I have now been living in disability support accommodation for three months. Although my life has changed drastically since my accident, I feel like the old me for the first time in a long time. Obviously, I have fewer physical abilities (and by fewer I mean none), but I’ve finally been learning to come to terms with this fact and not let it define me. Having your life turned upside down in a split second is not easy, but now that I have the care of a disability support worker servicing Adelaide patients, my life has gotten a lot easier.
I’m learning to be my own independent person again and it’s making me feel free. I feel free in the sense that I’m no longer a burden to my family. I’m no longer plagued by negative thoughts about myself and I finally feel like I can express my pain without upsetting my family. Even though I’m in a much better place now than I was at the beginning of the year, I still have moments of deep sadness where I wish that my life wasn’t like this. I believe that’s very normal.
Now that I’m living in SDA (also known as specialist disability accommodation) housing full time, I think my life is going to be a lot better. I’m going to start a new life. Reinvent myself. Be the me that the old me would’ve been proud of. There are no barriers to my care now that are stopping me from growing as a person. Yes, I will never walk again. Yes, my life is nothing like I imagined it would be and yes, I’m keeping a positive attitude regardless of all of this. All we have in life is hope, friendship, family and love. I will let these things guide me through the next chapter of my life. A chapter that is going to define who I am as a person going forward.