Hi everyone! That’s right, it’s time for another c/disabled megathread.
Update on the meds: they work! Quite well, actually. I feel like I’m finally functioning at a reasonable level, like I was not only getting stuff done, but I’m now able to actually effectively multitask (as much as one can lol). I’m quite happy with how it’s working, and I might not even need an SSRI at this point. If I’m getting anxiety from the meds, I’m not feeling it, because they actually reduced the amount of anxiety I have to deal with. I don’t know how (thinking ADHD-induced anxiety), but yeah, I’m a lot better than I was just last week. Quite happy for that, might actually be able to manage the end of the semester without crashing and burning this time around.
As always, we ask that in order to participate in the weekly megathread, one self-identifies as some form of disabled, which is broadly defined in the community sidebar:
“Disability” is an umbrella term which encompasses physical disabilities, emotional/psychiatric disabilities, neurodivergence, intellectual/developmental disabilities, sensory disabilities, invisible disabilities, and more. You do not have to have an official diagnosis to consider yourself disabled.
Mask up, love one another, and stay alive for one more week.
i’m so sorry that all of this has been so hard on you. healing from this type of stuff is so excruciatingly slow and being trapped inside is absolutely a nightmare scenario. i hope that, at least, the time at home has been beneficial to your healing process with the surgery. taking care of yourself right now is the highest priority.
if you haven’t tried already and if you have the means and funds to do so, a physical therapy program might be able to help you build strength/alleviate pain. if it’s too much for right now its definitely something to consider in the future. if you’re unable to drive or walk to public transport and if you live in the US, i know that it isn’t too uncommon for PT places to arrange transport to/from the program for you using insurance or medicaid if you have it (i would see this at the one i went to but didn’t need it myself so i unfortunately don’t have personal experience in trying to arrange it all.)
I live in the UK. I have appointments with the NHS physiotherpaist about 2 or three times a year. I have another one in 2 weeks. But they’re completely useless. And I can’t afford private.
i’m not super familiar with services in the UK but i know that things like this aren’t an uncommon occurrence there. i hope that all of this becomes more manageable for you soon and that you’re eventually pain free. if you have the ability to do small exercises at home there’s a ton of online resources for ones that would benefit the achilles/whatever would work for you the most that might be helpful in between those physiotherapy appointments.
Thanks. I won’t ever be pain free because of issues caused by a stroke, the physio even said I have to learn to live with it. But that’s tolerable, I could cope with that level of pain and disability if that’s all it was. But this achilles issue is really getting me down. I’m so frustrated trapped indoors immobile. Especially after months of being virtually housebound due to my foot surgery. And now I’ve got another foot surgery coming up on Thursday. I feel like a prisoner. I so badly want to walk for miles and miles. When I was able bodied I used to walk along the coast path for 10 miles, from my town, through another town and on to a third town, then get the bus back. I want to be able to do that again. But the state I’m in now I don’t know if it will ever be possible. I feel like I might just be staring at 4 walls for years until I die.
Hope your surgery goes well, comrade. Do they provide any mobility aids for after, like wheelchairs or crutches?
It’s quite superficial surgery, it’s to debride and clean out infected ulcers. After the last surgery I could walk, but not wear shoes. There were some difficulties, it kept getting infected and I had to wear shower boots to keep the bandages dry, which were difficult to get on and off. But it was tolerable. I’m much more worried about my achilles tendons now than about the surgery.
Ah I gotcha. Wish there were more options available for the tendons, but I know that’s one of those places that is crucial for movement and can’t really be fixed the way we fix joints and other areas. Sorry you’re feeling stuck too, because of it.