Checking In - Some Progress, Some Steps Back

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Hey, thought I'd check in as I haven't posted in a bit.

As always it's a bit of a mixed bag.

The good:

- New powerchair's been approved so should hopefully have that before too long. Should lessen fatigue levels as it's lighter and easier to fold.

- Had someone from the council come in to assess me and I should be getting (eventually anyway) some care allowance so that I can get out the house. Think they only give you three hours but I could at least get out to the cinema or something. They also said it's possible to use the money/allowance they give you and pay more yourself. Think it's about £50 for three hours so I could always go out less but further afield.

- I FINALLY have a neuro-physio appointment in a few weeks. Still only an initial assessment but at least it's something.

- Starting some new supplements (Yourgut Plus), developed by a Long Covid researcher at Cambridge which have helped some people with Long Covid. Not expecting miracle cures but any improvement would be a positive.


The bad:

- Was advised to apply for Universal Credit (essentially unemployment benefit) which has really taken a toll on my mental health. Feel I was keeping it together most of the time (which hasn't been easy) but this really sent me over the edge due to having to deal with the GP surgery to get sick notes when no doctors understand Long Covid or indeed know my medical history and constant deadlines and admin tasks for the UC people which is just too much to handle with my cognitive impairment. Had to fill out a form the other day and the typing and cognitive strain laid me up for days.

- Fatigue and cognitive impairment still really bad. Given I only have an assessment in May it's looking like going back to uni or indeed working in September won't happen.



- I already have Was advised

 

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Glad you touched base here,so rooting for goo results for your endeavors so not able to do more than wrong hands.

Wishing there was a social worker who could help fill out forms as it falls on others when one is disabled and family is not always capable

 

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Sorry to late to fix typos
Good results
Not goo

And wring hands not wrong

 

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I understand a bit of what you mentioned- I had forms to fill out after my accident and what should take a few minutes, (or at least, less than an hour) took multiple hours. Stamina was an issue for me as well- in fact it still is, but not to as great a degree as at first, and the cognitive impairment is disheartening because from that perspective, you don't know if it will ever clear up. Mine has started to; it is a matter of using it or losing it- you literally have to exercise it. You're welcome to p.m. me if you want some tips on how to do so. Don't give up.

 

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Thanks for the replies guys! Have to confess I've been doing really badly mental health wise because of everything. When it became a year since going sick it reminded me that I'm getting nowhere health wise. Going back to university in September was always my aim but looks like that will be too soon and if I can't even study part time then working's out of the question. I think teaching at my last job was also a really traumatic experience for me so still working through that. If/when I am able to get out, plan on getting some therapy.

I'm trying to use my brain to the extent I can - reading anything academic was too much but working through an audiobook of the final Harry Potter book and whilst I don't retain a lot, some stuff is still going in. Also making myself keep up the sim racing on iRacing which is helping a bit. Think the Kegels are helping a bit as well. I think really what I need is a chronic fatigue centre more than anything and for my condition to be monitored. Still very much feel like I'm trying to fix myself as it were. Sometimes I just want to give up fighting (and do) but I often bounce back.

I just want to get back to my career - whilst the school was pretty awful I can't deny I was unfit to be teaching due to my condition and feel stupid for not just calling the whole thing off back in September 2020. I guess I naively thought things would clear up before too long. If the brain stuff and fatigue improves I'd like to teach English as a Second Language again, volunteering for refugees or something. The drive is very much there but my brain fails me.

 

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That is cool you teach ESL! I have taught ESL for a long time, including teaching kids in China through the company VIPKID. Did you teach English in person or online?

 

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@Sarah060486 Taught in person out in Russia for a year and then came back to do my PGCE (teacher training degree) due to my Mum's worsening health (she's better now thankfully). Placement schools were great then Covid hit and everything fell apart for me Long Covid wise just before I started my first regular teaching job. The school was rough and I was really out of my depth, which combined with my health meant it was just a complete disaster. The worst anything's ever gone really! Went sick last March and am still really bad.

