Wednesday 21 August 2013

Meningitis ~ 6 weeks down the line...

So, six weeks. six whole weeks. I can barely believe it.


I can remember the beginning as if it was last week, yet it almost seems like we've had our new life forever. It is still a new life, it's not the same as it was, but it's closer day by day.

My partner is now able to confidently drive, even after he ends his working day. His concentration and reactions are back. He's enjoying playing his Playstation and can play unfamiliar games without becoming instantly frustrated by them.

He is not yet back at work for an entire day. He is simply too tired. It's a physical tiredness and he knows his limits. He doesn't instantly flag any more, so he no longer has very many spells where he feels drunk and disorientated, but he cannot manage a whole day at work and most days he still has a nap afterwards.

He can walk about as far as our 3 1/2 year old. When we went to Blackpool he had a great time going around Madame Tussauds with us, and then he was done. Our 3 year old was worn out too, and they both started sitting down and wanting to go home around the same time.

My partner is still incredibly tired, this affects our evenings if he doesn't nap. He gets harassed by the children and snappy. He still gets headaches and they can come on suddenly, stress is a real factor. When it gets too hard, it really gets too hard.

Noise still affects my partner. He hates it when the children argue or shout, whereas previously he was oblivious. He definitely hears more, and buzzing noises or distant alarms really grate on him, again he never used to even notice them. I don't know whether this is a usual thing, or something quite bizarre and peculiar to my partner.

His thighs and one arm and back still hurt. His legs if he does a lot of walking usually, but his back bothers him most of the time. Occasionally he'll move wrong and wince, but usually it.is just 'there'.

We were given the impression by everything we've read or been told that a type of normal life would resume around 6 weeks, and I'd say that was true. We've settled into a new routine, naps and quiet time are part of our lives now. I've become used to driving everywhere instead of being chauffeured most of the time when my partner is in the van with me. The children are better at remembering to bother me with inconsequential things, rather than get short shrift from their Dad/Step-Dad.

Overall the children have only matured because of what's happened. The teenagers had to be left for long periods very suddenly, and they had to cope. They did fine and it's given them all a kick up the backside. One thing that bothers me is that our 4 (nearly 5) year old has become very clingy to me. He isn't happy for me to leave the house without him and screams if he thinks it's a likelihood. If I put on shoes, he does too. If I pick up a key he runs to me and wants to know my intentions. Occasionally when I'm not where he expected he panics and thinks I've gone somewhere without him. I never left him without saying goodbye when my partner was in hospital, and he didn't behave like this until a week after my partner was home, so I can only assume he's thought things through and come to some conclusions of his own, but I've tried to talk to him and he can't explain himself. It worries me to think maybe he knows that Dad is not as strong as he previously thought and that I'm more necessary than ever, and that concerns him. He's my little shadow, although I call him my assistant because it makes him feel proud.


18 comments:

  1. Its great he is starting to do so much better. Hopefully he will soon enough be back to his full health and boy 4 will feel reassured enough to stop stalking you round the house and can relax back to his normal self <3

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    1. Stalker :D I haven't called him that before, but at times it does fit! Thanks Anna

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  2. Glad things have settled down. It may be that little fella is anxious that you may end up in hospital as dad ended up there very suddenly. xxx

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    1. Yeah, I can only imagine how his little mind has tried to make sense of what's happened. We've explained everything we can, but there are no guarantees and it's a hard realisation. Thank you Anthea xx

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  3. I hope boy #3 might change when he start school. That will be a new normal for him and, hopefully, it will distract him from whatever worries he can't vocalise at the moment. I'm so glad he's doing well, his strength can only improve, it seems like much longer than six weeks ago though!

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    1. Sometimes it seems longer, I can't really remember how it used to be because it's been different for so long now - pre-Meningitis seems like years ago... :)

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  4. I'm glad things are getting easier and your OH is doing well. I hope in the not too distant future all his symptoms disappear and you can completely get back to normal life x

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    1. Thanks Tami, so do we. I think we'll have to get used to it as it is for now and then one day we'll realise he's back to full health again and that'll be the surprise :) xx

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  5. Glad things are getting better. xxx

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  6. My MIL was struck down with meningitis just before Christmas last year, it was a truly terrifying time, it took a long time for her to really get over it and it has affected her health in other ways since.
    I'm glad things are starting to improve for you all, I hope things continue to improve and normal service resumes.!!! xx

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    1. Thank you, and I'm sorry to hear about your MIL. I hope she doesn't suffer her side effects too much in the long term xx

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  7. Glad things are starting to get better! x

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  8. Glad things are settling down a bit. It's a lot for little ones to deal with and probably quite difficult for them to cope with and vocalise.

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    1. It is a lot to deal with, it's a lot for me and I'm 41! :D

      Thank you Mary :) x

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  9. so please Euan is getting better. It's slow progress but going in the right direction. It's hard for kids i think when they realise that their parents aren't immortal it's a scary thing for then. hopefully he will calm down about it all soon xx

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    1. I hope so, I suspect so. Any minute now he'll start worrying about school instead and it won't bother him any more...cheers Heather :) xx

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