Life - Finding Meaning and Maintaining Ethics

The title of this post is rather wordy but it reflects what is occupying my mind most of late. I was reflecting on the fact that, this month one year ago, I was submitting my essays and sitting exams in the first year of my Social Work degree. I was very happy with the marks I attained, even though I was really struggling to function towards the end of my writing and during most of the exams. One of the essays I scored highest on was a piece I wrote on Values and Ethics. A subject that I initially found frustrating but that I gradually grew to be fascinated with. As it links in to what I want to write about today, I have posted a copy of the essay for download HERE.

The essay is very focused upon a social work perspective and that, combined with an exploration of the ethical models of Aristotle or Kant might not be of interest to many people. I wanted to provide context in addition to what I'm writing now though and it is another indication of how different my focus was only one year ago. And yet, how I'm almost wrestling with the reality this very day.

I appreciate this might all seem confusing and opaque so far. My apologies. I mentioned in a previous post that I felt I was standing at a cross-roads in respect of so many things lately. Decisions I make and actions I take will change my path. Returning to values and ethics, I guess 'consequential-ism' is a good word for what I mean. Everything I think and do has a consequence and leads me somewhere (and also leads me farther away from places/people).

The support of the physiotherapist and occupational therapist had given me a boost. A very welcome one. It also creates consequences. My initial enthusiasm about the delivery of the elbow crutches created a faulty sense of what my life would be like from this week onwards. I would be out and about with my crutches, no longer housebound. Well - no. In reality, I still cannot stay standing up for longer than a few minutes. Crutches aren't going to fix that.

I also fear I might become a measure of success for the therapists. Will they be judged on whether they can make me 'better'? Already, one of the therapists has suggested CBT and normalising my sleep and waking hours and activities. Unfortunately, it isn't so simple. I must sleep when I cease functioning (or at least rest by staring into space and laying flat) and that cannot be dictated by a clock. So, dilemma number 1: Am I helping or hindering myself by engaging with a Rehab team? Am I being defeatist and negative by not trying to fit in with 'normality' in terms of rest periods and activity etc?

And now we return to values and ethics (it is all linked, I promise!). What the hell am I to do with my life? This question keeps coming back into my mind again and again. I am struck by there being some wisdom in stopping focusing so much on illness. Yes, I am unwell and, yes, my abilities are much decreased. But is focusing on this so much 'healthy'? Is surrounding myself with others who are focused on their illnesses too 'healthy'? Then there is the opposite side of the argument. The wrestling with ethics. Now I've become aware of the suffering that goes on amongst people I've become close to, now that I've been given glimpses of their everyday struggles, how can I ethically say that I should spend less time focused upon illness? Shouldn't I ethically be spending whatever energy I have in trying to find ways to make a difference in people's lives? So, dilemma number 2: Should I focus less on my own illness and/or the illnesses of others or should I devote more of myself to helping others?

These things are best in threes, apparently, so I'll also mention the next thing I'm toiling with. How do I find a balance between acceptance and trying to get better? I strongly sense (and others have suggested it to me) that acceptance is something I am struggling with. For me, acceptance means giving up and consigning myself to being ill forever. My instinct is to keep researching, keep trying new treatment ideas and keep aiming to protect what function I currently have. Again, there are consequences to this. Life is passing me by. What if I just accepted this is what I'm currently like and tried to carve out some sort of life for myself to work alongside my limitations? So, dilemma number 3: How can I make peace with my current lack of health and still retain a desire to get better?

If you have reached this point, I applaud you. This will not be regarded as one of my more coherent posts. If I have confused you, I apologise. Confusion reigns supreme for me right now and perhaps putting all this 'out there' will bring some form of clarity or elicit some form of sage advice. Worth a try!

It's 2011......

The clock has just passed midnight here. 2010 is over and 2011 has begun.

Being Scottish, I've always felt a strong sense of obligation on New Year's Eve. It has to be best night ever, every year. We have to be drunk. Very drunk. We have to be surrounded by people. Lots of people.

