15
working & working to keep up my muscles & create new ones as well as work on being independent in my ADL skills. Coming home was a whole different ball game. I no longer had a call button to push for someone to help me. I felt lost, alone, scared and super emotional as I had no clue how to problem solve the challenges I faced like showering, toileting, dressing by myself with no help. I have an extremely supportive family who I am very thankful for but they didn’t know how to help me on the things that I no longer had control over and I was so determined to be as independent as possible. I just wanted to take care of my babies and to see others doing MY job was killing me inside.
A major challenage I faced after my injury was my initial transition from skilled nursing to home. It was very difficult and emotional. Being an independent person by nature it was very mentally challenging to ask for help from friends & family. This will always be a struggle as I go through this journey but it is ok to ask for help when you need it and take everything day by day and I now know how to cope & make things work my own way. Nothing is impossible if you set your mind to something.
I've always considered myself a super mom and juggle ten things at once like any other mom does. It might take me a little while longer but I can still get the job done and my kids tell me I'm still the supermom so that makes me happy. In some odd way I feel like it was a blessing in a twisted way because now I get to spend more time with my children. They get to play in activities that I never had the time for when I was working and they have become more compassionate Kids because if this just from helping me when they are asked. Again us mom's will find a way no matter what the cost to make my children happy.
My advice to someone newly injuried would be to stay strong and positive. Do not sink into the hole of the "I can't to... anymore " because there is no such thing as can't. If you can believe it, you can do it". Yes it's different but it can be done. Also, never be ashamed to ask for help. We all need it sometimes whether we are able bodied or not.