Sandra Cluley

 

At home I couldn’t hang out washing, cook meals, open jars, do my daughter’s hair, and went around on my bottom doing what housework I could manage. My husband had to come home from work and then start at home. I was very independent and determined to not let this get me down for long. I was offered home help but refused and my GP was constantly in touch.

I didn’t really have much support from friends once I came home, even to the point of my husband received a posting to Victoria a month after I was released from hospital. He had to do nearly everything and to this day don’t know how we managed it.

Looking back over the years of physio, hydrotherapy, tests and pain, as well as the love of my husband and 2 children, who learnt to be very independent from a very young age, and as I hear so often when an illness like this changes your life forever, I am so grateful for the inner strength I found and the will to never dwell on what might have been.

I have subsequently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia which I find hard to keep under control. Again I still carry on to the best of my ability and keep on keeping on. I have held part time employment over the years and to my surprise won a full time position in the Public Service at the ripe old age of 40.