So Wilma is among my hero's. I asked her recently if she would write a guest blog. She very kindly obliged.
It has been a wonderful year having Carly back home and better in health , but 1 out of ten years is only the start of our 'NEW BEGINNING'
My name is Wilma , I am 51 years old. I never got to higher
education, to sit degrees, I am the average 5 o' levels with c passes and
plenty of training in the jobs that I have had in the past. I have worked in
offices (many years ago) , I have been a shop assistant. I have have modules in
N.V.Q 1,2,3. in care, I have worked as chalet maid in hotels, done voluntary
work in two day centres for the elderly and still I have not listed all
the work I have done..... But nothing could have equiped me for the
job I have had in the past 10 years..... So be kind and let me try
to tell you all about being a Carer for my daughter who has
a Mental Illness Diagnosis of Paranoid Schizophrenia.
It all started ten years ago when my daughter Carly and I were
walking in Highbury Grange on a sunny day, my day off from work as I
had to work saturdays then, we both did. "Something is wrong mum "
said Carly. A feeling of shock went through me, coming from a teenager of
19 nearly 20 years of age, well you can guess what I thought. Carly continued,
"My head mum, something is happening inside my head, it
is making me so scared. I have been to the doctor and made an
appointment to speak to a Psychologist and been given medicine to take."
That's when my whole life started to crumble apart slowly as the weeks went by watching my girl struggle to cope with Mental Illness. Carly tried so hard, going to college one day a week and working the other 5 days in a Hairdressing Salon. Completing and passing her NVQ in Hairdressing was a huge achievement considering how ill she really was. It was also the time when her illness was becoming so severe, several months later I got a phone call from Carly's boss, to come and take her home, she was in floods of tears and couldn't go on any more at work.
Many diagnosis's later, and many years of visiting my daughter in Mental Health Hospitals and a Women's Prison my daughter was put on the right medication for her Paranoid Schizophrenia. Court case after court case, tribunal after tribunal I finally have my daughter at home again and slowly getting back a daughter, someone I used to know. Thanks to the right medication and love and support. Many friends disappeared from our lives completely and family too busy with their own lives, is often a common story that you will hear from Carers of loved ones who have Mentall Illness. They are made feel unworthy of a pittance of an allowance from the government , Mr Cameron himself stated in one of the news papers Carers were" ponces ", when infact it is him keeping Carers on the breadline (while they save the government millions) and allocates Carers a 55:55 pounds for a 38 hour week, allowance, that works out to be worth 20:00 quid a week more than being unemployed.
That's when my whole life started to crumble apart slowly as the weeks went by watching my girl struggle to cope with Mental Illness. Carly tried so hard, going to college one day a week and working the other 5 days in a Hairdressing Salon. Completing and passing her NVQ in Hairdressing was a huge achievement considering how ill she really was. It was also the time when her illness was becoming so severe, several months later I got a phone call from Carly's boss, to come and take her home, she was in floods of tears and couldn't go on any more at work.
Many diagnosis's later, and many years of visiting my daughter in Mental Health Hospitals and a Women's Prison my daughter was put on the right medication for her Paranoid Schizophrenia. Court case after court case, tribunal after tribunal I finally have my daughter at home again and slowly getting back a daughter, someone I used to know. Thanks to the right medication and love and support. Many friends disappeared from our lives completely and family too busy with their own lives, is often a common story that you will hear from Carers of loved ones who have Mentall Illness. They are made feel unworthy of a pittance of an allowance from the government , Mr Cameron himself stated in one of the news papers Carers were" ponces ", when infact it is him keeping Carers on the breadline (while they save the government millions) and allocates Carers a 55:55 pounds for a 38 hour week, allowance, that works out to be worth 20:00 quid a week more than being unemployed.
Drawing nearer to my God in praying with New River Baptist
Church through every situation, handing it back into God's hands to deal
with and finding comfort in the Word, while reading passages in the
bible has kept me strong, to keep going until my daughter got
released from hospital.
It has been a wonderful year having Carly back home and better in health , but 1 out of ten years is only the start of our 'NEW BEGINNING'
by Wilma x
Wilma, you and Carly have been through so much and have come out the other side on a positive..Carly has done so well since being home and you have shown her tremendous support - not everyone has the courage and level of understanding you have. Best wishes to you both xx
ReplyDeleteWow you are an inspirational women - praying really hard for you and your daughter
ReplyDeleteWilma - thank you for telling your story. Glad that Carly has at last got the medication she needs, but what a tragedy that it has taken so long. Many prayers for you both
ReplyDeleteThank you for your story, it has really touched me. We recently had a tenant with high mental health support needs come through a project we run in Dartford. It was my first experience of this and from where i was it felt like a game of tennis between police and the mental health team with no one really wanting to take responsibility to try and help this person who did not themselves admit there was an issue. I remember thinking how what they really needed was just someone who would look out for them , the whole situation made me think perhaps to begin to know what 'righteous anger' is. I'm pleased your daughter is now on the right meds and i will pray you will keep being strengthened by Jesus.
ReplyDelete