Living with disabilies can be a great struggle, as I found to my cost. How we handle these difficulties is dependant on many factors, least of all our own individual coping strategies. Here I tell my story, how badly I adjusted to being dependent on others, my stresses, how I started to overcome some of these issues, and some of the areas where I found help available.
Hopefully you will have found your own methods of handling these difficulties, if not, I hope my story can help you, at least, to learn that you are not alone in your struggles.

My name is Lynne, I am 53 now, and happily married with 3 grown children,
and two stepchildren. No these are not my disabilities, this is just by way of
introducing myself to you.
My problems began in my early twenties, when my children were very young. I
began experiencing sever back pain on and off, until one day, I collapsed in a
busy market, and had to be rushed to hospital, this turned out to be a blessing
in disguise for me, as it meant they had to take me seriously. I was
hospitalised for six weeks in all, and ended by having a laminectomy.
It caused me great distress that I couldn't do all the things with, and for my
children, that I wanted and needed to do for them. However I regarded this as
only a temporary setback, fully expecting the siruation to resolve, and that I
would regain my original state of health, which I did for several years after
my operation.
Some ten years later my symptoms returned, gradually worsening despite many
medical interventions, from oral medication, through physio, facet joint blocks,
epidurals with manipulation etc.
The situation worsened until now, when I can stand or walk for only a few
minutes at a time. meaning that I can no longer work, and do household chores,
go out socially etc nor many of the other things most of us take for granted.
I will explain how I have dealt with this, is my next pages, feel free to
browse, sign my guest book, and write to me, if you have any help you can offer,
to either myself or to other readers, or if you wish to share experiences of
your own. I know my experiences are no worse than anyone else's, but feel that
by sharing experiences, we can help make life easier for each other.