"The visit of the community care co-ordinator"

I am in my 70s and I am on a disability pension, due to the fact that I have the following:

- Ischaemic Heart Disease including Stents,

- Spinal Canal Stenosis which prevents me from walking without assistance or with my wheelie walker,

- Both shoulder replacements which because I was a nurse in the days one lifted heavy patients, my shoulders became very arthritic causing me to unable to lift even the lightest of items,

- Asthma,

- Cataracts, and

- The worst for me is I have Macular Degeneration, which means I will go blind.

I try to keep a very strong and positive outlook, love reading and watching television.

My husband is my carer and he is absolutely wonderful and no task is too big for him, however, I have days when I feel so absolutely miserable and terribly depressed, feeling my life has lost all meaning.

I might add I played both tennis and squash and the occasional game of basketball. I loved my garden and was very active in it. Sadly none of these things are applicable to me anymore.

Then recently, Ross - the Co-Ordinator from Central Gippsland Health Service came to see me just after midday. I felt he was so gentle speaking to me, and very understanding with a lot of empathy.

He picked up on what was important to me. Whilst he could see that for me my life had come to an abrupt standstill, he also gently made me see that whilst the life I had was in my eyes finished, he showed me that my current life had new meaning. It gave me a chance to be able to enhance the good parts of this, whilst realizing at the same time, that my days of doing some of the items I enjoyed were over but that the substitute was rewarding, even though it was in a different context.  

He took away from me my feelings of total inadequacy and instead showed me that I could still live a good and productive life. He really pointed out these things to me, without any hassle or me feeling that he was just trying to gloss over what I had felt I had lost.

He made me appreciate what I had enjoyed but then showed me by his speech and indeed empathy that I still had a lot in front of me that I could further learn to love and enjoy. He understood that I suffer a lot of pain, but showed me that despite this that there was still a lot of life left in me.

I cannot begin to tell anyone of the joy of life he bought back into me.  It is now a few days since he was here, and yet in that time, I still feel the joy he left me with, notwithstanding the health problems I have.

For anyone who doubts that someone like Ross can help them, I say give it a go. I believe this man has so much to give and with the way he left me feeling, together with his understanding, he has given my life a sense of purpose again.

I might add since Ross has been to see me, he has carried through with other departments who have been in contact with me.