I remember the last New Year's Eve that I spent alone. It was the big one. The Millennium. Year 2000 was about to become reality. I had grand plans. I was to be all kilted up and to welcome in the New Year with the girl I was seeing at the time. I had moved to England 4 years earlier and she was American but we were going traditional - spending the night at a beautiful Scottish castle.

Unfortunately, our plans never became reality. She was back in America with her family for the holidays and was involved in a serious car crash that resulted in brain damage. A few days after that, my grandmother had the first of her strokes. And so it was that I welcomed in the Millennium alone in my flat. Plenty of tears were shed and there was much sadness. The sounds of celebrations outside my window only heightened my sadness, my bitterness and my resentment of all that is optimistic about this time of year.

Now, 11 years later, I am spending another alone. It feels very different though. This is all down to choice. I am happy to be alone. In fact, the past two days of my life have been spent in a cocoon thanks to the wonder-drug that is Melatonin. A double-dose gave me the ability to sleep, almost constantly, for most of those two days. To withdraw from the world. To cease all communications. Even with myself. To quieten my hyper-active mind and just let the world turn without me. I must admit, I enjoyed it so much that I am almost loathe to return.

2010 has presented me with plenty of challenges. I got sick. I dropped out of University. I lost much of the ability to care for myself. I questioned most aspects of my self. My values. My friends. My future. And now, as I listen to the sound of fireworks and celebrations outside the window of the tiny room that has become my sick-bay and the scene of most of my days and nights, I am content. Happy to be able to avoid any sense of having to interact but knowing that it isn't rooted in sadness or depression. It is a temporary respite. A recharge. A calm and quiet that will precede my continuing battles - to get well and to help others who are battling the same illness.

Here's to 2011. I enter it a better man than I entered 2010 and a much happier man than I entered 2000. May all your futures be full of abundant hope, happiness and health.

Obligations and Festivity

I've been heartened by how well received my honesty has been within this blog. I think I am about to find my honesty being rather less appreciated in this post though!

Firstly, let me deal with the first part of the title. Obligation.

One of the areas I've had to refine and improve since I got ill was my likelihood to try to do things out of obligation. This isn't to say that I wasn't already trying to remove obligations from my life before I got sick but it has recently become vital that I take it all a few steps further.

Now let's introduce festivity. I've always been seen as a bit of a grinch when it comes to pre-defined celebrations. Without wanting to roll around in self-pity or sound like I've just settled down on the sofa with Oprah, it's probably related to childhood. Life was scary and miserable most of the time but, because it was Christmas Day or my birthday, I suddenly had to 'be happy'. Naturally, I mostly failed at that ;) I hate that expectation being attached to how I feel or act.

I've also never been a huge believer in Christmas cards (i'm not religious) or Mother's Day etc. To me and my grinch personality, it seems obvious that we shouldn't need specific days to tell people they are important to us or that we are thinking about them. I therefore tend to avoid sending them and discourage others from sending them to me. Somehow, birthdays are slightly different for me as I've always felt it's important to acknowledge that individual day of significance. So, my rules are both grinchy and inconsistent.

It's that time of year when others are starting to ask for addresses to be exchanged and, although I have no problem with people knowing my address, I'm struggling a bit with the concept of exchanging cards with everyone. The obligatory "it's nearly December, better write out some cards" just doesn't sit right with me.

And thus my dilemma. I'm aware this makes me sound like a joyless curmudgeon who sees Scrooge as a role model. I'm also aware that people are being amazingly considerate and sweet in adding me to their lists. I honestly don't want to offend anyone or remove the pleasure they get from 'giving'. Maybe I should just swallow my principles and join in the customary practice but then I'll end up feeling restentful. I'm not sure I can think of a perfect solution to this personal dilemma.

So, now you all know I'm a grinch. In spite of that, I still seem to care enough to identify it as a potential problem. Now, dear readers, this is where you come in. I'm really keen to hear the views of others on this and any advice you wish to dispense will be gratefully received (even if I don't end up following it!). Because alienating everyone I know each November and then starting all over again in January doesn't seem like a smart strategy somehow, lol.