Mommy's Mental Health: Chapter 36- taking back the reins part 5

You know you're getting old when the most exciting thing ever is your new knee brace 🤣🤣🤣❤️❤️❤️ Thank You Dunoon Day Hospital and Government Health!

Good heavens I forgot this series even existed... Well... The subseries of Mommy's Mental Health is about getting my physical and mental health back. I joke about being old, but I'm not actually THAT old. 😜Definitely not old enough to have the freaking knee replacement I need! 🙄

When I started this in April last year, it was like I was living a totally different life. So much has changed: I got retrenched, then I quit my new job, and now I'm writing my entrance assignment to be a professional writer (something I never thought I'd do, except when I was like 11 and writing my own version of "Sweet Valley High" Books), the kids are all older, I lost my dad and my uncle. It's been a real rollercoaster. And I don't care how cliché or silly it sounds, but I sincerely hope that 2023 stays back there (that's the polite way of putting it), and I am sincerely looking forward to 2024 and the different and exciting life I have ahead of me. I am trying to replace anxiety and foreboding with joy and excitement, but dear lord that's difficult for someone with clinical/ chronic anxiety because I honestly can't tell the difference: at least not without working on the concepts 1st and really examining how I feel. I'll also be going back to therapy this year. That's for sure. 💜

This year I've started monitoring my blood pressure. Yes, one of my most exciting Christmas presents was this little home blood pressure machine because, with anxiety, you always think you're having a bloody heart attack, and when I have my blood pressure taken at the Dr it's always ridiculously high. It's called "White Coat Syndrome," like I needed another syndrome 🙄. Omg. but it's been beautifully stable and sitting nicely under the 120 over 80, which is a perfect score. I'm doing my best to take the right meds to control my pain, and I've also learned the hard way that I need to look after my tummy! Who knew how important gut health is?

yoghurt, banana and honey from my lovely hubby, @zakludick

My mom is here from the UK and offered to take me to see a private orthotist. When we went, I was wearing my brace that I got last year at the clinic.

You can see here that is starting to fray a bit, but the poor thing does work hard.

So the idea was to see if he could fit me for something better so I could lead a more ordinary life, but he was dead honest with me once he got over the shock that I got this brace from a government clinic. The only brace he had for patella stability was a tiny finicky thing that was 2.5k in ZAR. My exact brace, which he didn't even have stock of, and there are no other brands in the country, would have cost me up to 5k ZAR. He said there was no way he could ethically justify selling me a brace and sent me back to the clinic.

And look! They're all the way from Iceland?? Wow!

Look, it's a whole mission to get into the system, and I've had so many doctor's appointments and scans and x-rays and examinations, but I'm at the point now where I know the occupational therapists and physiotherapists by name at the clinic and even have them on WhatsApp.

I start a pain management class on 05 Feb, so wish me luck with that. As soon as all 3 kids are back at school, I will also get myself back into my swimming routine which will hopefully, together with the pain clinic with the physio, help me get on my feet, help me have less pain, and be more active.

Hopefully, it will be good for my brain too! I need some dopamine you know?

Wish me luck! ❤️

P.S. Thanks my babe, @zakludick for always holding me up (sometimes literally) and always being there for me. I love you so much. I don't tell you enough how lucky I am and how much I appreciate you ❤️❤️❤️