I have to say I found the classroom stuff abroad much better - smaller classes, more motivated kids. Had a brilliant boss who was super-supportive during some quite challenging times and indeed many older teachers there were also really helpful. I worked at a summer camp before I left which was such a profound experience and really summed up that it was what I was meant to do.

Sadly, I think state teaching over here's just a pretty rough ride anyway, however my placement schools did show that it is possible to have a great time. I hope to be well enough to go abroad again at some point. My plan was to do a Master's and hopefully go the academia route. What's frustrating is that all my skills and experience are effectively linked to my academic ability and so long as my brain fog is really bad I feel pretty stumped. Many people I meet don't get that whilst my physical issues are a pain, it's really the cognitive stuff and fatigue that's stopping me from getting on with life.

Are you still teaching?

 

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I’m so, so, so sorry about the brain fog. I still have some, 1.5 years later, and it’s just evil stuff. Working as much as I have been and not getting much sleep (2-5 hours every night, for 6+ months now) surely hasn’t helped. I have experienced significant fog relief since I started this job, but it has been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, and that’s saying a lot!

I’m glad to hear you have a new doctor appointment coming up and will be getting some benefits. Sorry to hear about work and school.

 

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@snow Sorry to hear you've still got the brain issues. It seems it's the one aspect of Long Covid that seems to be the hardest to fix. Keeping active definitely helps it I find and when I've been out and about I've found that it improves. Hope the job is okay! I've started those YourGut Plus supplements and will keep you posted if I have any improvement. Think you can get them in the States but not too sure.

I think I've got some hard decisions to make about university - the fact all the classes are in the evenings isn't great for travel as the train stations in London don't always have a ton of staff on and timetables have been reduced ever since the first Covid lockdown.

 

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@Sci_Fi_Fan Well sadly China kicked out all foreign teachers back in November so I have not taught foreign students since then.. I hope to get back into it with another company eventually, but would have to be online. That's cool you worked in Russia! I have only been to Russia once and it has been a long time, but I would love to go back!

 

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Thanks for the replies guys! Have to confess I've been doing really badly mental health wise because of everything. When it became a year since going sick it reminded me that I'm getting nowhere health wise. Going back to university in September was always my aim but looks like that will be too soon and if I can't even study part time then working's out of the question. I think teaching at my last job was also a really traumatic experience for me so still working through that. If/when I am able to get out, plan on getting some therapy.

I'm trying to use my brain to the extent I can - reading anything academic was too much but working through an audiobook of the final Harry Potter book and whilst I don't retain a lot, some stuff is still going in. Also making myself keep up the sim racing on iRacing which is helping a bit. Think the Kegels are helping a bit as well. I think really what I need is a chronic fatigue centre more than anything and for my condition to be monitored. Still very much feel like I'm trying to fix myself as it were. Sometimes I just want to give up fighting (and do) but I often bounce back.

I just want to get back to my career - whilst the school was pretty awful I can't deny I was unfit to be teaching due to my condition and feel stupid for not just calling the whole thing off back in September 2020. I guess I naively thought things would clear up before too long. If the brain stuff and fatigue improves I'd like to teach English as a Second Language again, volunteering for refugees or something. The drive is very much there but my brain fails me.

Hey Sci_Fi_Fan;

Hope you've been well man. It's good to hear from you and an update my friend. Sorry I haven't been active on here the past few months.

Have you gotten Lego Star Wars the Skywalker Saga? I haven't been able to afford it yet; but I'm hoping to get it soon enough. I hear good things!

Chin up in regards to the mental health issues. I go through that all the time. Sometimes we need others in our lives to open up and vent to so that we can get things off our chest and you've got a good support network here for that!

You are right that keeping active helps; as it has helped me since going back to work. I find my bladder spasms worsen when relaxed or towards the evenings hours. I'm still lazy on kegals myself.

That iRacing sim; is that similar to like Forza and Gran Turismo? I played Forza a little bit; but to be honest I've always leaned on the Mario Kart style racing

Kind Regards,
HC

 

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@Sarah060486 - Sorry to hear that. Online can be quite a lucrative avenue, I have a friend who's main job is just teaching online. Takes a while to build though I think. Russia was a lot of fun but alas probably won't be a good location for teaching for quite a while yet for obvious reasons. It's a shame - was always hoping to go back at some point. All my former colleagues have left now.

