Lack of blogging

Have found it hard to keep the blogging spirit alive over the past week. I have not been well and mostly in bed asleep. When I have been awake my brain has not been functioning well enough to do anything much coherently, much less writing. I have had to content myself with reading (and then re-reading) other people's blogs.

The knitting has been progressing, but only on simple projects that I don't have to think too much about. I had already finished the three pairs of socks (they need blocking though) and was working on a shawl for my mum. Doing a lace edging on a shawl when your brain is not functioning properly is NOT to be attempted. Unless you want to rip it back several times! Thankfully have finished it now (that needs blocking too!). I decided not to push my luck any further, and cast on another simple sock. Stocking stitch I can do. Don't mention the heel, I am not there yet!

Have missed several days of the WEGO health blogging challenge. I kind of knew that was going to happen because of the way my illness works, but it has bummed me out a little all the same. Am going to try and catch up by doing yesterday's and today's in one go.

Day 8: Animals -  "If your health condition (or the health condition of a loved one!) was an animal, what would it be? Is it a real animal or make believe?"
I am not sure a vampire counts as an animal(?) But it is the only thing I can think of that causes you pain and sucks out your energy and health. I call myself "Sleepy  Kitty" because that it what it has turned me into. I like warmth, can sleep at the drop of a hat, and can be awake in the middle of the night. I also like yarn!

Day 9: Caregiving - "Patients, what advice or tips do you have for caregivers out there – professional or otherwise!"
I think for carers of people with Fibromyalgia  or ME/CFS the advice I would give is to have patience. In great quantities. Because our brains don't function properly anymore, doing anything mentally, such as answering a simple question, can be really difficult. And from what I can see people who get these conditions are ones who are intelligent and organised, so when they lose these abilities others can find it hard to accept this sudden change. My partner is wonderful. He really does understand and take care of me. He actually works as a carer for elderly people. But he does sometimes lose patience with me, which can be hurtful as he knows how hard just being coherent can be for me. I don't have a go at him for it because I know it's just frustration, the same frustration I have. And he is a lot more understanding than other people can be.
Also I would ask carers to be kind to the people they look after. It's so easy to forget that it's not just a job, especially when you have only a limited amount of time to deal with each patient. You may only have 20 minutes to get everything on your list done for that person, but you may also be the only person that they see that day. My partner sees a lot of this in his line of work and believes that even just a little bit of thoughtfulness and kindness can mean so much.

So hopefully I can keep up with the blogging. We will see.