Hi, my name is Rossi46fan!

Rossi46fan

Hi. Recently disabled (2yrs) former driving instructor from County Armagh.

Lasian_Alumni

Hi @Rossi46fan, welcome to the community!

Please do let us know if you have any questions or if there's anything we can support you with

steve51

Hi @Rossi46fan

Good Morning it’s great to meet you today.

I have posted some info below for you on “new to disability”

https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/becoming-disabled/overview

Please please let me know if I can help/support you further????

JennysDad

Hi @Rossi46fan and welcome to the community. Glad you have found us.
Can you tell us a bit more about yourself? The better we get to know you, the more easily we may find ways to be of use to you.
Warmest best wishes,
Richard

Rossi46fan

Hi JennysDad. 

Had double surgery on spine, disc removal with fusion in November 1995 then further disc removal in January 1996 following rear-ending and fall.

I managed the condition reasonably well for 20 years by changing career following advice from the surgeons, by taking meds, physio and being careful.

Then in January 2016, ironically going in as trainer on road safety course I slipped on black ice falling hard and falling twice more trying to get up hurting spine, leg, hand and shoulder.

Refused ambulance and carried the course on through horrific pain, ending up in ambulance and hospital the next morning.

Further damage to spine, this time not improving, went back to work after a month (self employed) but only part time.

Struggled on for about a year, reducing hours and barely able to walk, stand or sit. One day work was followed by three laid up.

The hand, shoulder and leg got worse also, accompanied by restricted movement and ankle pains, piled on 5 stone through lack of excercise, depression and comfort eating.

Turned out I had been given the gift of Osteoarthritis, brought on by the fall.

had to stop work, couldn't get in and out of driving school car, 

had it explained that I was disabled, nothing they could do for me apart from physio, psycological care and get me to terms with the disability being for life.

house full of OT kit, though having to sell up and move to better access bungalow.

only remarried in 2014, very lucky that wife is a tower of strength, but she gets frustrated, not so much at my disabilities as at my refusal to accept that I'm disabled.

Been given great help from my wife, Have Christian faith and a caring Pastor, NHS helped with drugs, physio etc and receiving help in form of ESA support group and PIP with Motability car that I can now get in and out of and be comfortable in for short journeys and have joined Slimming world who shifted almost 5 stone for me several years back.

Still don't  sleep well though, sit up worrying about the present and the future, that's why I'm sitting here at 3.15 am writing this and making you wish you hadn't asked! 

Rossi46fan

Spent ages responding with all my woes JennysDad and published.

Then spotted a spelling error, tried to edit and wiped the lot.

Will add being an eejit to my list of problems when I redo it 

Pippa_Alumni

Lovely to meet you, @Rossi46fan! 

JennysDad

Hello @Rossi46fan and thank you - genuinely - for your posts. Your 3:15 am post appears to have made it through intact, as well as the one at 8:22. I'm sorry I could not get back sooner.
Not at all wishing I had not asked, just honoured by your confidences, and perfectly ready to listen to more if my listening would be of any service to you.

As so often in posts I read here I am struck by the courage, humour and positivity in your own.
You will find many others here with problems similar to your own, both in terms of spinal damage, in terms of chronic pain and in terms of the difficulty in adjusting to a life of disability. I would recommend you have a look through our forums and see if any of the conversations or resources there may be of interest to you. 

Can I ask what you do for interest or pleasure? And please don't hesitate to get back to me/us if you've any questions or anything more you would like to tell us. And don't worry about the length   We won't.

Warmest best wishes to you,
Richard (married to a Slimming Worlder)

debbiedo49

Welcome