So after I finished my blog post yesterday I was planning on having an early night. That didn’t happen. I layed down for a while and read my kindle (no hope of sleeping with the lights on and everyone talking) I’ve been struggling to sleep here anyway so I was easily irritated by lights or staff walking past or music or pretty much anything else, in short I wasn’t sleeping and I was sulking about it. A routine trip to the bathroom made everything worse. I fell after popping my ankle and fibula, then landed hip first on the floor and popped that too. I pulled the cord and got one of the nurses to help me off the floor. Safe to say I was pretty battered and feeling very sorry for myself. The evening continued to suck when i couldn’t get my fibula back in, a handful of meds and and some chat & hugs and I was ready to try sleeping again. It certainly wasn’t the best nights sleep I’ve ever had.

This morning I was pretty wobbly and very tired but not too worse for wear. I got up and dressed, had breakfast and headed to the Stretch class. I took it very easy and survived pretty well. My next session wasn’t for an hour so I chatted with the others who were waiting for transport or session and tried to avoid falling asleep!

My next session was with my Physio and OT and we set my weekend goals.

1. To do 1/3 of my laptop work in an upright position.

2. to keep working on identifying triggers for negative thoughts and behaviours. I need to use my deep breathing and communicate clearly with people.

3. I have to buy a 55cm Gym Ball.

4. I’m going to do each of my exercises at least twice over the weekend.

5. To ask for help in at least one situation as supposed to being stubborn and overdoing it.

I finished the session feeling pretty positive and looking forward to getting home. After finishing with Physio and OT I whizzed back down the hill to the ward for a nutrition session. The nurse doing it was really fun and the session was actually really informative, we talked about the Glycaemic Index of foods, and apparently Gluten Free alternatives have a lower Glycaemic Index, so they don’t fill you up as much as the regular versions of each food!

We had a really good session with just the right amount of wandering off on hilarious tangents. We finished the session by looking at the reasons people develop unhealthy relationships with food and the different ways we use food to make ourselves feel better. This was one of the most fun talking sessions so far I think!

After talking about food for an hour it was time for lunch, more potato based foods for me (getting really bored of jacket potatoes and chips now). After I’d finished my jelly we headed to the next session, Work Support. The session focussed on  work skills and the effect that chronic illnesses can have on employment, we also covered some of the common problems like ”my boss doesn’t understand” and ”computer work gives me back ache” The session was OT lead and had a really good problem solving approach. I really enjoyed and I’m now not dreading my Occupational Health appointment (january before going back to uni)

After the work session I had a half and hour lay down. We were supposed to all go to the swimming pool but with my ear infection on top of the heat intolerance I’d been told not to go. I discussed this with my Physio this morning and he’s said it was ok for me to come to the outpatients gym and just go through all my exercises. I was there for about 45 mins with a combination of floor, gym ball and resistance band work 🙂 There was also a group of people talking about EDS so I lent them my Stickman Communications ”You know you have HMS/EDS when…” book. They all sat there giggling for about 20 mins.

On my last set of exercises I was laying face down on the plinth doing leg lifts and just heard my physio call out ”Well done Jo” on his way to see a patient. I figured I’d done enough by that point so I headed back to the ward.

I’ve chased up the meds for my ear infection again, this time I’ve been assured they will be here tomorrow morning. (good job too and I’m pretty fed up with feeling like this and only being able to hear out of one side).

This evening will be spent chilling out and facebook-ing, hopefully tonight I’ll actually get some sleep.

I’ll sign off for now and go and have tea.

Ciao for now folks