SMART Targets:

Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Realistic; Time-driven 

To swim 1 mile (64 lengths) 3 times a week - Almost met, just need to manage my time a bit better 

To do an hour of yoga/pilates 3 times a week – As Above

To cycle at least 4 days a week – Met

To increase levels of activity (and decrease dress size!) by Christmas – working on it!

I’m back on my bike, and towing the trailer and feel great for it! But, in one of those typical twists of irony, we’ve just appointed a Support Worker to do all the physical elements of my job, for me! Ah well, I’m sure we can make it work. I’ll admit that, after a week of cycling to and from my schools; bouncing round classrooms in my usual manner; and running on the spot to demonstrate “moderate exercise” to 9 classes – my hip does ache a tad. But then, it’s my first full week in school in 3 weeks (Conference, holiday, halfterm being the reason). And I’ve only recently hung up my crutches – without Dr Charlie’s approval. So I don’t think we need to read too much into that.

In other news – Housing have now reclassified me as Band A - the top band for rehousing, due to my medical needs. It’s a bit irritating as I only repeated information I’d already given, and sent them copies of letters I’d already sent! Oh, and there are no properties for 1 person available in Swindon, never mind ground floor flats or bungalows, which is what they say I need! But there is a lot of new build, all of which has a certain number of properties set aside for HomeBuyDirect type schemes – ie the How To Sneak Onto The Housing Ladder schemes and, hopefully, my Housing Band will get me onto those.

And I have also been given a Direct Payments package – monies to be spent on agreed services. First I was offered someone to come and do my laundry, change the sheets and go shopping. I said I didn’t need anyone to go shopping; Asda have an online service and colleagues/neighbours are happy to pop to the Co-op for the odd pint of milk. But I do need a cleaner. And I applied for Direct Payments – I want the money and the choice of how to spend it – not some do-gooder coming round to do my shopping! So they went away and came back and said You can have someone to do your laundry, change the sheets and go shopping! I said I don’t want or need that ; I applied for Direct Payments and I need a cleaner, who will also do laundry and change the sheets. Then I got a call from the Financial Assessment team, to assess if I would be asked to pay anything towards the Direct Payment package I’d been offered – I asked “What package?!” but they couldn’t tell me but did come out to assess me. Apparently earnings don’t count, though benefits do! Being on highest level DLA, for mobility is also dismissed, as that’s for taxis, etc. And being on highest level DLA for Care seemingly automatically qualifies you for Direct Payments, though the dimwit who came out to fill in the form for Direct Payments seemed to think the opposite!

Then I got a call from the bod who sorts out the Direct Payments; all ready to make the first payment, as soon as I sign the agreement. I told him I hadn’t heard what I was actually being offered so he went and found the file and I’m being offered Direct Payments to pay for 2 hours a week of………Laundry, changing sheets and Shopping! Same package of stuff I don’t need! So he’s going to get back to Dimwit’s line manager and I’m going to play Merry Hell with them! It does make you wonder why they bother to ask questions, when they quite clearly don’t listen to the answers!

I know I started this post by saying I’m fine now, and I am, but that’s not really the point – ok, so my hip isn’t hurting and I can walk without crutches; there obviously has been some improvement in the condition of the hip/pelvis. But it’s not cured and it’s not going to be; Dr Charlie didn’t think it would ever improve to the point of being able to bear my weight, and it will, inevitably, deteriorate, as will my condition generally. Maybe not in the next few days, weeks or months, but it will deteriorate. All the information I’ve given Social Services says my hip is in imminent danger of fracture; if it were to fracture or the femur to herniate through the acetabulum, as may also happen, I would be permanently, seriously disabled – the bone is not in a good enough condition to repair itself from that kind of damage. Now think how heavy even the lightest vacuum cleaner is, or a bucket of water, and imagine trying to carry either one upstairs, without putting any weight on your right leg! Or even trying to mop or hoover whilst balanced on crutches, or standing on one leg! Clearly ridiculous: Very unbalanced and very likely to fall or at least stumble and put weight suddenly and heavily on the leg you’re trying not to stand on – at which point I could suffer those injuries cited earlier – where a “normal” person would bounce or bruise, I am liable to break! Social Services could put a package in place to minimise this risk, if they would but listen!    

Somewhat frustrating – thank goodness I am so well or I’d be knee-deep in dirty clothes; dropped food; spilled drinks; muddy footprints and stinky sheets! And long may it continue!

I certainly feel much better for being more active, and for setting myself SMART targets: To be able to see things as possible, rather than snatched from my grasp forever, is such a positive experience. When I was in such pain and on crutches it wasn’t nice to be forced to think I might never dance, cycle or even walk unaided again – good job I’m not the type to give up. And good job Social Services are so slow and useless; if they’d given me what I needed, when I needed it maybe I wouldn’t be able to do it for myself now!

So hurrah for services that aren’t smart, and targets that are!