Envigor Maroochydore client Sheila Clarke was recently a guest on SBS’s Insight program discussing the topic ‘Overcoming Loneliness’. Here she tells us how Multiple Sclerosis has affected her and the three things that have helped improve her quality of life.
Like many other people, I do not have family contact and my three closest friends work or are busy with their own lives, which is as it should be. They would come immediately if I had a crisis and do their best to visit when they can.
I have often found myself lonely – my condition does not make it easy to get around and coping with high levels of pain saps one’s energy.
However, three things have come into my life greatly improving its quality. One of them is the excellent service I receive from my provider Envigor and my carers.
My carer always has a positive outlook, cheerful and caring with no fuss which is exactly how I like it. We laugh together and she takes a genuine interest in my life.
As well as receiving personal care and domestic care, I enjoy social support like going out shopping or doing fun things.
The second is Missie YoKo, my female black Greyhound. She is a rescue dog – she was left in a paddock, flea-ridden and starving until The Friends of the Hounds found her.
They knew that I was looking to adopt a Greyhound so they introduced me to YoKo – it was love at first sight and we have been together ever since. We go for walks every day – me on my scooter or wheelchair and her on her lead, everyone speaks to us and wants to pat YoKo, so I am not lonely any more.
She has brought a lot of affection and love into my life, she knows when I am having a bad day and constantly gives me hugs and checks up on me. I have had her for nine months now and she had her 4th birthday on 28th March.
The third event was that SBS Insight asked me to be on their programme with YoKo and it certainly was exciting to be actively involved in something. Many people saw the programme and recognised me in the street – I told them that I had better start wearing my dark glasses!
From this, SBS asked me to write about myself and YoKo to publish online, the outcome was that MamaMia and Apple also published it online.
No matter what, I choose to be positive regardless of the circumstances and enjoy the privilege of staying in my own home. Thank you to everyone who makes that possible!