@Honeeecombs Yeah, I got it on Switch. I've played a fair bit of it but as I mainly use my Switch when killing time at appointments and as it's been quiet in terms of medical stuff I haven't played it in a while. It's a lot of fun but didn't find myself as engrossed in it as other things. I wasn't feeling great mood wise at the time though so it was probably me. On the PC side of things I've decided to play through the Legacy of Kain series as it's been on my to-do list since I was a kid (I played the Soul Reaver demo in the early 2000s) and I'm having a blast - superb story and voice acting. Thought the original Blood Omen would be a bit too old for me to get into but the voice acting immersed me into it in no time - it was really ahead of its time in many ways.

I know what you mean about kegels. Had some good days without any massive accidents so I think I am making progress. Also been able to make it to the toilet in time in the morning a couple of times which felt great. I've also been doing some academic reading - one chapter a day and feel like I'm retaining more information. Anything more's too much but given I couldn't do anything that YourGut Plus stuff has certainly helped a bit.

Yeah, iRacing's a sim, Assetto Corsa Competizione's probably the closest comparison in terms of realism; iRacing's more like a racing MMO though as it's a subscription service and I think it's thought to be the most realistic. I'm not really hardcore about it, I use it as it's the one with the biggest user base which runs the smoothest on my laptop. Decided to get into the sim stuff a while back as I missed running.

My powerchair funding's taking a fair bit longer than I thought so may have to knock some concerts I'd booked to go to on the head but should be good for a couple of conventions I've booked to go to in July and September. My Dad's coming down in June and have booked to do the Harry Potter Studio Tour so hopefully the chair will have come by then.

 

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@Honeeecombs Yeah, I got it on Switch. I've played a fair bit of it but as I mainly use my Switch when killing time at appointments and as it's been quiet in terms of medical stuff I haven't played it in a while. It's a lot of fun but didn't find myself as engrossed in it as other things. I wasn't feeling great mood wise at the time though so it was probably me. On the PC side of things I've decided to play through the Legacy of Kain series as it's been on my to-do list since I was a kid (I played the Soul Reaver demo in the early 2000s) and I'm having a blast - superb story and voice acting. Thought the original Blood Omen would be a bit too old for me to get into but the voice acting immersed me into it in no time - it was really ahead of its time in many ways.

I know what you mean about kegels. Had some good days without any massive accidents so I think I am making progress. Also been able to make it to the toilet in time in the morning a couple of times which felt great. I've also been doing some academic reading - one chapter a day and feel like I'm retaining more information. Anything more's too much but given I couldn't do anything that YourGut Plus stuff has certainly helped a bit.

Yeah, iRacing's a sim, Assetto Corsa Competizione's probably the closest comparison in terms of realism; iRacing's more like a racing MMO though as it's a subscription service and I think it's thought to be the most realistic. I'm not really hardcore about it, I use it as it's the one with the biggest user base which runs the smoothest on my laptop. Decided to get into the sim stuff a while back as I missed running.

My powerchair funding's taking a fair bit longer than I thought so may have to knock some concerts I'd booked to go to on the head but should be good for a couple of conventions I've booked to go to in July and September. My Dad's coming down in June and have booked to do the Harry Potter Studio Tour so hopefully the chair will have come by then.

That's awesome bro! I hope you have a good time at the Harry Potter studio - I hear pretty cool things about the one in the UK. I think they've got the whole set for diagon alley and the great hall if I'm not mistaken.

I hope you get the money you need for your powerchair - and will be sending prayers your way so that you won't have to miss out on anything because of that. That wouldn't be fair. Everything is so dang expensive nowadays, and with Covid-19 and everybody getting used to stimulus money (here in the states at least) - it's caused tons of inflation.

I haven't played any of the Legacy of Kain or Blood Omen series; but I have played Bloodborne and Dark Souls. Those are pretty awesome games if you are familiar with them.

Little dark but all good fun!

Blessings,
HC