FAMILY MATTERS
Looking to the Future
Once you have got to grips with the first urgent issues around SCI, there are likely to be lots of questions you have about the future.
Hopefully some of them are covered here.
In particular, stress and anxiety about money can make it difficult to remain calm and confident and may leave you thinking we will lose our house or we will never be able to afford all the equipment needed.
These are all normal reactions, and you may find it helpful to talk to a member of the healthcare profession within the hospital such as a counsellor, social worker or case manager in order to prioritise and find ways of sorting out difficulties and concerns.
Talking to a counsellor may give you the space to identify the actual cause of your stress and help you to find ways of coping and controlling a particular event or situation. When you feel calmer and are able to see things more objectively, it is likely that the problem can be worked through, leaving you feeling more positive.
If the SCI Centre you are visiting doesn’t have a counsellor and there is no one available to speak to, your GP should be able to provide you with the name or a list of accredited counsellors in your area or there may be a counsellor attached to your GP practice.