Mum - I know she fought hard to stay at home - two broken hips is two too many -

I asked my pain specialist what was going on in my lumbar spine - he joked of course - I have had too many birthdays - oh really - and my next one is my 80th - and he had another joke - I get my OBE - I stared at him about that and he said "Over Bloody Eighty" - yeah - right.

All the best Shaz

Mumma Bear

Owlunar

[tyme]

What beautiful posts @Owlunar - much appreciated.

I know you haven't been too well yourself. Hope you are feeling better now.

[Eve7]

Thanks @Owlunar  I’ve recently spent 10 days in hospital too and am just trying to get back into this thing called living.

Lots of love to all

🖤🤍🩵🦈

[Owlunar]

Hey @EternalFlower 

That's a bit cruel - looking younger than your age and being seen as "silly" - then looking older and being invisible.

I get that last one - I don't look like I'm nearly 80 - apart from my trashed shoulder I am pretty fit and yet - sometimes I am invisible. And I don't like it.

I travel on buses often now - it's easier than taxis and cheaper - and I often share the space with Secondary Students - who think they are first on the bus - but I have said - "Excuse me - senior citizens have privileges" - I must say they do move out of my way when I say this - and getting off - people don't wait - they charge straight on - and I say - "People get off first" - and they actually apologize.

I think we need to be assertive - we should not wait until people push in front - this is what I was taught in school - stand back for adults and offer them your seat on public transport. Actually - in the buses I catch there are seats allocated for people who need them more than most.

I digressed - I did enjoy writing that though.

Yes - I am a strong-minded person with a love of life - it hasn't been an easy life but a life worth living definitely. I wish everyone could evolve such an attitude - it takes time and resilience - and hard to explain - hard work too.

And being a woman is great too - with menarche, childbirth and menopause behind me - actually - I grabbed my choices when I had the chance - there were fewer when I was young - I am satisfied with my education though.

All the best EternalFlower - great to have you here

Owlunar

[Owlunar]

Hi @Eve7 

I'm sorry you have been in hospital too - that is not a fun place to be and we need to adjust to being home.

The first thing I did when I got home was turn on my heaters and get into bed - it was freezing here - and in the morning I had to order my shopping on-line and get a late window because I had to see my pain specialist - luckily I had frozen chops and vegetables in my freezer and cartons of Long Life Milk - stuff had gone off in my fridge - mostly the fillet of chicken I planned to eat the day I was taken away in an ambulance - sucking on a green stick and not thinking about such things.

But - I don't know your circumstances - whether you knew this would happen or you had an emergency, hospitals are not fun - I would walk up and down the corridor and the people lying on their beds always looked up when I went past - hoping for someone to speak to them I am sure - or their medication - or anything - anything.

I hope you are finding your feet - I live alone and just glad to be here - I had a lot to catch up on though - you must too.

We are glad to see you here - and I do hope things improve for you - I am sending you my best thoughts

Owlunar