Me, part 673 *TRIGGERS*

[Suzi]

It's lovely that you are so excited about driving!

[Jaquaia]

I'm loving it!!! I made mistakes, which he always talks through with me, dealt with loads of absolute ing idiots, overtaking me on blind bends etc, starting from stopped is getting easier, my road positioning is better, roundabouts are better, and overall it was a positive lesson and my instructor agrees! And I was driving in the rain today. And I've not taken propranolol since my first lesson!

[magie06]

That sounds brilliant. Well done, especially as it was off and then back on in the one day. That would have put you in a spin not so long ago. Well done again.

[OldMike]

Looks like your getting there with your driving Jaq, sounds as though your more relaxed which is a good thing.

[Paula]

[Jaquaia]

Give me strength!

My mum asked me about half 4 what 2 of her meds were and when I looked they were oxycodone. She held her hand out for them and I asked when she took them this morning... 7am. What time did you take them last night? 9pm. Ffs mother!! They are extended release tablets!!! They're designed to be taken 12 hours apart! She knows this as she always used to take them 12 hours apart! Her biggest problem is she doesn't listen to the bloody doctors! She's retaining water and has been getting infected legs because her skin dries and cracks. She skipped her water tablet 4 days out of 7 last week and doesn't use the creams and lotions that the doctor gives her, and then lies about it when asked!!!

[Paula]

Is there any chance she’s just not remembering?

[Jaquaia]

If she's not remembering then she lied when I asked. She said it's because she woke up in pain. I know how horrible I felt when I tore my intercostals so I may not understand, but I can empathise, but she knows. She's taken them for years and made a point of telling me that she used to take them every 12 hours but thought it would be ok. I offered to put them all in an app for her but she said she'd remember but I put the opiods in anyway. This is what I'm always up against with her. She doesn't listen to the doctors as she relies on me to remember it all. She has a TENS machine but rarely uses it and then complains it's not working as well or comes out with a rubbish excuse as to why she hasn't asked me to put it on for her. She was given exercises from the physio for her back, I've never seen her do them once but she claims she does them before we get up. Not buying that one. The OT gave her specially made splints for on a night, she's never used them, she just comes up with excuses. She has a hearing aid, very really wears it. She's started to use it as she scares Scarlett when she shouts, but complains it irritates her ear. I've been reminding her for the last year and a half to ring and make an appointment to get it adjusted but yet more excuses. She complains about gaining weight but eats and is constantly snacking on mints or bread and doesn't move much. She's been told not to drink tea with her meals as it affects the absorption of B12 and iron from her meals but still does at every meal and bulls about it when I remind her. There's probably loads more I've forgotten too. How can I care for her properly when she won't do stuff to help herself? And then I get stressed with her and it starts affecting my own mental health.

[Suzi]

Most of what you've written there I could have (and probably have) written about my own mum....

[Jaquaia]

I can tell I was getting a little too stressed last night as I started flaring. Ibuprofen before bed seems to have stopped it before it got too bad though.