Sometimes it’s bloody hard being a carer.

I had fully expected to do nothing but eat chocolate and make jewellery as I’ve done for the last few Easters (more on the jewellery in future posts), but this year had an unexpected turn.

I was on holiday from lunchtime Thursday and got all of my jewellery on the floor ready to go. To be organised, re-organised, re-made and gone over which was fine on Friday. Saturday and Sunday I was ploughing through, staying up late catching up on the paperwork and pricing for my own personal lists that I keep to see how much I spend on jewellery.

Monday morning was different. I had just rolled over in bed and was getting ready to go back to sleep when I heard a thud and a yell. I immediately dove out of bed and into my mum’s room to find her on the floor after falling out of bed.

I’m her carer, and the youngest in the family, and before you ask, no one else in the family gives a shit about helping her and I get the feeling they just leave it up to me because I’m the youngest and the last one left. 

After doing this for 20 years it’s bloody hard, and Monday morning just proved how hard it is. I could not even help her up off the floor. I couldn’t pick her up, I couldn’t help her onto the bed. There is no one to ring in these cases and after one and a half hours I had to go and ask the neighbours for help. 

They eventually got her up as I’d at least gotten her up on her knees and leaning against the bed. They came in and picked her up and plopped her in chair, after calling an ambulance (which there was no need for). 

She was fine, battered and bruised, but fine. 

As am I. Sciatica and all, which flared up when I popped my hip out and more than likely rotated my hips, put my back out and stuffed my shoulders and neck all at the same time. I also realised after lunch when my left foot started burning and aching that I had probably stuffed that up as well. A bandage didn’t help but a pain killer for tea did. So did Deep Heat on my hips. I should have put some on my neck as well as it was stiff as a board.

As a carer it’s bloody hard work, and just shows there are only so many things you can do. Whether there is a company or group that helps carers in these kind of emergencies I don’t know, but I will  be finding out and forcing mum to finally get a better bed, if not a decent wood frame, so she has height and support when trying to get up.