Meningitis ~ 6 weeks down the line...

So, six weeks. six whole weeks. I can barely believe it.

I can remember the beginning as if it was last week, yet it almost seems like we've had our new life forever. It is still a new life, it's not the same as it was, but it's closer day by day.

My partner is now able to confidently drive, even after he ends his working day. His concentration and reactions are back. He's enjoying playing his Playstation and can play unfamiliar games without becoming instantly frustrated by them.

He is not yet back at work for an entire day. He is simply too tired. It's a physical tiredness and he knows his limits. He doesn't instantly flag any more, so he no longer has very many spells where he feels drunk and disorientated, but he cannot manage a whole day at work and most days he still has a nap afterwards.

He can walk about as far as our 3 1/2 year old. When we went to Blackpool he had a great time going around Madame Tussauds with us, and then he was done. Our 3 year old was worn out too, and they both started sitting down and wanting to go home around the same time.

My partner is still incredibly tired, this affects our evenings if he doesn't nap. He gets harassed by the children and snappy. He still gets headaches and they can come on suddenly, stress is a real factor. When it gets too hard, it really gets too hard.

Noise still affects my partner. He hates it when the children argue or shout, whereas previously he was oblivious. He definitely hears more, and buzzing noises or distant alarms really grate on him, again he never used to even notice them. I don't know whether this is a usual thing, or something quite bizarre and peculiar to my partner.

His thighs and one arm and back still hurt. His legs if he does a lot of walking usually, but his back bothers him most of the time. Occasionally he'll move wrong and wince, but usually it.is just 'there'.

We were given the impression by everything we've read or been told that a type of normal life would resume around 6 weeks, and I'd say that was true. We've settled into a new routine, naps and quiet time are part of our lives now. I've become used to driving everywhere instead of being chauffeured most of the time when my partner is in the van with me. The children are better at remembering to bother me with inconsequential things, rather than get short shrift from their Dad/Step-Dad.

Overall the children have only matured because of what's happened. The teenagers had to be left for long periods very suddenly, and they had to cope. They did fine and it's given them all a kick up the backside. One thing that bothers me is that our 4 (nearly 5) year old has become very clingy to me. He isn't happy for me to leave the house without him and screams if he thinks it's a likelihood. If I put on shoes, he does too. If I pick up a key he runs to me and wants to know my intentions. Occasionally when I'm not where he expected he panics and thinks I've gone somewhere without him. I never left him without saying goodbye when my partner was in hospital, and he didn't behave like this until a week after my partner was home, so I can only assume he's thought things through and come to some conclusions of his own, but I've tried to talk to him and he can't explain himself. It worries me to think maybe he knows that Dad is not as strong as he previously thought and that I'm more necessary than ever, and that concerns him. He's my little shadow, although I call him my assistant because it makes him feel proud.