My partner has a physical disability

11 Comments

Seven years ago my husband sat in a chair. The next thing he was telling me was he couldn’t get up. I thought he wasn’t serious how could he not walk! Then as I tried to help him up I realised the limited movement he had in his legs and back. I helped him to the car and we went to the emergency room. They gave him painkillers and sent him home. When the pain didn’t subside and the movement didn’t return we faced a long road ahead. Our first son was 1 at the time and didn’t understand why daddy couldn’t hold him or play with him. The next few years involved expensive and time-consuming specialist appointments, tests and various other activities. My husband tried to work on and off to no avail having to leave several jobs due to not being able to cope with the work. It got so severe he began to need a wheelchair and walking stick to get around. The tests were inconclusive and couldn’t identify any disease, illness or disability. He was 28 years of age. We applied for Centrelink Disability Support Pension and Carers Pension however without a diagnosis we were denied. Further to this our son was getting older and wanted to spend more time with daddy. I had to work part-time outside of the home to make ends meet. After a couple of cortizone injections later my husband started to feel better and we had my daughter. However this relief wasn’t to last. My husband became immobile again and began to fall into a deep depression. The pain clinic at the local hospital helped him to cope with both the pain and the depressive feelings along with the strong painkillers and anti-depressants. We found a new doctor and went for more tests yet again to no avail. The doctor suggested he had fibromyalgia – a chronic widespread pain disorder very difficult to diagnose. The testing was complete and due to the historic documentation of his condition not improving over a two year period he was able to get the Disability Support Pension and I got the Carers Allowance to help with financial assistance and benefits of a mobility pass, low cost specialists and medications. Whilst his condition hasn’t gone away treating the symptoms of fibromyalgia my husband is now able to work full-time. He is still unable to much heavy physical activity nor rigid exercise. It is always in the back of our mind as to when his body may deteriorate again and it makes it difficult to plan for the future. However we are so lucky to be blessed by three amazing children who are my husbands’ inspiration to stay motivated and work through his condition with our love and support.

Posted by ozstarlett, 8th January 2014

11 Comments

- - mum4107 said
  - 06 Jun 2015
    9:08 pm
What a difficult time you have been through.
I hope things are improving still

- - mom113055 said
  - 21 Apr 2015
    1:51 pm
this story is good

- - mom113055 said
  - 19 Apr 2015
    11:52 am
its a good story to read

- - pakeko said
  - 29 Jan 2015
    7:26 pm
My mother in law suffers from this, it’s a long road and so hard. Take care of yourself in this as if anything happends to you it would be worse

- - mom57522 said
  - 10 Jan 2015
    9:00 am
Hubby suffers from a form of arthritis and it’s difficult for me to keep him motivated.

- - coppin85 said
  - 31 May 2014
    12:23 am
i hope it gets better from here and i wish you luck

- - scottie said
  - 16 May 2014
    9:36 am
Hope things have improved – best wishes to your family

- - fatheroffaprincess said
  - 31 Mar 2014
    7:49 pm
im so sorry to hear about this, i hope things are looking up now?

- - yyon4699 said
  - 30 Mar 2014
    5:11 pm
Sorry to hear but it’s great to know your family are staying strong together. Prayers to you and your family!

- - jodie80 said
  - 25 Mar 2014
    2:30 pm
my mum has this but i have never understood how painful it can be.

- - nicoleandchris2013 said
  - 09 Jan 2014
    8:05 pm
Sorry to hear that’s sad I hope he gets better soon