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Post by Platypus on Jun 3, 2010 10:32:19 GMT -5
I have got most things organized now. As keeping things 'that may be useful one day' was my main downfall and erratic cleaning when I got sick after my DH was a victim of a home invasion, it was probably easier for me than for others to get my house back to being something nice to for us to live in. I am happy to say I have been a level one to two for quite a while now, and SOS really helps to keep me focused.
What has made the most difference?
1. Support and understanding along with good advice from SOS.
2. The 15 minutes on and off cleaning strategy in the chat-room.
3. Seeing other people reach their goals, especially the before and after photos.
4. Keeping my own before and after photos.
5. Being lucky enough to have help provided to look after my DH and to get support services as his carer now he is almost totally confined to his bed by his illness.
5. Seeing the courage of people on this board deal with the most dreadful circumstances and still be able to come in and support others.
6. Reading the honest remarks, even if it is "tough love", from people on this site. I remember the advice about the 'sunk costs' idea. I reallied that this was preventing me from getting rid of my old car for much less money than I had spent on it and so I gave it the flick and got a got a better one. (I can thank Lioness for that one!)
I found this site after watching episodes of 'How Clean is Your House" which used to prompt me to clean the house out every week. The show ended the season and I looked for something else, and an Internet search found Pigpen's board, Squalor Survivors. I found the humour, non-judgement, caring and advice so good I have been here ever since. I have gone on from tackling housework to other things such as organising my finances, sorting and donating stuff my husband and I can no longer use and the sad business of packing his things up in so it will be easier on us all when he passes on. (You cannot know how hard it is to type those last two words  )
The grief I have gone through in the last two years is indescribable but I have tried to make the place nice for him. It has been hard because he likes to keep things and some things I just cannot pack away. His jacket with his war medals is hanging on the bedroom wall where he can see it and I have put all the photos on the walls too.
We survived through the long wait to have his adult son with Downs Syndrome, Anton, placed in a good home but it was so sad to not have him here any longer. But with my husband very ill and the chance of a rare placement in a brand new supported-care home out in the community, his son had to move to his new permanent home. Unfortunately his son has little in the way of communication so we could not even explain to Anton what was happening.
I suppose, if I think about it, Anton moving out was the thing that made it a lot easier. He was incontinent by that time, My husband had Post Trauma Syndrome from being beaten on the home invasion and at the time still suffered pain from his hip that was broken a few years before then. I am forever grateful for the free home services that were provided for Anton, but between the social worker and Disability Services a good close-by government funded and managed home was found for him. He visits us now.
I remeber some days when I was so tired I couldn't walk. I was still working full-time when DH was attacked and I worked on for two years afterwards as mine was the only income. I remember days when to even lift a dish was beyond me.
How much I depended on the support and humour of this site once I found it.
(I will say though, that I will be forever grateful for the national health scheme and near-to-free services that have been provided to us by the Australian government. I know we paid taxes when we were working and everyone grumbles about taxes, but by gosh, I am so glad now that we did. )
Well I have got myself to the point of going to university to get qualifications (my fees are paid for by the government and I will be able to pay it back from my earnings after I graduate.) And thanks to SoS I can organize myself. I bought bookshelves, a filing cabinet and a new desk and I keep all my course stuff (more or less  ) organized.
Today I came home and told my husband I got a credit for my first assignment. He was so proud.
Now I am sure without help from all my friends here I would not have been able to do all this.
Thank you, from both of us. 
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Post by Script on Jun 3, 2010 10:38:58 GMT -5
dear Platy:
there have been MANY wonderful - touching - inspiring stories posted here at SooS, and previously at Squalor Survivors. YOURS is right up with the very best of them.
thank you for taking the time to write about your journey. thank you for the care you have given to Anton and your DH. thank you for taking care of yourself [going back to school]. THANK YOU for being you and being part of our group.
luv from script
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Post by messymimi on Jun 3, 2010 10:41:43 GMT -5
Dear Platypus,
Thank you for sharing all of this. You have given me hope.
You and your family continue to be in my prayers.
messymimi
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Post by mrsmess on Jun 4, 2010 6:27:21 GMT -5
Platypus, you are so strong to have got through all that, and to go on afterwards to study...congrats on getting a credit for your first assignment! Yes this site is amazing...it is changing my life enormously! I am in Oz also btw..  |
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Post by serenitynow on Jun 4, 2010 6:54:37 GMT -5
Thank you, Platy, for taking the time to write such an inspiring post. You are an inspiration. I'm sure you've helped not only me, but many, many others who are reading the board faithfully but not posting. Platy and DH and Anton serenitynow |
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i_believe
New Member
Be here now~
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 53
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Post by i_believe on Jun 4, 2010 7:10:03 GMT -5
Thank you so much for sharing with us! As a newbie, your story gives me much hope~ if one of us can do it, then any of us can. Thank you for the power of example you are.
TYG
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Post by puppybox on Jun 4, 2010 12:33:04 GMT -5
wow. you are inspirational. thank-you SO much for posting that. I must repeat what script said
"thank you for taking the time to write about your journey. thank you for the care you have given to Anton and your DH. thank you for taking care of yourself [going back to school]. THANK YOU for being you and being part of our group."
it should be said 1000 times.
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Post by blessedapt on Jun 4, 2010 22:46:34 GMT -5
You truly are an inspiration. Thanks for posting your update. Sending you lots of hugs. |
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Post by blossoming on Jun 5, 2010 7:08:29 GMT -5
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Post by 60isolderthanithot on Jun 5, 2010 10:25:12 GMT -5
Platypus, it is exactly this type of inspiring story that gives the rest of us confidence to keep going when it feels tough, impossible, tiresome, discouraging, etc. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING!
You've gone through so much and with such grace, it's truly a lesson in being the best person we can be, no matter the circumstances. WE SHALL OVERCOME.
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hopehope
Banned
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,815 
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Post by hopehope on Jun 5, 2010 19:35:32 GMT -5
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