Today, I had another meeting with my jobcentre, and I thought I would share a little about what was discussed, where things stand at the moment, and what the next steps are.

The meeting included my Lasse, his mum, my job consultant and my contact person from Din Indgang. It was mainly about my current situation, the progress I've been making, and what kind of support might help me continue moving forward.

Taking Things One Step at a Time

Right now, the focus is on: getting my everyday life back.

For a long time, even the simplest daily activities have been incredibly difficult. Things like showering, brushing my teeth, leaving my room and spending time with other people haven't always been as straightforward as they might sound.

But I've been making progress, and I want to keep building on that.

Some of my current goals include:

• Getting out of bed and leaving my room every day.

• Establishing routines for showering and brushing my teeth.

• Spending more time with Lasse and his family instead of isolating myself.

• Continuing my physiotherapy exercises to improve my strength and mobility.

• Working on challenging my OCD through exposure exercises.

I'm already working on several of these things, and although I still have difficult days, I'm beginning to see changes.

I've become more independent with showering, I've been working on my physical strength, and I've even managed a little shopping trip using my walker.

These might sound like small accomplishments, but for me, they're significant.

Looking Into Additional Support

Another important part of the meeting was discussing what additional support might be available.

My contact person from Din Indgang is going to investigate whether I could receive help through home care services, particularly with establishing and maintaining daily routines.

We also discussed social support and different rehabilitation programmes.

One of the possibilities being explored is Bræstrup Livskraftcenter, which offers rehabilitation and lifestyle-related support.

Nothing has been decided yet, but I'm interested in finding out what might be available and whether it could help me become more independent.

I think having the right support could make a real difference, especially while I'm still trying to build healthier habits and improve my physical abilities.

What About Disability Pension?

We also talked about førtidspension, which is the Danish disability pension.

Unfortunately, it's not considered an option for me at the moment.

The reasoning is that there are still treatment and support options that haven't been fully explored, and there's hope that with the right help, I might eventually be able to work or complete an education.

I have mixed feelings about that.

On one hand, I understand the importance of exploring what might help me improve. I want to become more independent, feel better physically and mentally, and have a life that isn't so restricted by my difficulties.

On the other hand, my struggles have been part of my life for a very long time, and the thought of employment or education still feels incredibly far away.

For now, though, I'm trying not to worry too much about what might happen years from now.

I have enough to work on in the present.

Continuing With Din Indgang

I'll also continue having my weekly online meetings with Din Indgang every Monday.

These meetings have been an important part of my progress, and the long-term goal is to eventually move from online meetings to meeting in person.

That's another thing we're working towards gradually.

We also discussed making sure that I have the right support when I eventually move into my own home, or when my current programme with Din Indgang comes to an end.

I think that's particularly important because I don't want to make progress now, only to find myself without the support I need to maintain it later.

Moving Forward

Overall, the meeting was about finding a realistic way forward. There aren't any dramatic changes happening immediately, and there aren't any big decisions about my future just yet.

For now, I'll continue my physiotherapy, work on my routines, challenge my OCD, and attend my weekly meetings. Meanwhile, Din Indgang will investigate the different support and rehabilitation opportunities available to me. I'm trying to focus less on how far I still have to go and more on how far I've already come.

Not that long ago, I struggled with things that I'm now beginning to manage independently. I've started getting out more, taking better care of myself, and challenging limitations that have controlled my life for years. I still have a long way to go, and I know progress won't always be straightforward.

But I am moving forward.

And right now, that's what matters most.

 

 

Also, we celebrated today with quesadillas and wine!  

 

Goodiebox - October 2016

 

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We had Risengrød for dinner today, which is my favourite! Love the fact that they eat from flat dinner plates to make room for more cinnamon sugar on top! My inner child is very happy. 
Speaking of child, it is Lasse's niece's birthday soon, so Lasse's mum and I sat online today ordering heaps of presents for her, and we ordered a few things from IKEA to ourselves as well. 
We also spent a bit of time this afternoon measuring my body to keep track of weight loss and I bought a bathroom scale - so that I am excited about as well.  

 

And here is another picture of Mercedes because she is sooo cute! And she behaved really well today while my physiotherapist was here (last time she barked). Physio went well; we agreed to increase my exercises a bit and add some floor exercise next week that will help strengthen my back and abdomen. Today was a really good day ♡  

 

 

 My package from Matas.dk came today! I want to start doing a daily face routine; never tried that before, and my research has led me to this combination. Excited to see if I can tell the difference in my face, after a little while. 
Another of my new projects is that I have started knitting a bit, which should end in me getting a scarf within the next three to five years! 

 Today we also had Lasse's little 9 month old nephew on a visit for the day which was loads of fun. He is so adorable! And Lasse was at work. I also did my physio exercises and showered. 

A really good day ❤︎

 And here is Mercedes keeping me company while I blog ♡

 

 

Today was very productive. Had a doctor's appointment at 10.30 for a general check and a B12 injection - which was long overdue! Went to the chemist to pick up my medication. Then at 14.00 I had an online meeting with the mentor at Din Indgang, which went really well. We talked a bit about my progress with our goals and about an upcoming meeting I have with her, my caseworker and possibly my physiotherapist - which brings me to her being back from holiday, so we are back on track starting next week and she is going to look into getting me a walker so I can get around better. It will be nice if I can walk longer so I can go grocery shopping and attend more meetings in person - rather than online. 

 

 

What Actually Is the Plan?

Overall, the plan is for me to get better physically and mentally. Right now, I live with Lasse and his parents until my health improves enough for me to live on my own.  I’ve mentioned pieces of the plan here and there, but I wanted to put them together in one place.

Step 1: Build My Strength Back
My physiotherapist comes to the house every Wednesday, and I do my exercises on my own between visits. We started with four exercises and added three more after a couple of weeks. Some of them look small on paper, but they’re helping me work towards everyday things I want to do more easily and safely.

Step 2: Make Daily Life More Manageable 
I’m working on routines for eating, showering, getting dressed, moving around and keeping my space reasonably tidy. I’m also getting help from a dietitian. The aim isn’t to suddenly do everything perfectly; it’s to find ways of looking after myself that I can keep doing.

Step 3: Keep Working On My Mental Health
My OCD and anxiety affect ordinary parts of life, so physical progress is only one part of this. I need to keep using the support I have, be honest when things are difficult and practise doing more without pushing myself so hard that I end up back at the beginning.

Step 4: Get the Practical Things in Place
Before I move, I need to know what I can afford and what help I’ll need with everyday life. That means making a realistic budget, working out the costs of a new home and talking through any support I might need. I want to feel prepared, rather than trying to figure everything out after I’ve moved.

Step 5: Find a Home When I’m Ready.
I do want a place of my own. Lasse would still be part of my life and help me, but the goal is for me to be able to manage my home and my days. I’ll start seriously looking when I’ve made enough progress to feel that moving is a step forward, rather than more than I can cope with.

I don’t know exactly how long any of this will take. There will probably be good weeks and difficult ones. But that’s the plan as it stands: work on my health, build a life I can manage, and eventually have a home of my own.

Cauldron Cakes & Butterbeer Latte

 

I remembered I once tried this old Tumblr recipe for cauldron cakes back in 2013, so I figured, why not try to recreate and possibly improve them? I never tried the pastry bit in them, so this was my first. They turned out absolutely horrendous, but tasted really good! And of course, they were served with Butterbeer Latte.